Two outstanding students from the School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Candis Bartys and Sanika Dev, have grown into strong leaders within Kappa Delta Epsilon (KDE). The Epsilon Chapter is Illinois State University’s chapter of the educational honorary fraternity. Bartys, a junior school health education major with an endorsement in physical education, serves as the president of KDE. Dev, a senior and also a school health education major with an endorsement in physical education, was excited to join KDE after learning about the organization from Bartys.
Q: To get started, tell us a fun fact about yourself.
Bartys: A quick fun fact about me, is that although I love participating in athletics, my favorite hobby is crafting. I spend most of my free time painting, sewing, or upcycling old clothing.
Dev: A fun fact about myself is that I’ve been to many different international airports, but have never stepped outside of them.
Q: What are your career goals?
Bartys: I am currently a junior level student, and my career goal in the future is to teach health and physical education in urban school settings.
Dev: I eventually want to teach high school health and physical education. Once I am established and set up at a school, I plan to obtain my master’s in education.
Q: What or who motivated you to get involved in an RSO at ISU?
Bartys: My motivation to join KDE came from my motivation to find any extracurricular activity that felt like a good fit for me. My first year and a half at school consisted of me trying out a ton of different campus organizations, and not enjoying any of them. Then, a past KDE executive board member shared a class with me and presented to us the benefits of joining the RSO. The info meeting was later that same night, so I decided to go and check it out.
Dev: For KDE, Candis was actually the one who motivated me to join the RSO. She told me all the benefits of it (honors at graduation, connections with other educators, professional development, etc.), and I knew right away that it would be a great and beneficial organization to join.
Q: What is KDE, and in what ways do members benefit (in college, at graduation and beyond) from being involved?
Bartys: The benefits you get from joining KDE will follow to graduation and beyond. During your time as a student, you are welcomed into a large community of teachers. We have bi-weekly meetings where we provide our members with new volunteer opportunities to take advantage of, and we also have a guest speaker come and join us to teach members about different aspects of the education field. At our first meeting this semester, we had an ISU professor teach us about classroom behavior management. We also throw multiple socials a semester for members to participate in. We do this so members can get to know each other, and let off some steam after going to classes and doing homework all day. This semester we are planning a laser tag social, a barn dance, as well as many other socials. KDE has been an RSO on ISU’s campus since 1933. Since we have been established here for so long, it is very likely that you are to meet with an alum when it comes time to search for jobs. Not only that, the extra education and tips that you learn from our meetings will lend you information for your lifetime journey of teaching.
Dev: KDE, or Kappa Delta Epsilon: Epsilon Chapter is Illinois State University’s chapter of the educational honorary fraternity. This organization focuses on preparing its members to have the knowledge and skills to be adequate professionals in the education profession. Members are given opportunities to listen to speakers (usually other educators) and attend socials with access to teaching strategies and other skills to use in the future. Overall, members gain a lot of knowledge from being a part of this organization.
Q: Have you had any unique experiences through KDE to serve others within the Bloomington-Normal and/or ISU community?
Bartys: My favorite experience that I’ve had with KDE thus far has been participating in our volunteer work. When I held the position of treasurer, I had the pleasure of going to different community organizations and donating the funds that we had raised that semester. Those moments made me realize that we were really making a huge difference in the community. The gratitude that we received was so amazing, and it made me want to do even more to help out for the next semester.
Dev: Through KDE I was able to be a part of the community by volunteering at the Children’s Museum in Uptown Normal. I learned how important it is to be engaged with children so that they enjoy learning and continue to want to learn. KDE provides many opportunities for its members to be active in the community, which I really appreciate.
Q: In what ways has your experience on-campus at ISU been positively impacted by your involvement and leadership in KDE?
Bartys: Being a part of KDE has really made me feel as though I have found my place on campus. Before joining I found it hard to find a place on campus where I felt at home. Being around other education majors who share the same passion as I do has definitely made my college experience an unforgettable one. Joining the executive board also must have been the biggest responsibility I have ever taken on. It has taught me how important it is to stay on task and to put in 110% effort into everything that I do.
Dev: I have learned that despite the fact that everyone comes from different backgrounds, everyone in KDE is there for one purpose: to be a better educator. In a way, we are all in this together, and being a part of KDE has created that sense of camaraderie within the education major. Being a part of this organization has made me realize that we are in this major because we are leaders ourselves, especially within the classroom. This organization makes me proud to be an education major, and my leadership position on the board helps reaffirm that.
Q: Describe a lesson learned from your time in KDE that will help you become an effective as a Health and PE teacher.
Bartys: A lesson that I have learned during my time in KDE that will benefit me as a health & physical education student has come from our most recent presentation on behavior management. As a P.E. student, I understand the importance of movement. I have learned that in many classrooms there are still rules such as sitting “criss-cross-applesauce.” We need to realize that kids are not meant to sit still for hours a day in uncomfortable chairs, and if they are stuck in that environment, it is very likely that a student will misbehave. As a P.E. teacher, we can cooperate with classroom teachers to find ways to integrate movement into the classroom.
Dev: KDE has taught me the importance of taking into consideration what everyone has to say. Everyone has something to bring to the table, and it is important to be open and sensitive to what they have to say. Health and physical education are two subjects that have to be approached a certain way so that the students are comfortable and safe to get out of their comfort zones.
What advice would you have for someone considering getting involved in either KDE or another RSO at ISU?
Bartys: My advice to other ISU students looking to get involved with KDE or even any other RSO on campus is to just take the leap and try it out. I tried out at least 10 other organizations up until I found the ones that felt right to me. Don’t feel discouraged in your search and realize that good things will come to you when the time is right.
Dev: Don’t be afraid to reach out to anyone! You’ll never know until you try, and who knows, you might meet some lifelong friends by joining KDE or any other organization. I was always scared to put myself out there, but since I did, I haven’t regretted it. Put yourself out there, it’s worth it.
For more information on Kappa Delta Epsilon, contact Candis Bartys at ilstukdepresident@gmail.com.
