Jeanne Morascini
Jeanne Morascini, of Theta Chapter in Hebron, Connecticut, has been a proud member for 55 years. She served as state organization president, chapter president, and chair of many committees within her state.
Jeanne has given numerous keynotes at chapter and state organization meetings. "Visions of Strong Chapters Dance in my Head" was the title of one presentation at the Connecticut state organization spring convention. She discussed how to create strong chapters through an awareness of one's own personal needs, as well as those of the chapter. Jeanne is a guiding force and mentor to countless members. Her enthusiasm for the work of DKG has always been infectious.
Jeanne taught primary grades, K-2 for 26 years, mostly in Mansfield, Connecticut. After retiring from the classroom in 1987, she served as an adjunct faculty member at ECSU for 10 years, supervising student teachers and teaching curriculum courses. She was also a Connecticut Board of Education Assessor of beginning teachers in the Beginning Educators Support and Training (BEST) program for 10 years, completing over 200 assessments.
In 1985 Jeanne Morascini helped to establish the standing committee, "Curriculum of Hope for a Peaceful World," focusing on promoting peace, protecting the environment, and celebrating diversity. The mission of the committee is to study and promote critical thinking, conflict resolutions and cooperative learning skills which will help to move forward to a peaceful world. Since its inception, the committee continues to publish three newsletters per year, which provide teachers with numerous resources, materials, ideas, and valuable advice to be used for their daily work in the classroom and for organizing projects. Jeanne has written several articles for the publication’s column, “Founder’s Message.”
Morascini is passionate about understanding the past because a peaceful world cannot be designed without that knowledge. As a result, Jeanne was instrumental in Connecticut state organization’s recommendation of Marion Blumenthal Lazan, a Holocaust survivor, for International Honorary membership. Lazan was known to visit numerous schools and educational institutions as “Zeitzeuge” and she shared her family experiences as victims of the Third Reich, persecuted, abducted, and sent to concentration camps. Marion Blumenthal Lazan received this outstanding honor at the 2019 International Conference in Connecticut. Jeanne believes that diversity amongst mankind, be it color of skin, religious beliefs, or cultural differences in compliance with human rights, needs not only to be tolerated and accepted, but deeply appreciated.
Jeanne is also a founding member of the Hochberg Holocaust and Human Rights Education Committee at Temple Bnai Israel in Willimantic (1994). Recent outgrowth of that committee is the local Interfaith Working Group, a refugee resettlement group, area interfaith ministry group, housing, and homeless shelter personnel. Grants are given to school and public libraries to expand their collections on Human Rights. Speakers about the Holocaust and Human Rights are invited to meetings, and field trips are organized and supported.
Additionally, she and her husband Tony are collaborators of Windham Hospital and have been strong supporters for many years.
To quote Jeanne:
“I know this for sure. The hope for a peaceful world depends on each and every one of us.
Education leading to interfaith understanding, belief in human rights for all, and respect, caring and compassion for everyone is vital to our survival. Every person on this planet is going to have to stand up and fight the evil that is trying to overtake the good.”
Timely and wonderful words of wisdom.