National Beta Club
Encyclopedia
The National Beta Club is an organization for 5th-12th graders in the United States
, recognizing academic achievement, leadership, character and service.
It was founded in 1934 by Dr. John W. Harris, a Wofford College
professor. The organization is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. The National Beta Club currently has more than 8,400 clubs in 42 states and 8 territories. There are more than 430,000 active Betas in the Senior and Junior divisions and over 6,000,000 alumni. Its motto is "Let Us Lead By Serving Others." Beta is an academic honors program with a strong emphasis on community service. Traditionally, students are awarded membership based on their GPA and character traits. Each individual school chooses what items they will look at for their chapter's member qualifications.
The Junior Division of The National Beta Club began in 1961 and is for students in 5th-9th grade. The Senior Division of Beta is for 9th-12th graders.
Some famous former Betas include U.S. President Bill Clinton
, Miss America
2000 Heather French
and 2004 Ericka Dunlap
, Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller
, anchorwoman Diane Sawyer
, Heisman Trophy
recipient Herschel Walker
, and country superstar Trisha Yearwood
. As well as Diana DeGarmo
and Jake Delhomme
former quarterback for the Carolina Panthers
.
. Each year there is a new theme, and a new site for the national convention.
The state conventions are slightly different than the national conventions. State conventions are held by the state sponsor and the state sponsor elect which are elected to the position by other sponsors from the state. The state has the authority to create or deny competitions from happening in their own state. For the Junior convention most competitions are the same except for the campaign for state office. At the Senior level there are three positions, however, at the Junior level there are five.
The states that host conventions at the state level are: AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, recognizing academic achievement, leadership, character and service.
It was founded in 1934 by Dr. John W. Harris, a Wofford College
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
professor. The organization is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. The National Beta Club currently has more than 8,400 clubs in 42 states and 8 territories. There are more than 430,000 active Betas in the Senior and Junior divisions and over 6,000,000 alumni. Its motto is "Let Us Lead By Serving Others." Beta is an academic honors program with a strong emphasis on community service. Traditionally, students are awarded membership based on their GPA and character traits. Each individual school chooses what items they will look at for their chapter's member qualifications.
The Junior Division of The National Beta Club began in 1961 and is for students in 5th-9th grade. The Senior Division of Beta is for 9th-12th graders.
Some famous former Betas include U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
2000 Heather French
Heather French
Heather Renee French Henry is a Miss America title holder, personality and fashion designer.Raised in Maysville, Kentucky, Heather French Henry graduated from The University of Cincinnati School of Design, Art, and Architecture & Planning. She competed in pageants through her teens, including the...
and 2004 Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Orlando, Florida who was named Miss Florida 2003 and subsequently crowned Miss America 2004. Dunlap was the first African American woman to be crowned Miss Florida....
, Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller
Millard Fuller
Millard Dean Fuller was the founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit organization known globally for building houses for those in need, and the founder and former president of The Fuller Center for Housing...
, anchorwoman Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
, Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
recipient Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
, and country superstar Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
. As well as Diana DeGarmo
Diana DeGarmo
Diana Nicole DeGarmo is an American singer and Broadway actress. She finished as the runner-up on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol, narrowly missing the win by about 2% out of over 65 million votes...
and Jake Delhomme
Jake Delhomme
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
former quarterback for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
Conventions
Every year students from around the east coast have the privilege to compete in academic and talent competitions such as Quiz Bowl, Creative Writing, Social Studies, and even Spelling Competitions. In order to compete at the national level, a participant must place at the state level. This also includes those candidates running for office. The first National Beta Club convention was held in June 1981, at the Sheraton Twin Towers in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Each year there is a new theme, and a new site for the national convention.
The state conventions are slightly different than the national conventions. State conventions are held by the state sponsor and the state sponsor elect which are elected to the position by other sponsors from the state. The state has the authority to create or deny competitions from happening in their own state. For the Junior convention most competitions are the same except for the campaign for state office. At the Senior level there are three positions, however, at the Junior level there are five.
The states that host conventions at the state level are: AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV.