August 28, 2018
By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb West School Junior Beta Club inducted its new slate of officers in a special ceremony Monday night (August 27). Isaac Brown took over the reigns as President. Brett Walker will step up as Vice President while Aly Griffith is Secretary. Aniston Farler will serve as Treasurer, Madison Martin is the Chaplain, and Kortnee Skeen is the club’s reporter. Club members also elected two 7th grade representatives: Jaxon Humphrey and Ella Hendrixson, and three 6th grade representatives: Kenson Moss, Grant Buterbaugh, and Chloe Dies.
Vice President Walker told the crowd that “the purpose of the National Beta Club is to promote the ideals of academic achievement by recognizing and honoring high academic achievement, with character by preparing young people for life and empowering them to be successful, through leadership by developing the leaders of tomorrow and through service by demonstrating our motto: Let Us Lead by Serving Others.”
New members, who were given formal invitations to join based on their academic abilities and excellent character, were honored in a Wheel Induction ceremony.
“Each of the officers will share about a part of the wheel,” Aniston Farler explained. “In the mechanism of a wheel, all of the spokes fasten on the hub and run evenly outward, to be caught finally in the rim on which the wheel rolls.”
Club officers spoke of how character, achievement, scholarship, helpfulness, school spirit, patriotism, and leadership help make a quality Junior Beta student.
Students inducted included from the 6th grade: Grant Buterbaugh, Caroline Crook, Thomas Damron, Chloe Dies, Wesley Kent, Caleb Lawson, Kenson Moss, Bradley Pelham, Evan Prichard, Autumn Reinhart, Jordyn Turbeville, Cheyenne Young and Emily Young; from the 7th grade: Trey Beilfuss (BILE-foos) and Marshall Farler, Shauna Kempf, and Melanie Ortiz (Or –Tease) and from the 8th grade: Gabby Wheatley.
Club officers were presented with medallions while new members were handed a certificate, membership card and pin.