As this school year brings about more activities and events for students, some honor societies have increased their point requirements for their members.

Even after returning from the COVID shutdown, honor societies weren’t able to come back full scale because many activities done in the past required interaction that couldn’t be done then.

“The activities that we had to do [after returning from the COVID-shutdown] were certainly limited […] so we had to do things that could be accessed virtually […] which also meant that we had to rely on their honor a bit more. It was harder to check up and follow through that things were happening. I don’t think it was as effective […] during that time,” said Math Honor Society adviser Carol Barbagallo.

This school year has focused on returning to the state before the COVID shutdown. Many returning in person activities have been reinstated which has brought about new opportunities for members to participate in. This rise in activity in the honor societies has caused the increase in points.

“When I was looking through the list of point opportunities throughout the year, I realized how much there is to do now that the pandemic is less of a health concern. There are a lot more ways to help people or learn more about certain subject areas. While it might seem a little more daunting, the people who are in charge of these honor societies are raising their requirements because they know that students are able to handle it,” said senior Juliette Amram.

This increase in responsibility and duty for the honor societies show how they want to get more commitment from their members. Since the most passionate students are in their societies, they know that they will try and want to complete the most duties they can.

“It will take a while for some students to adjust, because I know people […] that are much used to lower point counts and much easier ways to fulfill the points, so I feel there will be a period where students are kind of unhappy with the increase in points,” said senior Bryan Yuk.

Even though the honor societies know that the point requirements are feasible, it can still be a challenge to some. Some can be unsure of how to transition from the time of ease to a time of necessary activity. 

“I feel like the experience is going to be rewarding at the end because people join these honor societies because they really care about becoming more involved within a certain subject area and receiving recognition for their achievement. [The honor societies] provide a lot of opportunities to help others while learning more about the subject area that the honor society is dedicated to. You can learn a lot more about yourself after entering these experiences,” said Amram.

The new activities are avenues to help members learn more about themselves. The services that they complete help mold them to become better people. Through this increased participation, students will have more appreciation for and be able to better understand certain subjects.

“I think part of an honor society is getting involved [and] is contributing to the betterment of the community through that service. They have to donate their time […] because service is a big part of being part of an honor society. I do see kids liking being back and doing things again and being a part […] they are so much happier,” said Barbagallo.

Though the increase in points might initially be a challenge, it will ultimately serve to improve  the honor society experience. Students want to reach their end goal of an honor cord by their senior year. All in all, with more service, students are able to connect more with their peers and create meaningful connections.🔳