Honor Societies
Chinese Honor Society
French Honor Society
Music Honor Society (Tri-M)
National Art Honor Society
National Honor Society
Spanish Honor Society
Theater Honor Society
CHINESE HONOR SOCIETY
Ms. Pu-mei Leng, sponsor
BCC ‘s Chinese Honor Society is a chapter of National Chinese Honor Society. Students who have earned an “A” in Chinese language and 3.5 GPA for three semesters will be eligible to join the Chinese Honor Society. The mission is to promote practicing and understanding of Chinese language and culture in daily life. Its members sponsor several cultural activities each year and conduct weekly tutoring for all Chinese classes.
FRENCH HONOR SOCIETY
Ms. Sophie Vigeant, sponsor
The French Honor Society is a national organization that seeks to recognize students who excel in French. The FHS inducts new members each year in the early spring. Members must be in at least the 10th grade, have completed French IV and must have had final semester grades of A and no less than B for the third semester as well as maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. The FHS strives to equate fun with community service in planning activities for the year and promote Francophone culture and mentoring. Please contact Sophie Vigeant for information on this organization.
MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY (TRI-M)
Ms. Cindi Martin, sponsor
Club FunctionTo provide students who are highly involved in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS Music Department leadership, performance, and volunteer opportunities in the school and community. Tri-M web page
NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY
Club Sponsor: Ms. Angela White
Meeting time and place: Thursdays after school, in Room B127.
Club Function: The goals of the National Art Honor Society are to recognize those students who have shown an outstanding ability in art. The organization strives to aid members in working toward the attainment of the highest standards in art areas, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and community. Members are eligible for scholarships and special recognition. Activities involve bringing art into the school and community. We help support activities that are in the school. There will be guest speakers and field trips. After taking art in the 9th grade students may apply to become a member of the National Art Honor Society at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
There is an annual $12.00 membership fee and the requirements are that you are a sophomore and have taken one high school are credit.
2008-2009President: Laura Sheys
Vice President: Lexi Williams
Treasurer: Grace Kyonaga
Historians: Rosie Eck and Maggie Goldstone
Secretary: Caroline Walker
Attendance: Lydia Schneider
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
Sponsor: Ms. Kathryn Kirk
Selection Criteria for NHS Membership
NHS Member Responsibilities
SNEAKER DRIVE: March 2010The students involved in the schools National Honor Society are asking for your help in collecting old sneakers. Bring any of your old shoes in to school and place them into the black and green bin in front of the office. Your sneakers will be re-used as they are put into a recycling process to be transformed for use in making playgrounds, tracks, and other useful things instead of simply sitting in landfills. We encourage you to bring in all kinds of shoes that are old because those that don't meet requirements to be reusable, like metal cleats will be donated to places like Goodwill. The students in the National Honor Society thank you for helping us in another pursuit to recycle.
Tutoring at B-CC: National Honor Society provides tutoring in all subjects (including AP and IB courses) and recycling on Thursdays at lunch in A302. Please join us. There is no tutoring during exam week.
Tutoring at B-CC Cluster schools: This year, NHS also provides tutors to all of the B-CC cluster elementary schools (Rock Creek Forest, Rosemary Hills, Westbrook, Somerset, Chevy Chase, North Chevy Chase, and Bethesda) as well as Westland Middle School. Over 20 tutors will be needed for one hour, one to three times a week. Interested students should contact Ginna Roach and Lauren Strahs, NHS Tutoring chairs.
NHS Application Packet
NHS Book Collection: NHS will be collecting used summer reading books, English books, and AP, IB, SAT and SAT II review books for the rest of the school year. If you have any old books that you no longer need, even if they have been marked up, please bring them to Mrs. Kirk's room in A302. We will be offering these books this summer and next year to students who need them.
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Selection Criteria for NHS Membership
Criteria: (Note: The criteria described below operate in conjunction to give a picture of the student in terms of the nature and goals of the National Honor Society, and are given equal weight. All must be met for a student candidate to be considered.)
GPA (calculated as described below) -- 3.5 unweighted: 4.0 weighted
Five teacher evaluations in which comments are elicited regarding an applicant's character, scholarship, leadership and service to the extent that the teacher can comment on each area specifically and knowledgeably.
Three service verifications. These could be from in or out of school, and need to include specific examples of service to the school/community. NHS emphasizes school-related service, so that tutoring in an elementary school, working with at-risk students, etc. would "count" more than working with service projects outside the B-CC community, worthy as they may be. Participation in extracurricular groups that are not specifically service oriented (sports, theater, music) does not count as service unless the coach/sponsor indicates specific examples of the student's service to the school/community.
Two leadership verifications. Again from in or out of school with specifics. Coaches and sponsors will receive special instructions about this. Students who are elected officers/captains may not be the only or even the best leaders in an organization. Leaders make themselves known through their positive effects on the mission of the organization and through their example. Therefore specific examples of leadership need to be cited.
Time line:
- Applications available to students in late March.
- Completed packets returned to Mrs. Kirk by April.
- Faculty character evaluations at the May faculty meeting.
- Faculty committee meeting to review applications at the end of May.
- Decisions announced in late May/early June.
- Induction ceremony in October.
Other Issues:
Publicity: the corresponding secretary will be responsible for getting the above information to the publishers of the Banter and any other publications that go to the parents and students. I will post the information on B-CC First Class, on flyers in the hallways, and place on morning announcements
Contested Decisions: The faculty committee will deal with any complaints or challenges to our decisions and be available to discuss any aspect of the decision-making process.
NHS Member Responsibilities
MEMBERSHIP:
Consideration for NHS membership is given to current sophomores or juniors in the spring of the year. Basic membership criteria are announced and posted, and the invitation to apply is extended to all students who feel that they meet the criteria. The faculty does not select students directly, nor do we automatically induct all students who have a certain GPA. It is important that the student be the active agent in initiating the application.
The criteria in the areas of service and leadership are somewhat vague. This is done of necessity, since there is such a broad range of ways in which our students demonstrate these characteristics. We depend a great deal on the judgment of the individual who supervised the activity to inform us as to the degree to which the student has "accomplished something for the betterment of the school or community" (for service), or has been "directly responsible for directing and motivating others" (for leadership). These quotes are from the NHS national handbook. There is no maximum number of students whom we will accept - we set a standard and offer induction to all those who meet or exceed that standard.
RESPONSIBILITIES: (The following is from a document given to all members of NHS at the beginning of the year.)
Committees: NHS committees have been formed, and additional ones may be formed as needed to conduct the ongoing business of the organization. Members are not required to join committees, but are encouraged to accept the challenge of leadership and service to the school community. When committees announce events or work they've organized, members should participate if possible. It is not only the committee members who do the committee's work!
Recycling: This committee helps organize and advertise the recycling efforts at B-CC. We recycle after school and need at least six people each week for about half an hour to do it. If you can help, please do!
Fundraising: This committee plans and organizes events to raise funds for NHS programs and for the school. Again, it's not just the committee members who do the work; all members need to assist if possible.
Membership: This committee helps keep the records of service hours and attendance at meetings for present members, and records of past members. They plan the Induction ceremony and organize the application process.
Mentoring: This committee coordinates the efforts of NHS members to tutor students within B-CC and to mentor students at our cluster elementary schools. These activities may be during the day or after school, and can vary in the length of the commitment.
Each committee elects a chairperson who presides over the meetings and lets the sponsor know what's going on. For all these committees, members can choose the event, the time commitment, and how often they can participate. These are services NHS has chosen to provide to the school community, and members need to support them.
COMMUNICATION: General meetings will be held monthly at about the middle of the month at lunch. These meetings will be announced on the PA system. Committees meet as often as the members of that committee decide. Committee meetings will be announced on the PA system. Mr. Soboslay is available before and after school most days, and at lunch or by email to First Class.
We also could use student volunteers to maintain the NHS web page on the B-CC homepage.
MEMBERSHIP: NHS is a lifetime membership organization and your involvement may continue into and beyond college.
Conditions of Membership: During your high school time your membership will be reviewed from time to time (usually at the end of each semester) as to your grades, discipline record (if any), and participation in activities. If, at any time, your performance in the areas of scholarship, character, leadership, or service falls below the standards of the NHS, your membership will be placed in a probationary status. This will last for one semester and be reviewed by the faculty advisory committee at that time.
Volunteer Hours: Members are required to perform twenty hours of service in the name of the NHS during each year of membership at B-CC. These hours include attendance at NHS meetings and committee meetings participation in NHS sponsored event, and service hours done in the school and community that are not counted for any other purpose.
Dues: Membership dues are set at $10 per year. This is to be paid by the middle of October each year by check or money order made out to Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, memo to NHS, and turned in to the NHS sponsor.
NHS membership is an honor, an advantage, and a responsibility. Please take it seriously!
If there are further questions, please contact Mrs. Kirk or an officer by phone or email.
I look forward to a large number of very qualified applicants who will continue to strengthen our chapter and enhance its reputation as "meaning something."
SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY
Club Sponsor: Mrs. Yuter
Meeting time and place: Second Tuesday of every month, at lunch, in Room C309.
The Rosa Montero Chapter of the National Spanish Honor Society recognizes high student achievement in Spanish and promotes a continuity of interest in Hispanic Studies. We discuss ways in which we can continue our study of Spanish language and culture and also use our expertise to help and encourage others to do the same.
This year, SHS members are offering tutoring for students of Spanish and Spanish-speaking students needing assistance in any subject. Tutoring will take place every Wednesday at lunch in room C309. In addition, SHS students will attend TAP every Wednesday after school to assist native Spanish speakers with their core subjects. Please contact Shira Yuter with any questions.
Currently, we are also working on a tutoring program for students at the elementary and middle schools and for Spanish-speaking ESOL students and students of Spanish. We are also planning fundraising and community outreach and cultural activities.
The Spanish Honor Society is open to students currently enrolled in Spanish 5, 6, or 7 who maintain exceptional grades in Spanish. The next round of applications will go out at the end of this school year.
Spanish Honor Society Membership Application
THEATER HONOR SOCIETY
Club Sponsor:
Mr. Boswell
Mr. Taylor
Club Function:
Members must have at least 250 hours of theater during high school and help promote and organize the student directed one act play festival in May.
Meeting time and place:
Wednesdays, at lunch, in room A307.