New chapter of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society arrives at Blair

Unity, pride and education: These are just a few of the ideals promoted by the new W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society. This group of intellectual young students can often be found serving the community or encouraging each other to succeed academically.

English teacher Jeanette Simmons established a chapter of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society at Blair after she discovered the society while visiting Hampton University with her daughter. "I held on to the idea for two years before I decided to make it a reality here at Blair,” she says.

Simmons contacted other teachers, who also expressed an interest in sponsoring the group. "We had to go through many channels to get it approved, including a meeting with Mr. Gainous,” said Wendell Hall, science teacher and sponsor of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society.

Nevertheless, after months of work, sponsors inducted 42 members into the Montgomery Blair chapter of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society on October 14, 2004. All members must a have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, strong leadership skills and community service experience.

A humble beginning

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society originated on the campus of Hampton University in Hampton, VA. In 1997, the Honors College at Hampton University held its first W.E.B. DuBois Invitational Honors Conference. In 2001, Hampton University sponsored the first four chapters of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society.

Currently, Texas, Virginia and Maryland have chapters of the society. Locally, Albert Einstein High School and Newport Mill Middle School also sponsor chapters. There will be a junior chapter at Eastern Middle School so that students can automatically join the senior chapter when they come to Blair.

Upholding high expectations

The mission of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society is to create community, promote academic excellence and encourage a strong sense of pride through its recognition of student achievement. According to the program overview, the goals of the society members are to maintain honor roll status, refine character, promote leadership and service, maintain high principles and values, increase scholarship opportunities and act as a springboard to the National Honor Society (NHS).

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society places a high importance on community service. The group has participated in many community-service activities, such as the recent Walk for the Homeless in Washington, D.C, and Toys for Tots, which is coming up in December. The members also mentor ninth graders from Blair and eighth graders from Eastern Middle School.

Like members of any other honor society, the members of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society are expected to uphold a high academic standing. The sponsors offer a lot of support to all students. "Members also have three teacher advocates to help monitor any college-related activities,” said Simmons. The society also provides students with essential scholarship information.

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society also works closely with the NHS. "We do many partnerships so [that the students] can learn from each other,” said Simmons. The sponsors of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society want to help their members become a part of NHS. "We want to bridge the gap between NHS and W.E.B. DuBois students,” Hall says.

Reactions from the members

Many students feel that the W.E.B. DuBois Honor society is a welcome addition to the many student clubs and organizations that already exist at Blair. "It's great,” says senior president Christina Lafontant enthusiastically. "I feel it helps me academically and socially for life.”

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society also helps students find a place where they belong amongst the large population present at Blair. "It helps break down such a large school to create a more intimate group,” says senior Chauna Lawson, the secretary of the society. "The purpose is to help each other out.”

Many students who are not members of the W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society think it was designed only for black students. However, that is not the case. Several members of the society are not black. "There was the misconception that you had to be African American to be in it, but that is not true,” says Lawson. The W.E.B. Honor Society welcomes all members regardless of their race, and they are looking forward to more diversity in the future. "It's not a black society,” says Lafontant. "It's for everyone.”

A promising future

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society also gives students who could not become members of NHS an opportunity to be in a society. "We have so many good students, and they all should be recognized,” said Lafontant.

The sponsors say they are very dedicated to this society, and they plan to work hard to ensure its success. "For students who are doing well, we want to funnel that so that they will do well wherever they go,” says Hall.

The sponsors have high hopes for the years to come. "I'm looking forward to reaching out to more kids for them to become members of W.E.B. and NHS,” says Simmons. "I have a passion for making sure it works.”

The W.E.B. DuBois Honor Society meets every other Thursday at 3:00 in Room 167. To learn more about the society, contact sponsors Jeanette Simmons, Wendell Hall, Nina Blake, Pam Bryant, Sundra Mann, Sharon Williams, Cassandra Powell, Kenneth Smith or David Swaney or contact one of the student officers: President Christina Lafontant, Vice President Sheri Lawal, Secretary Chauna Lawson, Treasurer Valerie Fomengia and Parliamentarian Danielle Foster.