Clubs merge to form Environmental Honor Society

In the program at graduation, next to every name there are a few symbols to signify different achievements. All of these achievements happen to be academic. Other accomplishments often are recognized by different-colored tassels or stoles. This year, however, the new Environmental Honor Society is hoping to provide some students with either a green or recycled tassel for their graduation cap. “They recognize the top five in the class,” Environmental Club president Megan McClure said. “They recognize who’s academic, who’s athletic, but there’s nothing about the environment.” Mrs. Autumn Suranofsky is working with McClure as well as Cassie Little, current president of Make-a-Change Club, to combine the similar clubs in effort to make bigger changes in the community. “There’s still going to be honor society, but we’re taking clubs like Make A Change Club and Environmental Club and put them under the blanket of something called the Environmental Honor Society,” Mrs. Suranofsky said. Both clubs agree that in joining together they need to bring recycling back to Bearden High School. In previous years, Ms. Tonya Henke’s ecology class would pick up recycling bins around the school, but now that Ms. Henke no longer teaches ecology, the Environmental Honor Society has to take over. In order to get recognition at graduation and be in Environmental Honor Society, each member will be required to initiate some sort of environmental project to work on with the whole club. The goals of EHS are mainly growing in number and getting more projects accomplished. “Each of our clubs is kind of limited, but if we had a huge group help us, the campus would be spotless, and it wouldn’t take that long,” McClure said. Another goal of the club is to purchase a large multi-sorting recycling bin for Bearden’s outdoor campus. “We want to use the money from our clubs to purchase a multi-sorting bin that we can leave outside and try to get volunteers from the clubs to go around and pick up the recycling during a free period,” Mrs. Suranofsky said. Environmental Club and Make-a-Change Club will still meet separately, but they will get together to brainstorm on occasion. “We’re going to try to meet at least once a month together, and help team up on important environmental issues,” Little said. A meeting was held Wednesday to discuss specifications of EHS and the requirements of the club.