Social studies teachers started a club to help students understand current events and their experiences around them.
Any juniors and seniors with a 3.5 GPA or above can participate in Social Studies Honor Society, created by Tim Sermak and Roxanne Bristow. The club hopes to eventually merge with the national charter, which would allow it to become an official honor society students apply to. However, as it is a pilot club, this would not go into effect next year. At this point, it is a club to help students see diversity in the world around them.
“[It is intended to] provide a platform for students and student organizations to celebrate and recognize events that have a social studies bent to them… We should celebrate and recognize those things here. We should be more intentional about those type of things and have students more involved in the planning of these events,” said sponsor Tim Sermak.
Currently, Social Studies Honor Society is working on a project to bring awareness to Hispanic Heritage Month, which is from September 15 to October 15 this year.
“We want to recognize people who are Hispanic, as we have not done much for it before. There are plenty of things we can do to show people Hispanic heritage in our own school, community, and globally,” said senior Kate Pasmore.
Some projects the club is considering includes working with Latinos Stand Up, showing a movie, and talking about the month on the announcements.
“I am really excited to be more involved in social studies this year and work with other clubs, such as Latinos Stand Up, in the school,” said senior Emma Ziegler.
However, this is not the only project Social Studies Honor Society will work on. Throughout the year, the club will have many opportunities to demonstrate an awareness of the world around them.
“People should join Social Studies Honor Society to meet new people and have academic and intellectual conversations. It provides a place to do so,” Sermak said.