By Avery Maier ’13, News Editor.
At an assembly on February 17, twelve juniors and seniors were inducted into the CCDS chapter of the Cum Laude Society.
The Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 at the Tome School in Maryland. The society “recognizes academic achievement in secondary schools for the purpose of promoting excellence , justice, and honor.”
Each year about seven kids from the junior and senior grades are inducted into the CCDS chapter of the Cum Laude. “The Cum Laude Society allows us to nominate the top 10 percent of the junior class,” said Stephanie Luebbers, Upper School Head and Cum Laude member. “The following year, when that same class is in their senior year, we can nominate the next 10 percent of the class.”
GPA is what determines where a student stands in his or her class. The GPA is “weighted in a specific way,” said Brock Miller, science teacher and Cum Laude Chapter Leader. “The previous school year counts as 60% of the weighted average, and the previous semester counts as 40%.”
While it has only occurred once in twenty years, the Cum Laude committee may “choose to pass over a student who has been disciplined for an academic-related honor violation.”
The inductees this year are:
Class of 2011:
Kathryn Black
Elizabeth Blackburn
Lilly Fleischmann
Claire Heinichen
Cody Pomeranz
Class of 2012:
Bradley Hammoor
Jonas Luebbers
Audrey McCartney
Michael Morgan
Henry Pease
Anisa Tatini
Gail Yacyshyn
Members of the class of 2011 inducted as juniors:
Ali Breneman
Will Duncan
Alexandra McInturf
Baldur Tangvald
Kate Taylor
Amanda Young
Miller said the primary goal of inducting students into the society “is to publicly recognize and encourage those students who have the strongest academic records at Country Day.”
When looking at nominees, CCDS looks at students who “have all performed exceptionally well in a wide range of difficult classes,” Luebbers said.
Luebbers said she is “very happy that [CCDS has] a vehicle for acknowledging the all-around top scholars in our difficult program.”
“It feels great to be inducted to the Cum Laude Society,” Kathryn Black ’11 said. “It’s something nice to tell my colleges as they make their final decision. Black said that she also likes “having something to show for my hard work.”
Anisa Tatini ’12, said it “feels great” to be inducted into the Cum
Laude Society. “I see it as a reward for working hard academically because only 10 percent of the people in my grade were inducted into the society,” Tatini said. “It’s nice in junior year to be recognized for all the work you are doing.”
The newly inducted CCDS members of the Cum Laude Society will be officially honored at a formal dinner on March 8.
Photo courtesy of Ralph Javens
