2014-2015

Executive Board
President:
Stacy Knight
Third Grade, Decorah Community Schools
sknight@decorah.k12.ia.us

Secretary (2013-2015):
Marcia Klinefelter
Adjunct Literacy Instructor, UNI
marcia.klinefelter@uni.edu

Treasurer (2012-2014):
Lisa LaRue-Sage
Lincoln Elementary, Cedar Falls Schools
lisa.sage@cfschools.org

Past President:
Pat Wehr
Retired Reading Specialist
wehr@netins.net

Chapter Advisors:
Dr. Sarah Vander Zanden
sarah.vanderz@uni.edu

Dr. Deborah Tidwell

deborah.tidwell@uni.edu

Membership Coordinator: Dr. Debra Rich

debra.rich@uni.edu

Historian: Courtney Holubar

courtney.holubar@gmail.com

Parliamentarian: Dr. Karen Agee

karen.agee@uni.edu

Chapter Website: www.uni.edu/coe/departments/

curriculum-instruction/literacy-education/alphaupsilon-alpha

AYA Mission, Goals, and Objectives

Mission:
to honor outstanding literacy scholars and professionals
and inspire collaboration to develop effective literacy
instruction and initiatives
Goals:
1. recognize and encourage scholarship, leadership, and
service in the field of literacy
a. honor outstanding candidates by inducting them
into AYA-Alpha Chapter every spring
b. publish press releases on the chapter webpage and
share with campus, local, and Iowa news venues
c. provide all SRA members with information about
qualifications about membership
2. stimulate the interest in and understanding of research
within the field and in related areas
a. invite members to provide abstracts of their
articles and books, for posting in an outline
maintained on the chapter website
b. work with graduate student members to create
indices of research questions from IRA
publications of the past 10 years
c. find research journals for librarians with articles
that literacy professionals should read
3. develop an appreciation for the importance of literacy, the
need for effective teaching of literacy at all levels, and the
ever-increasing literacy demands of modern society
a. gather resources on all three topics (social literacy,
literacy at all levels, modern literacy demands) for
a page on the chapter website
b. encourage development of a research guide
(http://www.library.uni.edu/libraryinstruction/subject-guides) by UNI Rod Library
staff and share the completed guide with UNI
literacy students
c. research literacy demands on UNI undergraduate
and graduate students and the need for continuing
literacy education
4. broaden international understanding and communication
about literacy
a. find or sponsor a sister chapter overseas; share
information on best practices
b. create a grant proposal process to sponsor
financially the research of one graduate student
annually at his or her home institution; encourage
sponsored educators to present results at IRA
conferences
c. research literacy studies outside the U.S.; search
for e-resources through UNIs Rod Library; report
on an article from a non-US journal at least
annually in Alpha Honors and Reading Today.

University of Northern Iowa

Alpha Chapter

Alpha Upsilon Alpha

Alpha Chapter
Fall Reception and Initiation
Thursday, October 23, 2014
4:30-6:30 p.m.

First Floor Atrium

Schindler Education Center

Program

2014 INITIATES

Presentation of Literacy Award

Award Recipient:

Dr. Shuaib Meacham

Literacy instructor Shuaib Meachamhas helped create the

North End Leadership Academy, an enrichment program for
African-American youth in Waterloo that aims to improve
literacy, math, artistic, and professional skills. The North
End Leadership Academy is based on a similar program that
Dr. Meacham helped establish at the University of Delaware,
where he was an associate professor of literacy and
multicultural education. In a Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
interview, Dr. Meacham said, Were trying to establish a
purpose for literacy. Young people in general dont often get
a chance to share how they feel about things in a more
authentic way, using hip-hop as a medium and an art form.

Initiation of New Members

Stacy Knight, President
Sarah Vander Zanden, Chapter Advisor
Deborah Tidwell, Chapter Advisor

In recognition of their scholarship, leadership, and

professional commitment,
we are proud to initiate these candidates into
Alpha Chapter membership:

Literacy Professionals
Jane Frost
Sacred Heart School, Waterloo

Brenda Hite
Graduate Student, Literacy Education

Dr. Shuaib Meacham

Assoc. Prof., UNI College of Education

Dr. Sohyun Meacham

Asst. Prof., UNI Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction

Kathleen Schuhmacher
Instructor, UNI Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction

Undergraduate Students
Member Meeting and Officer Election
Stacy Knight, Presiding
Secretary's Report: Marcia Klinefelter
Treasurer's Report: Lisa Sage
Board Books Project Report: Pat Wehr
Election of Vice President 2014-2015

Kayla Aeikens
Senior, Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Whitney Eastman
Senior, Early Childhood Education

Alpha Upsilon Alpha

Alpha Chapter
University of Northern Iowa
142 Schindler Education Center
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0612

Why Alpha Upsilon Alpha?

Honor societies exist for many fields of study to
recognize those who excel in scholarly efforts and
service. The creation of an honor society to recognize
scholarship in the field of literacy was recommended
by an advisory committee to the Board of Directors of
the International Reading Association in 1984. The
Board placed the establishment of an honor society on
the agenda of the 1985 Delegate Assembly. The
proposal was approved, and the initial meeting of the
Executive Council for Alpha Upsilon Alpha was held
in May 1985.
The Executive Council approved the first chapters
in April 1986. The chapter at the University of
Northern Iowa has the distinction of receiving the first
charter in the world and is therefore designated the
Alpha Chapter of Alpha Upsilon Alpha.
The name of the Society Alpha Upsilon Alpha
is derived from the initial letters of three Greek words:
, reading
`, scholarship
, leadership
The motto of the Society is in LatinLege, sapere
audemeaning, Read, dare to be wise.

Angela Hayes
Senior, Elementary Education

Presentation
Dr. Deborah Tidwell

Bridging Books and Barcodes: The Story of

the New Literacy Library
Where did all the resources come from? The literacy library
holds thousands of multicultural books, two dozen iPads,
and plenty of student and professional materials. Dr. Tidwell
will highlight recent initiatives and discuss how the materials
beyond books alonesupport literacy.

Grace McCombs
Junior, Elementary Education

Alisha Rowe
Senior, Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Lisa Schneider
Senior, Elementary Education

800 Barksdale Road, PO Box 8139

Newark, DE 19714-8139, USA
302-731-1600 ~ 800-336-READ