In order to share the vision, Leading Women Educators Impacting Education Worldwide, and strengthen the profession of education, the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Sigma Chapter, established Supporting Early-career Educators (SEE) as its annual project.

Education is a challenging career, and retaining quality teachers is an issue worldwide. According to Richard Ingersoll, the rate in the U.S. of beginning teachers leaving the profession in the first year is a little more than 10 percent; with 33 percent leaving by the third year and 46 percent by year five. In addition, around 15 percent of U.S. teachers overall leave the profession each year. (Is There Really a Teacher Shortage, Ingersoll, 2003, p. 14)

John F. Kennedy said, “In each one of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefits for everyone and a greater strength for our nations.”

Sigma Chapter members believe that they truly can make a difference with support. SEE encourages members to be creative in support of early-career educators with a variety of strategies. Sigma Chapter has adopted four first year teachers in the Picayune and Pearl River County School Districts. Members will support these new teachers throughout the school year with encouragement, goodie bags, and more. In October, SEE teachers were showered with bags of classroom supplies. Sigma Chapter is helping to reduce the teacher shortage by supporting early-career educators in this community.