Delta GEMS
 

I was very thrilled to hear that Delta GEMS (Growing & Empowering Myself Successfully) has been added to Delta's list of national initiatives. Delta GEMS will serve the 14 - 18 year old teenage girls. Although I have heard about a chapter that will have a co ed group.

Has anyone else signed up to be apart of Delta GEMS?

I signed up for Charlotte Alumnae's Delta GEMS and our first planning meeting is Monday evening. :)

I would love to discuss with others what your chapters are doing with your Delta GEMS members.

I will be working with the Delta G.E.M.S. here in Memphis Alumnae. We have already started planning and will be going through applications on tomorrow. Our first meeting with the girls is Sept. 24. I am soooo excited. There has been a need for this program for a while. I commend Soror Rice for putting this into action.

On a kinda personal note ...

My teenage cousin is turning in an application. Our application asks the girls how they can benefit from a program like this. She said that her family is her biggest support system, but given her surroundings she is not always sure that she will make it once she has to start doing things on her own and supporting herself. She is hoping that this program will give her the tools needed to help her be sure about the that she can be and do whatever she wants.

I am just really excited about this program!!!

I signed up for Delta Academy and Delta GEMS. I really am excited about both programs for the upcoming year. Our first meeting with both groups is this Saturday. Plus, we're going to DC in November!!:D

Nice...
 

Let me be the first Alpha on this site to commend the ladies of DST on their efforts. As an educator/administrator, I can truly appreciate ANY and ALL assistance from adults in the development of our children. But I would expect nothing less from Delta.

Onward and Upward....

Delta GEMS
 

Miami Alumnae Chapter currently has a program that closely resembles the GEMS initiative. We will incorporate our current program into this program. See www.deltasigmathetamiamialumnae.org and go to programs. ;)

Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae has had a Delta Teens program for a long time. Our Delta Teens program will not adapt to the Delta GEMS format. They are very similar and we will be able to keep many of our current popular workshops and activities but I am excited to see a National Initiative extending beyond the Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy. We will be doing this as an ACE project with several local collegiate chapters. Hopefully all chapters will have both the Academy and the GEMS programs. I think the new name and structure has revitalized interest in the program and we had a FABULOUS turnout at the planning meeting. Our GEMS kick off with the girls is on Sat. Sept 24. I will let you know it goes.

My chapter Valley Forge Alumnae had both Delta Academy and Teen Lift. Our Teen Lift also had boys. Now we will just have Delta Academy and Delta GEMS, and the girls from DA will transition right on in to DG when the time comes, but when we have our annual black college tour we will allow the boys to come back to that.

make sure you contact me when you come to DC.

Federal City Alumnae Chapter has the Delteens Program, which I signed up for this year, I'm not sure if we are adopting the Delta GEMS initiative, but I'll find out this Saturday at our first gathering :)

No doubt SOROR!!:D :cool:

I also signed up for both committees. We have had our DA planning session already but not DG yet.

I think that the introduction of this National initiative is very timely for our chapter because it offers a transition from Delta Academy to Delta GEMS to my chapter's Beau-Co program to our scholarship aid program.

I am working with the Delta GEMS this year. The Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter had the Del-Uniques (which was the teen group). We are excited about the new year as well. I will also be working with Delta Academy. I will be looking for what my Sorors are doing with their young ladies so we can get some ideas.

Re: New National Initiative ~ Delta GEMS
 

My mommie just had 6 GEMS yesterday at chucrch with her. Here chapter is planning a lil something for them to do to feel helpful with the Katrina situation.

I just updated the Gainesville Alumnae's website last night with Delta GEMS info: http://www.gacdst.com/deltagems.php

Check it out :)

Yes we are!

That looks great Soror...WOW you have the entire year lined up. My Sorors are always on the ball.

TTT...
 

I wanted to post on this for a while but since I finally have the answer...

My chapter currently has Delta Academy and we work with about 30 girls from two middle schools. At the meeting, the ones who are over Delta Academy said they would incorporate the GEMS initiative to the Delta Academy.

Has anyone heard of other chapters doing this?

CT4, I got the answer to my question from a few weeks ago. Delta Academy can mostly work with science and math but if the chapter chooses to do lifelong skills and how they can empower them, that if fine too.

Delta GEMS
 

Delta GEMS is totally seperate from Delta Academy. The new National Initiative is designed to replace Del Uniques (teen group) and add 9th graders into the mix. The two should not be mixed together. We have both groups in Vegas. I am an advisor for both (don't ask where I find the time but God makes it happen for me) and we don't meet together at all. The Delta GEMS did decide to get together and teach the Delta Academy girls a step routine for the MLK parade in January.

I understand what you're saying. But we are not doing Delta GEMS. We already had Delta Academy and this year they are saying that they will take some of the ideas incorprated in GEMS and apply those to help with our Delta Academy girls. Our chapter is small so I don't know if we will be able to do both.

I hope this clarifies my question!:)

Oh, I see now. Remember...Delta GEMS must be ages 14-18 only.

Re: Delta GEMS
 

I'm not sure this is completely accurate. Del Uniques/Delta Teens/DelTeens, etc. have been around a long time, but haven't been standardized under a national initiative for quite awhile. And for many chapters 9th graders were already a part of the program (especially in those cities that have four-year high schools.)

But Delta G.E.M.S. can also to be used as a continuum of Delta Academy. That is how many chapters are doing it, including mine. Our Academy girls "graduate" into G.E.M.S. (and new girls are also added.) As a result, there are mixed activites where the G.E.M.S. learn leadership skills by mentoring the Academy girls, as well as separate age-appropriate activities.

Both programs are run by our Youth Development committee.
They on the same days, in the same facility (two different rooms unless it is a joint activity) with sorors helping out with the age group with which they are most comfortable. That is how we are able to have both programs with our limited resources.

We have Del-Teens and have adopted the Gems format. We like the program format of the Gems as does the girls participating.
Also in our chapter the teens start at the age of 12.
The younger division the (Delta Pearls) go from 7-11 years.

Well maybe it is understood differently in different areas. During regionals we were told that Delta GEMS was a national initiative which will replace the teen club and add 9th graders. We have bylaws and an emblem from nationals. This is how we work it in Vegas. Many girls that have been in Delta Academy apply for Delta GEMS and have preference but not a guarantee into the program. Since it is newly including 9th graders...they also have preference points. Same program as the teen club (Del Uniques) but with added programs and a new name.

I am not disputing it replacing "teen clubs." But I am saying that for many areas 9th graders were part of the "teen clubs" to begin with, because we have 4-year high schools. So that isn't any different.

And for some chapters, the "added" programs were the same as some they were already doing. Please remember that our intiatives are not developed in a vacuum. It's a pretty good bet that the national program planning committee looked at "best practices" across chapters and incorporated them into GEMS.

Also I was referring to your statement that GEMS is totally separate from and should not be mixed with DA. On the national website it states that GEMS is "a natural outgrowth and expansion for the continuation of Delta Academy," which implies, at least to me, potential for collaboration between the two, as well, as a priority given to DA members to move into GEMS. Especially for chapters with limited resources.

I knew there were published guidelines, but I didn't know there were bylaws.

My chapter has both Delta GEMS and Delta Academy. While they are both clearly separate, we do have collaborative activities. One is a combined Kwanza program. The GEMS made homemade gifts to give to the Academy girls and will be reciting poems in the program. I think combined activities is a great idea if your chapter has both programs.

Yes we do combined activities too...I mentioned that the DG helped the DA get ready for the MLK Parade. Our DA included 9th graders (we have 4 year high schools too) but for some reason the 9th graders were lumped in with DA (who knows why) but now they are with DG which is probably how it should have been from the beginning. When I said separate, of course I didn't mean they don't do things together at all....just that they are two separate groups. Whatever the case I am glad we now have 9th graders with the DG because they are high school students. At any rate, it is all very fun and exciting for me because I teach high school students so I am use to them and their weird ways.

Hi Shaven,
Delta GEMS are done on the local levels. So you would need to contact the chapter in your area. Many times chapter phone numbers are listed in the phone book and they have websites. Good luck. If you don't know the chapter name you could try Googling Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Charlotte, NC for example.

Hey CT4 my chapter just rolled out our GEMS program this year. I can get info on what we are doing and send over to you. There is a HUGE Delta Gems Convention of sorts taking place here in Atl the weekend of June 6th (I believe). The metro chapters here are still planning so that should be great way to get some information.

Ummm I initially posted that 2 years ago when GEMS first launched, but thanks for your reply nonetheless.:)

LOLOL...sorry..I am reading and working...didn't even notice the date! Had senior moment...

Well, other than that, I hope this is a positive experience for you.

It's sad, but true. I teach in Starkville and fortunately, we do not have those types of problems.

I am also in Delta G.E.M.S and we have shirts, and we are getting Jackets soon. We have picked our line name and number.

I am trying to start the Gems or Del-Teens program at my chapter, anybody have any templates or things that worked for their chapter??

Del-Teens--do you mean Delta Academy?

Are you collegiate or alumnae? If collegiate, your nearest alumnae chapter probably has the programs. (Many chapters have both.) In fact if they are in close enough proximity the two chapters usually do the programs jointly. The programs lend themselves well to that.

Are Delta GEMS and Delteens the same.

Are Delta GEMS and Delteens the same

No.