Carolyn Derden, Beta Sigma Phi 2024 Lady of the Year

Beta Sigma Phi is a sorority founded in 1931 and now has over 200,000 chapters. There are chapters in every state in the USA as well as 30+ other countries around the world. It was founded for the purpose of social, cultural and civic enrichment of its members and focuses mainly on local community service along with other activities as well. The Swainsboro Xi Delta Psi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi was chartered in 1978 and today has 29 members. Several current members are of the original charter group and are still active members today.

At the closing of the active months of the sorority, all the sisters of Beta Sigma Phi gather for a reflection of their accomplishments during the past year. It is a business and social gathering. This gives the sisters time together to brainstorm new ideas for the coming year and a chance to socialize before taking a summer break from active time. Miss Carolyn and her husband, Dr. John Derden were invited to join the club at this gathering. Dr. Derden knew of the surprise in store for his wife. She thought that she was accompanying her husband who would be making a presentation to the group. The sorority members take pleasure in surprising the future Lady of the Year with the announcement of her being chosen for this recognition. This bonus of surprise made this gathering even more special and meaningful. It was at this time that the Xi Delta Psi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi announced that Miss Carolyn was their choice of the club’s 2024 Lady of the Year. Mrs. Durden was indeed surprised as it showed in the wonderful and appreciative look on her face and the glimmer of well-deserved pride in her eyes. This recognition and presentation usually take place at the Beta Sigma Phi Founder’s Day celebration but due to a timing conflict the date had to be changed. It worked out perfectly.

The choice of Lady of the Year is always challenging. There are many women in our community that are deserving. In the discussions one name kept coming up time and time again as the sisters went through the nominating process. After much consideration the Xi Delta Psi Chapter made their choice for the 2024 Lady of the Year, Carolyn Derden. Mrs. Derden is very well known to all in our community and certainly deserving of this recognition.

She is formerly from Murphy, North Carolina. She earned her B.S. in Education in English from Western Carolina University. She furthered her academics earning her M. Ed., Mental Retardation at the University of Georgia. Her career includes 36 years of teaching in three different states, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. She taught public education on levels K-12. She taught Adult Education (GED Preparation) in Cherokee County, Clarke County and Emanuel County, all in Georgia. Miss Carolyn also taught 12 semesters of Learning Support English at East Georgia State College and taught In-Home students from Ogeechee Psycho-Ed Center in Midville, Georgia. She was named Teacher of the Year twice at Swainsboro Elementary School.

Miss Carolyn is also affiliated with multiple Educaton related associations. She is a member of the Georgia Assoc. of Educators, the Georgia Assoc. of Educators, Retired, the Emanuel County Assoc. of Educators (President, 1 term), and the Emanuel Retired Educators Assoc. (multiple President and Vice President Terms).

It is quite evident that Miss Carolyn is devoted to educating young people and from the above accolades did an extraordinarily good job. Educating our young people is essential for the future of our hometown, our county, our state and our country. The sisters of Beta Sigma Phi congratulate Miss Carolyn for her dedication to doing more than her share to seeing to the future through excellence in education. Education is essential for our future, now more than ever.

Miss Carolyn has been or is also involved in many local benevolent organizations. She participated in The Sunshine House “Purses with a Purpose” and was recognized as the Donor of the Year. She was the Co-Chair of First Methodist Church Seniors Ministry (55 and Alive) for 18 years. She was the former Vacation Bible School Co-Ordinator, part of the Youth Ministry, Bulletin Editor, member of the United Methodist Women and a Thrift Shop worker. Miss Carolyn, along with her husband, Dr. John Derden were honored with The Book of Golden Deeds from The Swainsboro Exchange Club. It is easy to see that she is a woman of dedication, devotion and faithfulness.

All of these are wonderful and admirable attributes; however, these are not what drew the club to consider her as the 2024 Beta Sigma Phi Lady of the Year. It is her unending humanitarianism, and her steadfast loyalty to helping others. The words above show her fondness and concern for children. This stretches from providing food, clothing, school supplies and the like for her students that were truly in need. Miss Carolyn is the kind of person who is always asking, “What more can we do?” and rallies others around her to do the same. She is a true ENCOURAGER. She teaches and inspires those around her to learn to think more of others than of themselves and to value others more than themselves. Look in your Bible at Philippian’s 2: 3-4. This seems to describe Miss Carolyn’s personality; what one could call her creed.

Many of the good deeds that Miss Carolyn does go unseen, and she likely prefers it that way. It may be as simple as being in line at the grocery store and handing one dollar to the person in front of her because they are a few cents short. Or if she feels moved to do so, take care of the cost of the items to be purchased by person in line behind her. It may be taking a meal to someone in need or someone who is ill. It may be just sitting and talking with someone in need of interaction and conversation (or perhaps more so in need of someone to listen). Miss Carolyn is tireless when it comes to helping others. She has a God given gift for helping others. This is a gift that you are born with and foster as you grow. She has fostered well.

In the following powerful words Miss Carolyn is generous, noble, open-hearted, compassionate, kind, gracious and merciful. Put all these descriptions of her drive and her personality it can be said that these words, all put together, describe her to a tee and these words lead to one single word that best describe Carolyn Derden: SELFLESS.

The sisters of the Xi Delta Psi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi have great respect and admiration for Miss Carolyn. All the sisters are proud and privileged to call Mrs. Carolyn Derden their 2024 Lady of the Year.