Various honor societies welcomed new members into their ranks through ceremonies well attended by friends and family of the inductees.

The Language Honor Societies inducted new members into the Spanish, French, Italian,Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese honor societies on Apr. 5. Featuring performances ranging from “I Want it That Way” in Chinese to a song with both French and English lyrics, the candle ceremonies took place between multilingual entertainment and speeches. The ceremony took place in the Miller Drive auditorium and offered food and refreshments to the guests.

For each induction, the students held a candle with a light and recited the pledge for the society. Each pledge took place in the language of the honor society, as with the French pronouncement “l’homme qui sait duex langues en vaut deux.” After the students said the pledge, they blew out their candles and exited the stage, often shaking hands or embracing their language teachers who waited to congratulate them.

Each language honor society offered different tokens to the students. For example, the French Honor society provided their students with a pin, while the Spanish Honor Society gave their new members a mug with treats inside.

“I was inducted into the French Honor society. The performances were really great, and I enjoyed the tradition and formality of the candle lighting ceremony,” said junior Aldo Diaz.

The National Honor Society induction took place on Apr. 13, also in the Miller Drive auditorium. The National Honor Society is an invitational organization celebrating a tenth, eleventh or twelfth grade student’s excellence in a variety of traits including scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. President Valentina Wakeman and Vice President Ana Laub helped read the name of the inductees as they entered the stage to light their candles.
“I felt really honored to be accepted into the National Honor Society. I look forward to the opportunities for community service the society will offer, and I hope I’ll be able to volunteer at NHS functions in the future,” said junior Sarah Wiser.

A special feature of the NHS induction was the initial lighting of four candles that represent the core ideals of the organization. After a candle is lit for each of the pillars of scholarship, character, service, and leadership, the officers provided a brief explanation of the importance of each pillar.

Another induction ceremony is for the Cum Laude Society induction taking place on Apr. 27. Cum Laude Society is composed of students who are in the top 10% of their junior class and those who are in the top 20% of their senior class. The induction ceremony will take place in the Student Union and existing members are expected to attend.