Local Activities
The members of Theta Zeta have several projects for this fall 2007 semester. We volunteered to help the AAUW in their book sale in October. Then, on Halloween, the members of Theta Zeta went trick and treating for children's books. The members took flyers to neighborhoods near the campus announcing that we would be coming around in costume for Halloween, but we would be asking for donations of books for children and teens. We collected six boxes of books as well as some money donations. The books collected and the books purchased with the money were given to the Boys and Girls Club of Eau Claire and to the Literacy Volunteers of America. Trick and treating for books was such a success that we plan to repeat the event next Halloween in another neighborhood.
The members of Theta Zeta also manage The Children's Writing Contest, an annual project in which we take submissions from K-8th grade students and create a book of winning entries. During the spring of 2006 we expanded and created a Young Adults' Writing Contest book to included 7th-12th graders.
Th writing contests are one of the most entertaining and enjoyable experiences for the members of Sigma Tau Delta. This past year alone we had over 700 submissions from all over Western Wisconsin. Each grade typically has 2-3 winners (selected by members of the Theta Zeta chapter and other interested English students). Each winner receives a copy of the winners book, an age appropriate book picked by Sigma Tau Delta members, and a writing journal.
Submissions are typically due in early March. The winners are asked to attend an awards ceremony to be held in May during UWEC's English Festival where the winners receive their prizes and read their entries for the attendees.
We welcome all K-12th graders to submit their entries to Sigma Tau Delta as long as they follow some simple guidelines. We have revamped our entry form and guidelines this year and have posted them on the Forms and Guidelines page of the writing contest..
Visit the Writing Contest home page for more.
National Activities
For the past many years members of the Theta Zeta Chapter have attended the annual Sigma Tau Delta International Convention. For more information visit the Sigma Tau Delta web site for international convention information.
From 2004-2007, members of the Theta Zeta Chapter have held positions of Midwestern Student Representative (SR) and Midwestern Associate Student Representative (ASR):
Traci Thomas Card, ASR 2004-2005, SR 2005-2006;
Daniel Hardy, ASR 2005-2006, SR 2006-2007;
Grant Tharalson, ASR 2006-2007.
In addition, the current Midwestern Sigma Tau Delta Regent is the lead faculty advisor to the Theta Zeta Chapter: Gloria Hochstein.
Midwestern Regional Conference:
In the fall of 2006 the Theta Zeta Chapter hosted a regional conference in conjunction with our chapter's 50th anniversary. For more information please check out the Fall 2006 Conference page.
International Activities
For many years the Theta Zeta Chapter has been sending books to countries all over the world. What we now call the Books Over Borders campaign began with a professor from Russia asking for books for her university. We now send books to Russia, Nicaragua, and Indonesia. As part of our Books Over Borders campaign we have hosted a benefit concert featuring talent from the English Department. We hope to host such an event again.
