Thomas Hart Middle School students shine at the Junior Beta Convention
Members of Thomas Hart Academy Middle School’s Junior Beta Club who won 8 awards at the Junior Beta Club Convention. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Middle school students from Thomas Hart Academy (THA) traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC, earlier this month to compete at the South Carolina Junior Beta Convention where they earned 8 individual and team awards.
Twenty-three students from the THA Beta Club in grades 6-8 attended the South Carolina Junior Beta Club Convention in Myrtle Beach, SC, from January 11-13, 2023, along with over 3000 students from nearly 40 schools. In addition to the opportunity to engage with their peers from around the state, THA students won awards in academic, artistic, and STEM events.
THA students brought home prizes in Campaign Skit (1st Place), Engineering (5th Place), Language Arts 6th Grade (3rd Place; Claire Riddle), Performing Arts – Solo, Duo, Trio – Vocalist (2nd Place; Maddie Smith), Portfolio (2nd Place), Robotics (2nd Place), Spelling Bee (5th Place; Maddie Smith), and Two-Dimensional Design (5th Place). Placing at the state convention qualifies the individuals and teams to compete at the National Junior Beta Convention in Louisville, KY on June 23-26, 2023.
“We are proud of all our student competitors. We are excited that the prizes reflect the breadth of their talents and the interdisciplinary approach to our STEAM curriculum,” said THA Beta Club sponsor and middle school science teacher, Dr. Jennifer Taylor.
THA was the only school in South Carolina to qualify for the National Junior Beta Convention in both Engineering and Robotics. The Engineering team constructed an elevator from a set list of materials on-site in the image of the THA Hornets’ mascot Stinger. The Robotics team programmed their robot, nicknamed “Bean”, to mimic a bee searching for flower nectar by avoiding objects and following a path.
The Robotics team Junior Beta Convention project will be available for viewing at the THA Middle School Open House on February 7, 2023 from 5:30-7PM. Mrs. Tara Woodson, THA Head of School, said, “I am so proud of our students and their achievements. These students worked hard on these projects and dedicated much of their free time to their
completion. Their hard work paid off and we are thankful for this opportunity for our middle school students.”
In addition to participating in the convention and competitions, THA Beta Club students participate in many community service projects throughout the year. During this school year, the THA Beta Club has volunteered at the Darlington County Humane Society, collected coats for Coats 4 Kids, and held a bake sale to raise money for an Angel Tree at Christmas. They also traveled to a local nursing home to sing Christmas Carols during the holiday season.
Students must maintain good grades in their academic classes, demonstrate commitment to the
National Beta Club mission of “Leadership, Character, Achievement, and Service”, and complete at least five additional hours of community service in addition to the service requirement for their grade at THA to qualify for THA Beta Club membership.
For more information about Thomas Hart Academy, visit ThomasHart.org. For more information about National Beta Club, visit BetaClub.org.
