On May 15, 2025, the next generation of Becton’s subject-specific honor societies were officially inducted. In a grand joint ceremony held in the James Williams Performing Arts Center, the Math, English, Spanish, Italian, and Social Studies Honor Societies welcomed their new members and celebrated their academic achievements.

New inductees and their supporters were asked to arrive at 6:00 p.m. The ceremony kicked off about half an hour later with opening remarks from Principal Mr. Bonanno, Vice Principal Mrs. Colangelo, and Supervisor Mr. DiDomenico. This was followed by introductions from the honor society advisors, as well as speeches from all the presidents.

The evening culminated with the presidents of each honor society leading the inductees in reciting their respective pledges, officially welcoming them as new members. Adriana Crespo, this year’s Spanish Honor Society president, notes “how excited and proud the new members were to be inducted,” adding that witnessing their enthusiasm was one of the highlights of the night.

First up to take the pledge were the new members of the National English Honor Society (NEHS), led by society president Amanda Malave and club advisor, Mrs. Valente. The ten NEHS inductees walked up on stage and received a certificate signifying their achievement in the field of English. Malave comments on this moment feeling surreal, “I have begun to hand down all of my accomplishments and accolades to the younger grades,” she says, “Seeing the next generation of the club get inducted felt bittersweet. I was incredibly proud of the underclassmen, however, and it really hit me that my time here at Becton Regional is coming to an end.”

Next came the five inductees for the Italian Honor Society, followed by the Math Honor Society’s (Mu Alpha Theta) 30 inductees, the Social Studies Honor Society’s (Rho Kappa) 19 inductees, and finally, the Spanish Honor Society’s 28 new inductees. Mrs. Sanchez, advisor for the Spanish Honor Society, observes that there appeared to be more inductees this year, which may reflect growing student interest in the subject honor societies.

One of the NEHS advisors, Mrs. Valente, notes that the planning for the event was “uncomplicated.” She adds, “I feel as though this joint ceremony makes it easier for inductees and families to celebrate the accomplishment of being inducted into one or more societies.” Dr. Farina and Mrs. Bonanno, advisors of the Social Studies and Italian Honor Societies respectively, also remark that this year’s ceremony ran more smoothly than last year’s, as they had gained familiarity with the process and were able to enhance the event for all societies involved.

Entrance into any of Becton’s subject honor societies requires being a junior or senior, taking the subject for at least three years, maintaining a high GPA in that subject, and being in good standing with faculty. Some societies also require recommendation letters, application essays, or demonstrated involvement beyond the classroom. Senior Evan Fonseca, inducted into the Spanish Honor Society, reflects on the effort involved, sharing that it was “a challenge, but because I enjoyed the class so much, I was more than happy to work to reach it.”

Mr. Malyack points out the overlap of members across all Honor Societies, saying that it’s a gift to share the ceremony with the other societies because it highlights the full extent of the inductees’ academic accomplishments across all subjects. “To have so many other prestigious societies giving awards to your inductees simultaneously is amazing,” he expresses.

For the inductees themselves, they remark that the atmosphere of the event was inspiring. Senior Matias Ochoa, who was inducted into the Math Honor Society and the Social Studies Honor Society, spoke of his experience at the event. “I felt very grateful to be sharing a room with such amazing people and incredible minds, and hearing everyone’s name be called up one by one to receive their awards and certificates was a reminder to me of how genuine and authentic our community is,” he shares.  

Many of the inductees also report feeling proud and validated for all the hard work they had put in to get to this point, as well as grateful for all the support their families have given them. Junior Amelia Piwowarczyk, who was inducted into the Social Studies Honor Society, shares that her parents and brother attended the event with her. “Seeing their pride and feeling their presence during such a meaningful moment made the experience even more special,” she says. She adds that it also reminds her “how important family support is in every step of one’s academic journey.”

Similar to Piwowarczyk, Junior Medhashree Suram, who was inducted into NEHS, Math Honor Society, History Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society mentions that her father, who usually works late, had come to support her at the ceremony, which “meant a great deal” to her. “Knowing that he took time off from his busy schedule to be part of this special moment made me feel appreciated and encouraged,” she expresses. 

Over the course of the year, these honor societies have organized a variety of initiatives to benefit the school, serve the community, and promote appreciation for their individual subject areas. The Social Studies Honor Society, for example, has an annual tradition of writing to the families of fallen soldiers. Piwowarczyk, who participated in the event, described it as “deeply moving,” noting that it gave members an opportunity to “express gratitude and compassion while honoring the legacy of those who served our country.”

Other initiatives they coordinated this year include trips to the Museum of Natural History and the MET, fundraisers for hurricane and wildfire relief, and displays celebrating Black History Month.

The Math Honor Society hosted a range of events as well, including the school-wide Pi Day celebration, the Becton Family Feud contest, various bake sales, and Math League competitions.

Karolina Rupinski, president and one of the founding members of the Social Studies Honor Society—who also belongs to several other honor societies—states that “it was an honor” to pass on the responsibilities and privileges to the next generation of members. “I’m excited to see what this new group will accomplish and the initiatives they will bring to the society,” she concludes.

Congratulations to all the new inductees and returning members on this well-deserved achievement!