National English Honors Society comes to Samo

 With the help of English teacher Chon Lee, Julia Rotgin (’21) and Leo Rapoport (’21) have founded a Samo chapter of the National English Honor Society (NEHS). The society, which meets every other Monday at lunch, is a space for students who are passionate about English or have shown specific talent in the field to gather and be recognized for their skills through scholarships and leadership opportunities. In order to found an NEHS chapter, an application must be filled out and submitted with enough zeal and evidence to ensure that the demographic of students at the school includes a satisfactory amount of interested and committed potential members. Lee learned of the opportunity for Samo while at an English teachers’ convention last May and thought many of his students could greatly benefit from a Samo chapter. “I’ve always felt that we have a strong English identity—a humanities mindset. This could be a wonderful way to infuse ourselves in the English world,” Lee said. Upon returning from the convention, Lee shared what he had learned with both Rotgin and Rapoport, who were eager to begin the application process. Taking the summer to think over what starting the society would mean for Samo, the three returned to campus at the beginning of the school year and agreed to apply. Their application was recently accepted and ever since they have been meeting with new members in order to officially begin chapter activity.  The society will be a way to unite lovers of English and connect them with other literature related organizations outside of Samo. Samo’s NEHS chapter plans to host guest speakers, host and attend writing workshops and competitions, organize field trips for its members and collaborate with other literary related clubs on campus through the competitions or events the society will plan. During the meetings, students can get help in English, although members will mostly spend their time planning the aforementioned events. In terms of academic advantages, Rapoport mentioned the benefits of joining NEHS, such as the potential to receive college scholarships. “When kids join NEHS, they are automatically eligible to apply for college scholarships open only to members. Considering the competitive nature of the college application process, joining this chapter [helps] students have an edge over other applicants,” Rapoport said. The NEHS “Poetry Challenge” is one societal opportunity in which students can earn acclaim. Each year, from October to April, members can submit poems, gaining eligibility to win a $150 award and a certificate of achievement come the challenge’s end. Students can submit poems as often as once a month, with each month having its own theme, giving students both inspiration and a guide. NEHS hopes to go beyond providing academic opportunities. The organization also hopes to use English to make a positive impact on the world. The Imagination Library, for example, is a program that NEHS participates in which fundraises to bring books to kids, regardless of their financial situation, in order to encourage reading and learning. Samo’s chapter plans on holding a school-wide book drive through May, and will contribute the collected books to the Imagination Library. Ultimately, NEHS will offer Samo a new English community in an effort to connect groups with a love for literature and liberal arts. Rotgin and Rapoport hope that the chapter will continue as a permanent part of Samo once they graduate, and encourage anyone who is interested in joining to attend a meeting and learn more in room H121.