The Glendale Community College Phi Theta Kappa – Omicron Lambda Chapter won a Distinguished Chapter Award for their College Project. The award was presented by the Phi Theta Kappa - Arizona Region, and will be on display in the GCC Student Union.
The award was in recognition for the Omicron Lambda project called, The Honor's in Action. This is one of the two Phi Theta Kappa International projects that Omicron Lambda takes on each year
Jennifer Tyree, President of the GCC’s Phi Theta Kappa – Omicron Lambda Chapter, had this to say about the award. “The GCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Omicron Lambda, sought to challenge assumptions around play for the 2023 Honors in Action research project. We explored the multifaceted roles that play serves in our lives and their potential constructive applications, guided by the thematic concept "Play it Forward." Central to our inquiry was the overarching question: "How might the engagement with play serve as a catalyst fostering epiphanies, innovations, and inventions?" This exploration led us along a comprehensive research trajectory, delving into the diverse facets of play contributing to human well-being, from therapeutic interventions addressing trauma to its role in improving cognitive decline in elderly adults.”
Phi Theta Kappa – Omicron Lambda Chapter Vice President Andrea Bruno added the following. “During our journey, we discovered prevalent myths and presumptions surrounding adult engagement in playful activities. This realization prompted us to organize an on-campus event, a celebration of play designed to foster an inclusive environment. We encouraged student participation in playful endeavors, aiming to challenge entrenched assumptions and evaluate the potential for shifting surveyed individuals' perspectives on play. Our chapter created an event on campus to facilitate play. We administered a ten-question survey before engaging in playful games to discern students' preconceived notions concerning play. These questions encompassed beliefs such as the correlation between playfulness and personality traits, the perception of play as a waste of time, its educational value, and the association that adult play is inherently sexual in nature. Following their participation in playful activities intertwined with exposure to myths and truths at each designated game station, students were presented with the same ten questions to assess potential shifts in their perspectives. We analyzed the collected data and used that information to represent our findings in this Honors in Action project.”