When we think of children, we cannot help but think about the future. Where will the life of this little one take them? Will they marry or have children of their own? Or prefer a life of travel? Whatever route they choose we want to help them get there as best they can.
As young adults, their lives are filled with school, friends and activities. It is important that they maintain their grades in school as they look toward graduation, while also still having activities and a social life. At some point, their focus does shift to making plans for after high school. Whether that be college, a trade school, or a full-time job. The possibilities are endless. In an effort to help our students prepare for the future with leadership and community outreach we started an Honor Society for Dance Arts at CFDC.
Taken from the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) website their mission is as follows:
To recognize outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance in public and private schools in K-12 education, dance studios, cultural/community centers, performing arts organizations, and post-secondary education.
To foster an appreciation for dance as a true art form and one worthy of recognition and prestige.
We started our program with the two levels sponsored by the NHSDA - a junior program for dancers in grades 6-8, as well as a secondary program for dancers in grades 9-12. To be inducted in the Junior program you would need to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and have earned 15 points. For the secondary level you need to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and have earned 30 points. Points can be earned in many different ways, from attending weekly dance classes, assisting in classes, to attending shows or performing in them. We strive to make it easy for our dancers to reach their point goals with activities they are already involved in. We even have point-based projects to help any dancer whose points have fallen behind.
Since the inception of our Honor society, we have now added an Elementary chapter, as well. It is unique to our studio and is not sponsored by an outside organization. It is our goal to help our younger dancers learn to be committed to an organization while also keeping their grades up. They are required to present multiple projects over the course of the dance season to be an inducted member.
Within our organization, there is an executive board made up of inducted members. They include President, Vice President, Secretary and Media Specialist. Members choose to run for these positions yearly, and are voted on by the other members of the organization. Each member of the executive board has their own responsibilities unique to their position, which includes but is not limited to communicating with other members of the honor society, planning, keeping records and advertising of events.
Beyond following the guidelines set forth by the national organization, we have chosen for our society to be service-based. Our members choose two community outreach projects to tackle every year. These are chosen by the members, planned and executed with minimal guidance from the adult sponsors. Our chapter has collected items for those in need, hosted a free dance event in the studio, and many other outreach projects.
Joining the Honor Society has countless benefits to all students. They are forming strong bonds with other members with similar interests. Learning to hold themselves accountable to others while working as a team. The value of community outreach and being a leader.
It is our hope that our students will use their experiences at the studio’s honor society to get into the school of their choice. Or land the job they are hoping to get. More importantly, to be leaders in their community. For more information about our honor society, please get in touch with us!