VICENZA, Italy (Feb. 12, 2016) -- Ten new members were inducted into Vicenza High School's Spanish National Honor Society during an initiation ceremony Jan. 27 at the Golden Lion.
The Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica is an academic honor society focused on Spanish and/or Portuguese language excellence in secondary education and promotes a continuity of interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies, according to the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese website, www.aatsp.org.
The chapter in Vicenza, The Vasco Nunez de Balboa Chapter, focuses on Spanish specifically, and was chartered in 2008, said Linda Dahlstrom, chapter sponsor and VHS Spanish language teacher. The local chapter is one of 2,000 national and international chapters of the SHH. The new inductees joined seven other members, bringing the chapter total to 17, the largest it has ever been.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for students to be recognized for outstanding achievement in Spanish studies," Dahlstrom said. "Participation provides a venue for students to share their interests in the Spanish language and culture with their school and community members. It indicates to colleges, universities and employers an appreciation for, and dedication to, cultural diversity."
Selected students must be in 10th grade or above and be currently enrolled in a Spanish 3 (or higher) class, Dahlstrom said. As the "honor grade" is left to the discretion of each chapter, for Vicenza, students must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average in Spanish and a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.
Becoming part of the organization is an honor for students, and it is customary for all honor societies to have a ceremony whereby the initiates pledge their oath to the values and goals of the society and are welcomed into the fold by the current members, said Dahlstrom.
During the initiation ceremony, students provide background for the society, the VHS chapter and its mission. The four officers of the society take the lead and everything is said in Spanish and English. Initiates participate in the ceremony by lighting their individual candles from the "mother candle" (the same one, Dahlstrom said, used in every chapter induction since the chapter's inception) as their name is called. They then pledge the oath of the society and recite an inspirational poem, "Excelsior" by Nunez De Arce.
Each year the national organization contributes more than $150,000 in awards in the spirit of their mission to student members of the society. The most prestigious of the awards are college scholarships given to 60 high school senior SHH members and the Student Travel Awards given to 24 high school junior SHH members.
Social Sharing