The last few months, National Beta members from Washington Junior High School have been working hard to prepare their entries for National Beta Convention. In
June, they were able to celebrate that hard work when announced as winners of the following competitions: London Gilley placed 10th in Color Photography, Genesis Gomez-Moreno placed 4th in Drawing, and a team consisting of: Addy Williams, Carli Huff, Bailey Cook, and Riley Miller placed 4th in Meeting of the Minds.
The 8th grade team members originally competed and received awards during their State Convention held in November. Their victories at the state level provided an opportunity for our 8th graders and newly inducted 7th graders to compete at the national level. The National Convention, held in Louisville,
KY, provided all students the opportunity to compete. Over 5,000 Elementary Beta (grades 4-5), 8,000 Junior Beta (grades 6-8) and 7,900 Senior Beta (grades 9-12) students were able to represent their schools both this summer.
Washington Junior High School Junior Beta club began the year with 39 eighth graders who were invited for scoring in the top 20 percent of their graduating class. In January, the club inducted 43 seventh graders to the club who were also invited for scoring in the top 20 percent of their graduating class. This has been our biggest group yet making our club total of 82 members. 41 of those seventh and eighth graders joined us in Louisville, Kentucky for Nationals this June. On top of competing at the state and national levels, our club also help various fundraisers and donation activities including a penny wars to raise 600 dollars in just 2 weeks for Jubilee Christmas as well as a donation drive for local animal shelters and Sullivan’s school district after the tornado in April.
With more than 500,000 active members and 8,750 clubs nationally and internationally, National Beta has become the nation’s largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization. National Beta promotes the ideals of academic achievement, character, service, and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. National Junior Beta includes grades 4-8 and National Senior Beta includes grades 9-12. Visit betaclub.org for more information.