By Andy Sidel
Spanish National Honor Society, also known as SNHS, is a group created within schools to recognize high achievement of high school students in the Spanish and Portuguese languages and to promote a continuing interest in Hispanic and Portuguese studies through community service projects and volunteer opportunities. SNHS is a program that requires a deep passion for the Spanish culture as well as an interest in learning the language and the necessity to assist members of communities as well as people in foreign countries.
Alec Smith, a junior, founded Legend’s chapter of SNHS and is the President. SNHS was founded, is sponsored, and is strongly supported by spanish teachers Mrs. Tina Stroman, Mrs. Susan Doyle, Mrs. Jennifer Hier and Ms. Adrienne Bock.
Members of SNHS must show a clear, deep appreciation for the Spanish culture and language. A 3.85 GPA in Spanish class is required as well as an overall GPA of 3.5 in the rest of member’s classes. GPA requirements are strictly enforced; for example, if a member has 3.49 Spanish GPA, they will not be allowed to participate and will not be allowed to be a member. To be a part of Legend’s SNHS, members must also be in tenth grade or higher and be enrolled in a third level of Spanish or higher.
“I founded the club here at Legend, since my old school (Mountain Vista) had SNHS. Mrs. Stroman immediately agreed to be the sponsor, and then Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Hier, and Ms. Bock also became big SNHS sponsors.” Smith said. “There are a few projects floating around for next year, though none of them are set in stone. We may volunteer at the actual Project C.U.R.E. warehouse and maybe at the Boys and Girls Club. We’ll definitely have service projects throughout the year.”
Legend’s SNHS completed its first community service project in the beginning of April. The project was “Project C.U.R.E: Kits for Kids” which was founded in 1987 to help meet the need for medical supplies, equipment and services around the world. PROJECT C.U.R.E.’s Kits for Kids program provides adults in developing nations with everything they need to help treat a child’s health symptoms and illnesses. Legend’s SNHS members were asked to fill “Project C.U.R.E Bags” with medical supplies that would be sent to schools in Mexico, where parents and teachers would receive the kits to aid the children.
Our goals for our members is to have a positive impact by serving the Spanish speaking population both in our community and worldwide. My great hope is that members realize the importance of serving others- for that is what life really is about,” said Stroman.
Due to the fact that SNHS was started late in the year, Project C.U.R.E. is the only community service project that the organization will perform this school year. National Spanish Honor Society is a group of about 39 select members who all participate in Spanish classes and are interested in the Spanish culture. Through the language and community involvement, National Spanish Honor Society will complete many community service projects over the course of its time, benefiting not only the Spanish speaking community but also teaching its members something about community involvement and the Hispanic culture.
Stroman also emphasized that she “hopes that this organization can help others realize how small the world really is and that we all truly depend on the goodness in each other to make the world a better place.”