Northern District Meeting ~ March 14, 2026
Frank Haney Student Union
101 Cunningham Boulevard
Northeast Mississippi Community College
Booneville, Mississippi
Registration closes February 27, 2026
District Meeting Information
Concurrent Session I
10:15am-11:00am
Choose one of the following Non-Society sessions:
Embrace the Season You are in
Cunningham Room, 2nd Floor
Dig into the joys and struggles of each season of your personal and professional life. Reflect honestly on where you are right now, while honoring where you have been and where you hope to go through guided reflection and shared conversation. The goal is not to “fix” a season, but to better understand it and learn how to move through it with intention and grace.
Presenter: Tina Joslin, Retired Educator
No Way That’s a Napkin!
Student Activities/Help Desk Room, 1st Floor
Take a creative break and enjoy the simple joy of making something with your hands. You will use napkins to craft decorative pieces while unwinding in a relaxed, supportive environment. This session is designed to spark creativity, encourage play, and remind us that creativity doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Presenter: Hope Harrelson, Career Coach, Booneville High School
Creating Saltshaker Tassels
Black and Gold Room, 1st Floor
Let’s have fun together and create Saltshaker Tassels. These tassels can hang from cabinets, doorknobs, lamps, fans, trees, or plants. Bring your favorite saltshaker if you would like. Extra ribbons and material will be provided. Skill level: Low - Fun level: High! (This session is limited to 25 participants.)
Presenters: Cindy Alsworth-Jones, Delta; Betsy Sullivan, Pi; and Toni Cook, Alpha Upsilon
Concurrent Session II
11:15am-12:00pm
Choose one of the following Society sessions:
Coral Reef Connections – Building a Thriving Ecosystem of Engaged Members
Cunningham Room, 2nd Floor
Discovery ways to focus on the ecosystem of the chapter and connections to support programs, projects (including SEE). Also, explore the support systems promoting growth (Membership Toolkit, Educators Book Award, Collegiate Members, and more.)
Presenters: Membership Committee
Karen Rhodes, Gamma; Amy White, Eta; Abigail Myers, Alpha Chi; Tammy Seale, Alpha Rho; and Marcie Tuggle, Alpha Chi
Go Under the “C” for the GIRLS Fund!
Student Activities/Help Desk Room, 1st Floor
Make a splash and learn about the GIRLS Fund which helps empower girls in Africa to build brighter futures. Grab a paintbrush and create a sea turtle masterpiece. These masterpieces will be on display during the luncheon where members can use their spare change to vote for their favorite sea turtle. The turtle that collects the most money wins a special prize and moves on to compete for the “Queen of the ‘C’” title at the state convention. All money raised will support the GIRLS Fund.
Come paint, vote, and make a difference – one sea turtle at a time!
Presenter: Polly Ann White, EEC Chair
Beyond the Hype: Practical AI
Black and Gold, 1st Floor
Take a look at the trends around AI usage in education and business, as well as explore some tools that could benefit your personal life.
Presenter: Tara Poolson, Communications/Marketing/Technology Chair
10:15am-11:00am
Choose one of the following Non-Society sessions:
Embrace the Season You are in
Cunningham Room, 2nd Floor
Dig into the joys and struggles of each season of your personal and professional life. Reflect honestly on where you are right now, while honoring where you have been and where you hope to go through guided reflection and shared conversation. The goal is not to “fix” a season, but to better understand it and learn how to move through it with intention and grace.
Presenter: Tina Joslin, Retired Educator
No Way That’s a Napkin!
Student Activities/Help Desk Room, 1st Floor
Take a creative break and enjoy the simple joy of making something with your hands. You will use napkins to craft decorative pieces while unwinding in a relaxed, supportive environment. This session is designed to spark creativity, encourage play, and remind us that creativity doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Presenter: Hope Harrelson, Career Coach, Booneville High School
Creating Saltshaker Tassels
Black and Gold Room, 1st Floor
Let’s have fun together and create Saltshaker Tassels. These tassels can hang from cabinets, doorknobs, lamps, fans, trees, or plants. Bring your favorite saltshaker if you would like. Extra ribbons and material will be provided. Skill level: Low - Fun level: High! (This session is limited to 25 participants.)
Presenters: Cindy Alsworth-Jones, Delta; Betsy Sullivan, Pi; and Toni Cook, Alpha Upsilon
Concurrent Session II
11:15am-12:00pm
Choose one of the following Society sessions:
Coral Reef Connections – Building a Thriving Ecosystem of Engaged Members
Cunningham Room, 2nd Floor
Discovery ways to focus on the ecosystem of the chapter and connections to support programs, projects (including SEE). Also, explore the support systems promoting growth (Membership Toolkit, Educators Book Award, Collegiate Members, and more.)
Presenters: Membership Committee
Karen Rhodes, Gamma; Amy White, Eta; Abigail Myers, Alpha Chi; Tammy Seale, Alpha Rho; and Marcie Tuggle, Alpha Chi
Go Under the “C” for the GIRLS Fund!
Student Activities/Help Desk Room, 1st Floor
Make a splash and learn about the GIRLS Fund which helps empower girls in Africa to build brighter futures. Grab a paintbrush and create a sea turtle masterpiece. These masterpieces will be on display during the luncheon where members can use their spare change to vote for their favorite sea turtle. The turtle that collects the most money wins a special prize and moves on to compete for the “Queen of the ‘C’” title at the state convention. All money raised will support the GIRLS Fund.
Come paint, vote, and make a difference – one sea turtle at a time!
Presenter: Polly Ann White, EEC Chair
Beyond the Hype: Practical AI
Black and Gold, 1st Floor
Take a look at the trends around AI usage in education and business, as well as explore some tools that could benefit your personal life.
Presenter: Tara Poolson, Communications/Marketing/Technology Chair
Lodging recommendations
Corinth MS. Corinth is about 20 minutes north of Booneville.
Hampton Inn Corinth, MS
2107 Highway 72 West
Corinth, MS 38834
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
2106 Highway 72 West
Corinth, MS 38835
For those traveling from the south and may not want to travel further north, the city of Tupelo is another option for lodging. It is about 45 minutes south of Booneville and has many hotels.
*Friday evening meal on March 13th will be held in Corinth at an excellent Italian restaurant called Pizza Grocery. If travelers elect to stay in Tupelo, they should plan to drive a little over an hour north to attend the Friday evening meal in Corinth.
Pizza Grocery
800-A Cruise St
Corinth, MS 38834
Corinth MS. Corinth is about 20 minutes north of Booneville.
Hampton Inn Corinth, MS
2107 Highway 72 West
Corinth, MS 38834
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
2106 Highway 72 West
Corinth, MS 38835
For those traveling from the south and may not want to travel further north, the city of Tupelo is another option for lodging. It is about 45 minutes south of Booneville and has many hotels.
*Friday evening meal on March 13th will be held in Corinth at an excellent Italian restaurant called Pizza Grocery. If travelers elect to stay in Tupelo, they should plan to drive a little over an hour north to attend the Friday evening meal in Corinth.
Pizza Grocery
800-A Cruise St
Corinth, MS 38834
