The National Beta Club (often called "Beta Club" or simply "Beta") is an International honor society for 4th through 12th-grade students. Its purpose is to promote academic achievement, character, leadership, and service among elementary and secondary school students. The National Beta Club is the largest independent educational society for youths in the United States. Headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the organization has more than 9,600 clubs nationally and more than 450,000 active members.
History
Dr. John W. Harris, a Wofford College professor, founded the National Honorary Beta Club as a co-educational high school academic honors program. His idea was to create an organization like Phi Beta Kappa, Kiwanis, and Rotary for high school students.
Its charter members included: The purpose of the organization was "the maintenancee of a high standard of scholarship in the classroom and installing the ideals of loyalty, courage, leadership, honesty, and integrity in the high school students."
The first Beta Club chapter was established at Landrum High School in Landrum, South Carolina on January 8, 1934, by incorporating the fifteen members of the pre-existing Landrum High School Literary Society.
Clubs were also established at China Grove High School, the Lewisville High School, and the Woodleaf High School in North Carolina in October 1934, followed by Cary High School and Granite Quarry High School in December 1934. The first club in Georgia was formed at Royston High School in November 1934. Each club had a teacher who serves as its sponsor. Members recruited from the junior and senior classes for outstanding scholarship and good character. Its student magazine, The Beta Journal, was established in September 1934. There were 75 clubs in four states by the end of 1935. The National Beta Club is the largest independent educational society for youths in the United States.
Symbols
Harris selected the name Beta Club because high achievers earned A or B grades; Beta was the Greek letter for B.
The member induction ceremony uses five colored candles: red, white, and blue to symbolize the United States and Beta's colors of black and gold. The scholarship are supported in part by donations from corporations and philanthropists. State conventions are held for member and sponsors in eighteen states. At the conventions, members participate in various academic and talent competitions, including academic tests, performing arts, S.T.E.M. competitions, and visual arts.
Notable members
- Evelyn Ammons, Arkansas House of Representatives
- Laphonza Butler, United States Senate
- Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
- Javaris Crittenton, professional basketball player
- Jake Delhomme, professional football athlete
- Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity
- Destin Sandlin, YouTube science communicator
- Diane Sawyer, television journalist
- Herschel Walker, professional football player
- Trisha Yearwood, country musician
See also
- High school club
- Honor Society