The Lee University chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international
honor society for educators, recognized three local teachers for
their demonstration of excellence in the classroom. The ceremony
was held on Oct. 22 in the Rose Lecture Hall on Lee’s
campus. 

The ceremony highlighted the impact these educators have had in
their classroom and each was presented with a pin and certificate
honoring their achievement. The honorees include: Connie Bancroft,
Athena Davis, and Beth Sargent.

Bancroft has served the teaching profession for a total of 33
years. She has been teaching 3^rd grade at Prospect
Elementary School for 32 years. Bancroft is a member of Delta Kappa
Gamma, International Reading Association, Tennessee Reading
Association, Red Clay Council Reading Association (RCCRA), Bradley
County Education Association, Tennessee Education Association, and
National Education Association. She also serves as the yearbook
chair, corresponding secretary and treasurer for Delta Kappa Gamma
and is the president elect and the celebrate literacy chair for
RCCRA.

Along with this honor Bancroft has been nominated for the Jaycee
Distinguished Service Award, Building Level Teacher of the Year,
System Level Teacher of the Year, and chosen six times for Who’s
Who Among America’s Teachers.

Davis has been in the education profession for 12 years. She
currently teaches English at Cleveland High School and has been a
Tennessee Holocaust Commission Teacher Fellow since 2006. Along
with her superior performance in the classroom, Davis has been
active in the community of Cleveland High. She has been a sponsor
of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Beta Club, and Model UN.
Davis is also the founding sponsor of Raider Reads Faculty/Student
Book Club.

Sargent is currently a kindergarten teacher at Prospect
Elementary. Over the past 22 years she has served the education
profession as a K-3^rd grade teacher. Along with
teaching, Sargent has been a Kumon math coach, K-12 activities
coordinator, and pre-school chairperson. She is also a member of
Kappa Delta Pi and Red Clay Council Reading Association. In 2010,
Sargent was named Prospect Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Kappa Delta Pi also recognized this semester’s 30 new inductees
including: Olivia Bledsoe, Heather Boyd, Amanda Brewer, Bridget
Bunch, Rachel Campbell, Angela Childers, Dana Church, Whitney Day,
Kaylee Gallagher, Maria Gerecke, Hollie German, Shana Hakanson,
Julie Hardesty, Asa Harris, Hannah Hazelwood, Roseanna Hernandez,
Stephanie Hilliard, Marcella Hoppel, Amy Humberd, Lauren Karnes,
Wesley Kennedy, Heerak Kim, Jenna Kirk, Aimee Passavant, Lacey
Richards, Kirsten Seeberger, Allison Sharpe, Maria Shepherd, Mariah
Varner, and Morgan Wade.

Kappa Delta Pi seeks to encourage high professional,
intellectual, and personal standards to recognize outstanding
contributions in education. Founded in 1911, the society became an
International Honor Society in Education in 1981.

For more information on the honorees or Kappa Delta Pi, please
call the Helen DeVos College of Education at 423-614-8175.

PHOTO: (l to r) Davis, Sargent, and
Bancroft