The Shield - Edition 3 - 2022 : simplebooklet.com

3The ShieldCourtney Simpkins is in her fourth year as National Beta's Web and Graphic Designer. She lives in Beta's hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina but hails from Hendersonville, North Carolina. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Mars Hill University and until her move to work for Beta, she had only ever lived in the Tarheel State. In the summer of 2022, after celebrating her third Beta anniversary, she graduated again with her Master of Management, which helps her lead by serving every day. Courtney wears many hats at the National Ofce. She creates content, makes print and digital designs, and forges convention materials for the mobile app and the website. She also serves as the head of the staff's Celebration Committee, ensuring that the Beta staff maintains positive work relationships and has fun while doing it. She, along with the Celebration Committee, implemented birthday celebrations, wellness competitions, and anniversary recognitions to motivate staff. Outside of the ofce, Courtney just bought a home, got engaged, and adopted her third fur baby. She has one beagle mix named Juno, an orange tabby cat named Orange Juice, and her newest addition is a tail-less gray tabby kitten named Chai T. Latte. Courtney enjoys reading, walking downtown Spartanburg to shop the local boutiques, volunteering with local animal rescue shelters, and singing karaoke. Staff HighlightCourtney serving as a counselor for 2022 Summer Leadership Conference

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4Fall 2022Zachary Broussard2022 Scholarship WInnerCollege is expensive, but Beta can help! Since 1991, National Beta has awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to Senior Beta members. Each year, the National Beta Scholarship Program provides over $300,000, ranging in value from $1,000 to $20,000 to over 250 incredibly deserving and accomplished members.Previously, we awarded top 5 scholarships from $6,000 to $20,000 and over 200 $1,000 scholarships. This year, we are THRILLED to announce the addition of 5 BRAND NEW scholarships of $2,500 each!Any active 12th grade Beta member is eligible to apply. The selection of National Beta Scholarship winners is based on a number of factors with special emphasis on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, commendable character, school and community service, as well as National Beta Involvement.Seniors:SET YOURSIGHT ONSCHOLARSHIPS2022-2023 National BetaScholarship Timeline11/0101/1902/1602/1603/1905/05The 2022-2023 Scholarship Application opens for all 12th grade Beta members. Applicants must complete their applicationfor a National Beta Scholarship by 11:59 pm EST, January 19, 2023. All applicants selected to receive at least $1,000 notied via email. Seminalists will receive further application instructions.Seminalist materials due by 11:59 pm EST, March 19, 2023. Top 5 National Beta Scholarship Winners announced via email and will be posted on our website. Checks will be mailed the same week.

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5The ShieldFor me, the Beta Scholarship was a life changing experience. The application process was straightforward, which I appreciated. So many scholarship applications get confusing, which discourages students from applying, so I love how accessible the Beta Scholarship application is. I clearly remember the day when I got the call, in mid-May. I had just powered my phone on after my AP Statistics exam and was walking out of school with my friends. I got the call that I was the second highest scholarship recipient with the 15K scholarship and was invited to receive my award at Nationals. I was overjoyed, and it was special that my best friends, who were with me on my Beta journey, were right by my side. My family was overjoyed, and we celebrated the occasion. The memory of being on stage at the Nationals is so special to me, and the Beta staff were so professional and kind throughout the process. I plan to put my scholarship money towards my college and graduate education. To anyone who is looking to apply for the scholarship- they absolutely should! I know it may seem intimidating with how large Beta is, but it really is an incredible opportunity that could happen to anyone! I am so grateful that I applied, it was an amazing experience!"“The National Beta Club Scholarship Program rewards Beta members for their hard work in both Beta Club and their overall academic career. National Beta Club Scholarships are a culmination of a Beta career rich in experiences and connections. The National Beta Scholarship Program really shows members that you get out of an experience what you put in, and if you make the most out of your time as a member, National Beta Club wants to reward that. For me, receiving a National Beta Club scholarship reinforced how much this organization cares about its members. Throughout my time as a Beta member I have always genuinely felt like National Beta Club believes in me and wants me to succeed. I would encourage all members to apply for the National Beta Scholarship Program and take advantage of this incredible opportunity, National Beta Club wants to see you succeed!” Peyton McCubbin2022 Scholarship WInner"Beta Club has been an integral part of my life helping me see the value of academic enrichment, leadership, and service. Therefore, I decided to apply for the national scholarship, although winning the $20,000 scholarship was beyond my expectations when I applied. When I got the call that I was named the top winner, I was beyond ecstatic and couldn't believe that I had been chosen as the winner. I felt incredibly honored to have been named the top scholarship recipient and attending the National Beta Convention to receive the award was the perfect culmination of my Beta journey. The scholarship has helped me cover a majority of my college expenses and I am very grateful to National Beta for selecting me for this honor." Vaibhav Mishra2022 Scholarship WInner“I felt elated [to be a 2022 Beta Scholarship Recipient]. And it meant even more, coming from an organization that has helped me grow and develop into who I am today.” Shivani Vyas2022 Scholarship WInnerMedhini AnandZachary Broussard2022 Scholarship WInner2022 Scholarship WInner2022 RECIPIENTS""

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6Fall 2022JOSEPH BROWNSPONSOR HIGHLIGHTGuidance Counselor. Fundraiser. Sponsor Spectacular. Holly Hill Elementary School in Holly Hill, SC is closing in on 24 years of having an outstanding and incredibly active Beta Club on campus- an accomplishment due to the exceptional staff and sponsors whose goal is to see their students succeed. Joseph Brown is one of those key players. As Holly Hill’s primary Beta Sponsor for the past 15 years, his ultimate desire is to provide his members with new experiences and opportunities (+ a little friendly competition). His passion to encourage and inspire his students is contagious and has spread throughout the school and surrounding community. “Reach out and ask for success. Put a winning team around you. Find those individuals who have a desire to succeed. Because I really do believe more people would love to see our kids doing good rather than doing bad.” “Academics gets you in, but character and attitude will keep you in.” cont. next page

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7The ShieldJOSEPH BROWNSPONSOR HIGHLIGHTI DON’T WANT THEM TO BE IN THE CLUB JUST BECAUSE OF THE FRIVOLOUS THINGS. I WANT YOU TO BE A PART THE CLUB BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN USE TO HELP MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON AND HELP STRENGTHEN THE SKILLS YOU ALREADY POSSESS INSIDE.” I WOULD TELL SPONSORS TO MAKE SURE YOU LOVE THE CHILDREN AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO. WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF CREATING LEADERS AND TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO BE GOOD SERVANTS, GOOD CITIZENS.” From coordinating events to fundraising for his club, Joseph is one to rely on all available resources and take advantage of every possible opportunity that comes his way. He expects excellence from himself in the same way that he expects it from his students. “We’re in the business of education. It is our job each and every day to ensure our students strive for success. And I think Beta Club affords us the opportunity to put our intermittent successes on display.” “In order for Beta to besuccessful, you needa good team.”

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9The ShieldIT WAS GREAT TO SEE ALL THESE YOUNG BETA MEMBERS USING THEIR SATURDAY TO HELP THEIR SCHOOL OUT.North Marshall Middle School's Jr. Beta Club in KY paired up with the Bed Ministry project to build 14 beds for ood victims in Eastern Kentucky. Submitted by: Janae McCoy On Saturday, September 24, Bladenboro Middle School in NC held a School Beautication Day. We had 17 members of our Beta Club join to help. Each member worked a total of 3 hours each combined for a total of 51 hours. Students did everything from throwing out unused, old furniture to working in the ower beds at the school. It was great to see all these young Beta members using their Saturday to help their school out. They could have been doing a number of things but chose to have a Beta heart! We appreciate them so much! Submitted by: Nicole KinlawBETAS BUILDINGUP THE COMMUNITYFive different Beta Clubs from Livingston Parish, Louisiana participated in a week-long community drive and collected over 5000 items for local nursing homes, animal shelters, and foster children. They then came together on one day to distribute the items in the community. Walker High School Beta Club challenged our club at French Settlement High School to participate! Submitted by: Jennifer Vulgamore Distributing Goods for a Good CauseBetas: Bold and Beautifying

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BETA CROSSWORD 1 Download this activity sheet HERE 2 ACROSS 3 Demonstrate our motto 4 A trait quality or high moral code 8 A reward for success especially Senior Beta members 3 4 5 6 7 8 DOWN 1 The fearless leader of the school s Beta Club 2 A place for competition collaboration and connection some amazing awards 5 The sign of a Beta s success 6 Something you exchange with other Beta s to adorn a lanyard 7 Influence or guide others in a positive manner Using just the letters in the word below can you make at least 16 new words RULES You may only use a letter as many times as it appears in the key word Each word MUST be at least 4 letters long Good luck LEADERSHIP Crossword Puzzle Answers ACROSS 3 SERVICE 4 CHARACTER 8 SCHOLARSHIP DOWN 1 SPONSOR 2 CONVENTION 5 ACHIEVEMENT 6 TRADINGPINS 7 LEADERSHIP 10 Fall 2022

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12Fall 2022THE GHOST OFGOURD-ONRAMSEYWhispers echo through the walls, the murmurs are quiet, but deafening. Footsteps sound in the hallway. A passerby looks twice as if to ensure safe passage by each doorway their quick strides darken. Their eyes int back and forth and their head slowly, slyly, turns toward each shoulder to check that there is emptiness behind them. There are some here that don’t believe. They carry themselves differently, condently...disrespectfully. It all began on a sweltering July afternoon. A small, green curly q with broad, textured leaves appeared next to the back entrance of the National Beta ofce. A surprise of sorts for the employees who had never seen such a sight. Nestled in the smallest spot of soil between the parking lot and expansive electrical box- vying desperately for life amongst the concrete jungle was what appeared to be a simple squash. But how? The remnants of a lunch gone wrong? A bird's dropped treasure? The perplexed personnel watched and waited to see what became of the ever-growing foliage. Day by day, the vines grew longer and so did the list of questions. What will it be? What will we do with it? Is it edible? How much will grow? As time passed, answers to those questions became clear. One single, bright, orange sphere stood out amongst the overowing tangles of vines. The lone survivor. The forlorn ghter. The dedicated staff ensured the safety of the fortuitous fruit by surrounding it with cones as it grew out into theparking lot. Cardboard boxes and padding were perfectly piled underneath it so that it would not burn on the scorching pavement. So very much care. The plump little pumpkin felt proud and protected, and above all, loved. Based on the tenderness of the Beta staff, the pumpkin knew it had a beautiful, bountiful life ahead. It became the focus of the social media feed and eventually received its very own name. Gourd-on Ramsey. Distinguished. Strong. Timeless. The truth is everyone knows you don’t name something you don’t intend to keep; that you wouldn’t fervently cherish. The pumpkin stood tall and stretched its leaves for all the world to see, believing it to be the premiere pumpkin in the otherwise pumpkin-less patch. It swelled with joy and hope for its future. Little did the naive pumpkin know the plans for its imminent demise loomed just on the other side of the doorway. For within, a small, scrupulous group met to discuss in private the meticulous, horrendous, and otherwise dreadful method for which the pumpkin would meet its doom. For what good is one lone gourd to a staff of 30? Once the pumpkin was plucked from its life-sustaining stem, it would only be a matter of time before the earth took back what was rightfully hers. Bake it in a pie? Blow it up with reworks? Catapult it off the building? Votes were held. Decisions were made. Plans were drawn. Construction began. All the while, Gourd-on Ramsey sat patiently waiting for his people to pluck him from his concrete perch and commence providing him with the luxurious life of which he was prepared to become accustomed. The day nally arrived that Gourd-on had been anxiously awaiting. The back door swung open to reveal his valiant heroines- shears in hand. With one quick cut, he was freed from his tangled web of wilting vines. He settled comfortably into the hands of his escort, prepared for the celebration of his grand arrival. But to his dismay, no streamers were strung, or posters were hung. There was no cheering or jubilee. He was simply placed at the base of a large, dark stairwell, all alone and quite confused. There he sat for days on end without even the slightest glance from who he assumed WATCH GOURD-ON RAMSEY'S LIFE MONTAGE

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13The Shield“Little did the naive pumpkin know the plans for its imminent demise loomed just on the other side of the doorway." would be his greatest admirers. After days in what felt like a cool, dark dungeon, he heard footsteps draw near. FINALLY. They simply needed extra time to decorate. This was going to be it. He was lifted and held tightly in the strong arms of his new caretaker. They entered an elevator and hit the top button. Up, up, up they went. But they had further still. Upon exiting the elevator, they went through a closet door to a strange sight- a ladder straight into the sky. They carefully climbed until they reached the top. Another pair of hands outstretched to relay Gourd-on to his nal stop, high on the roof overlooking the spot in which he rst arrived. He instantly knew he was being accompanied to the highest point of the Beta building so that everyone within the surrounding area could see him in all of his orange, glowing glory. This would be his moment to be held high and look upon his kingdom and all that the light touched. Below, he saw the faces of every staff member, smiling in anxious anticipation, phones at the ready to capture the historic moment. He was maneuvered across the roof and placed upon a sturdy, strong seat of wood- nally taking his rightful position upon his throne! Cheers ensued. The celebration commenced. He had never felt more important. The counting started. 3! 2...what was going to happen? Fireworks. It had to be reworks. 1! A hand pulled a string below him. He gazed at the face that was squatting beside him. Suddenly, the seat below him began to shake. Instantly, he was catapulted into the sky. At rst, the thrill was exhilarating, until he realized there was nothing below to soften his fall. Panic. And fear. And the feeling of betrayal were Gourd-on's last emotions as he hit the ground with a thundering thump. Just like Humpty-Dumpty, Gourd-on could not be put back together. The Beta staff laughed and lauded as the pieces were scooped and the seeds were scraped and separated for a savory snack. At the completion of clean-up, everyone nonchalantly returned to their norm. Everyone except Gourd-on. Days passed as the shocking staff shenanigans faded into a memory. That is, until strange things started happening. At rst, it seemed like silly mistakes made by select staffers. A light left on in the oven that hadn’t been used since baking pumpkin seeds. Intense smells of rotten vegetables wafting down the halls. Objects moved from their original places. Then things got spookier. Slimy orange trails streaked across the oors. The unbearably strong taste of pumpkin in every bite of food eaten within the building. Notes left on unattended computers reading “let’s CARVE out some fun”. Jokes written on bathroom mirrors in orange goo: “How do you mend a jock-o'-lantern? With a pumpkin patch.” It made the staff feel uneasy, but also a little silly. Were they imagining things? This couldn’t be real. No one had the nerve to discuss it for fear their coworkers would think them insane. No one is truly safe, however, there are a select few that should feel the burden of terror lay heavier upon their shoulders. On Halloween morning, the perpetrators of peril, the ones who created the catapult, arrived at their desks to nd pumpkins propped atop their computers, intricately carved with each small detail of their own faces- like peering into a mirror. Goosebumps glided down their spines. A threat? An omen? It’s been said that fear is a good motivator for staying alive...particularly for those that pulled the string. WATCH GOURD-ON RAMSEY BE BAKED INTO A PUMPKIN PIEWATCH GOURD-ON RAMSEY'S LAST MOMENTS

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14Fall 2022COMMENCE CONVENTIONSIt’s officially fall at the National Beta office, which means the thrill of football, cooler weather, AND the start of State Convention season! We’re in disbeLEAF over the excitement. While we think that’s news worth FALLing for (promise that’s the last one), it somehow gets even better. If you’ve ever been to Convention, you’ve experienced the incredible atmosphere first-hand. Competitions, General Sessions, scavenger hunts, and awards presentations are just a few examples of the excitement, and this year, we’re adding to it! With multiple new competitions, updates to some originals, and the addition of a dynamic speaker featured at one of the General Sessions, the standards just keep getting higher. Check out the link below to see what’s new at Convention! CLICK HEREJOIN USFOR A S TA T ECONVENTION!

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15The ShieldThe Shield began as the Beta Club Journal. This is the forward of the rst ever Beta Club Journal.If you’ve been involved with the National Beta organization for an extended period, you may remember The Beta Club Journal. We like to fondly refer to it as The Shield’s origin story. The rst Beta Club Journal was released in the same year of our founding in 1934 and was meant to serve two purposes. “...rst, to afford a means of contact between the national organization and the clubs of the high schools; and, second, to furnish a medium of expression for individual club members and individual clubs.” It is our goal that The Shield can continue to do just that. Share history and stories from within the walls of the National Ofce, but also the incredible accomplishments and ideas of our clubs and their members. We hope that you nd value in the information that lives within these [online] pages. We would not be who we are without the spectacular students and seless sponsors who work so hard to improve schools and communities around the world. Please don’t hesitate to share any and everything you are doing within your clubs. One day, many years from now, as we delve through the materials housed in our vault, we would love nothing more than to come across your photos and be inspired to continue our mission: “To promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students.” Send any photos, stories, or recommendation to shield@betaclub.org. THE BETA CLUB JOURNALORIGIN STORYSHIELDTHE

The Shield - Edition 3 - 2022

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