Activities

National Honor Society is a highly respected organization with a committed focus on service, leadership, character and scholarship. Members of NHS have opportunities to volunteer around the school and in the community, to learn valuable leadership skills, and to create lasting connections with other students and organizations. Additionally, many colleges consider NHS membership a great quality that can distinguish you from other applicants to programs and scholarships.

Sophomore and Junior students who are in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher will receive an invitation to apply to NHS near the start of the 2nd semester. Students who are interested in applying will need to have met the following criteria:

• Completed application with references
• Completed 40 hours of community service between the summer before 9th grade through application deadline
• Held 2 leadership positions

Contact Ms. Mendenhall in room 2207 for more information

What is scholars bowl?

Scholars bowl is a team competition against other local high schools in which teams of four or five students answer questions from the following general categories: World Language, Social Science, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science/Health, Fine Arts, and Year in Review/Current Events.

Each competitor holds a buzzer and the first to buzz in gets an opportunity to answer the question and earn points for his or her team. If the answer is correct the team is rewarded points. If the student buzzes in before the moderator finishes reading a question (interruption) and gives an incorrect answer, points are deducted. No points are rewarded or deducted if an incorrect answer is given after the question is given in its entirety.

Who can join the scholars bowl team?

Everyone is welcome to join the scholars bowl team. We have both a junior varsity and varsity team and opportunities to qualify for competitions will be available through January. Although we practice twice a week, we have had varsity competitors who also have participated in nearly every sport. Students who play sports can earn tournament spots by demonstrating their academic abilities and attending practices and tournaments when they are available. Even if students are uncertain whether or not they wish to compete in tournaments, we greatly encourage all students to come and practice with us. Come test your skills.

Lettering requirements:

A student must complete the following to letter in scholars bowl:

• Compete in three varsity meets
• Attend practice regularly (on average at least once a week throughout the season).
• Submit three questions in each of the following areas to mendenhm@usd385.org by October 15th: Social Science, Science, Language Arts, Fine Arts, Mathematics (15 questions total)
• Help in organizing and running any tournament Andover High School may host AND/OR help run any concession stand that Scholars Bowl is assigned.

Stipulation:

If a student has conflicts with other school activities and is unable to meet the practice requirements, he or she may letter but must attend practice regularly once able. Scholars bowl will go two months longer than soccer, for example, so a student in soccer could qualify for a letter if he or she went to three varsity tournaments and attended practice regularly after the soccer season ends.

Tournaments:

Tournament selection is entirely up to the coaches and is based on prior experience and performance in tournaments and practice. We are allowed 5 per team in most competition settings and may take up to six students to a meet.  

Signing up for a tournament is a commitment students are not to take lightly. All students who sign up are expected to not only prepare but also communicate with the coach so that scheduling and departures run smoothly.

To participate in a tournament, a student must be academically eligible and have no outstanding detention time.

Please follow the Andover High School Theatre Department on social media (links below) and the hashtag #AHSPerforms for infomation on shows and other events in the life of the deparment!