Chagrin Falls High School Congratulates Newest Cum Laude Society Members
Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) inducted 31 students from the Class of 2023 into the Cum Laude Society. This society is among the oldest academic honor organizations in the country for high school students.
The Cum Laude Society was organized by Dr. Abram W. Harris, Director of the Tome School in Maryland, in 1906. He envisioned a society modeled after the well-known Phi Beta Kappa that would encourage and recognize true scholarship. Harris believed that a student’s scholastic achievement in secondary school was as important to recognize as other accomplishments.
The society is still based on three core values that come from Ancient Greece. These are Arete, which means moral goodness and living up to one’s potential; Dike, which is the concept of justice; and Time, which relates to being true to what is right and acting with honor.
The Cum Laude Society has 382 chapters throughout the United States, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, France, and Spain. Approximately 4,000 new student members are inducted each year and only 20% of the senior class may be inducted.
CFHS held the Cum Laude induction ceremony on April 25. It began with a welcome from CFHS Principal Mike Janatovich. Advisor to the society, Lisa Salyers, then gave a history and motto of the Cum Laude Society. The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Dr. Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State University and following her talk was the introduction and induction of the new society members by Principal Mike Janatovich, Assistant Principal Amanda Rassi, and Lisa Salyers.
This year’s Cum Laude Society members are: Katherine Bartlett, Rory Brosnan, Noah Bruce, Ann Campbell, Ella Cimperman, Anna Coy, Maximus Crandall, Marjorie Demangone, Jack Gips, Kendall Guddy, Mira Haines, Nathan Hill, Ryan Hill, Mary Hoelzel, Marta Insolia, Abigael Johnson, Evan Johnson, Marie Kanzinger, Colin King, Kayla Link, Drew Mergenhagen, Andrew Nachtwey, Oakleigh Niethammer, Abigael Orazen, Jenna Santamaria, Grace Svette, Giulia Verdier, Alexandra Wheatley, Caitlyn Young, Alyssa Zaffiro and Camille Zitney.