Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society

Zeta Delta Chapter

Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society

Membership Application

REQUIREMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP:

Homeschool Eligibility - Only those students who meet the HSLDA definition of a homeschooler are eligible for HΣΑ membership. This rule states that a student must complete 50% of his/her studies at home under the direct supervision of the parent. Co-op programs, group classes, and even community college courses are acceptable as long as the 50% rule is followed. Students enrolled in public school programs, charter school programs, full-time college programs, or other programs where more than 50% of the school time is spent in the supervision of a school setting or where the public school receives 50% funding for the student's attendance or where the public school system, umbrella school, on-line school assigns the grades without parent participation, are not eligible for ESA membership. (See HSLDA's webpage at www.hslda.org for more information.)

1. Grades 7-12 eligible
2. 3.5 Grade Point Average on a 4.0 scale
3. Test Score: One of the following criteria must be met: 90% composite complete battery score on IOWA, Stanford, or CAT nationally normed standardized achievement tests in spring of 6th grade or later; SAT score of 1800+; combined ACT score of 26+; PSAT Score of 180. The IOWA, Stanford and CAT tests must be given in a group setting. Parent administered tests are not acceptable. The test score must be less than one year old.
4. Submit a written essay (see below)
5. Provide names and contact information for 2 references.

6. $20 membership fee payable upon notification of acceptance (do not send payment now)

Applications will be accepted between May 1 and July 31 of each year. All applications must be postmarked by July 31 for consideration.

PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

1. Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip __

Phone Number: E-Mail Address:* ______

Birth Date: Current Grade:

*All communication for group activities and updates will be made via e-mail

3. Please answer the following question in a one-page, double-spaced essay: Why do you want to be a member of Eta Sigma Alpha, and what will you contribute to the organization?

4. References:

Name Phone Number E-mail Address

a)

b)

Attach the following to the application:

1. Transcript with statistical (number) grades and cumulative GPA

2. Copy of Test Scores (please provide the name of the proctor)

3. Essay

4. Website Permission Form (see p.5)

Signature of Applicant Application Date

Signature of Parent

Mail the complete application package to:

Mercedes Welch

Zeta Delta Chapter - HSA Honor Society, 4811 Samoa Place, Honolulu, HI 96818

Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society

Zeta Delta Chapter

Mission Statement
"The purpose of Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among home school students. To achieve this purpose, Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society shall provide opportunities for the development of leadership and service. Eta Sigma Alpha shall encourage the development of an intellectual climate that will stimulate the exchange of ideas and ideals, foster scholarship, and promote academic excellence. Eta Sigma Alpha shall also advocate home schooling as a viable and successful educational methodology and act as a liaison for home schooling to the general public, colleges/universities, and the media."

Local Chapter Information

Zeta Delta Chapter of Eta Sigma Alpha began in the Spring of 2004 and is open to all Oahu home schooled students, grades 7-12, who meet the academic requirements as set forth on the Membership Application.

Membership Guidelines:

§  Applicant must complete and submit an application form. Applications may be submitted in the summer after completion of the student’s 6th grade year through the summer following completion of his/her 11th grade year.

§  Applicant must provide proof of test scores from one of the tests listed on the Membership Application.

§  Applicant must have a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, and must submit a transcript with the Membership Application. (For information on how to figure GPA, see page 3.)

§  Applicant must submit an essay setting forth why he/she desires to become a member of ESA.

§  Applicant must submit the names and contact information for two individuals who would be willing to provide a recommendation on his/her behalf.

What will Membership involve?

§  Meetings will be held on a regular basis, the frequency of which will not be more than once per month. Location of the meetings will be announced at a later date.

§  Community Service Projects are a requirement at the national level, and the students of this local chapter will select, organize and carry out their community service project(s) each year. Each student is required to participate in at least one community service project per year.

§  Maintain academic standards: GPA must be submitted at the end of each school year. Any member whose GPA falls below the required 3.5 will be given a one-semester grace period to bring their grades back up. If the student fails to do so, his/her membership will be suspended, and the student will have to reapply for membership when his/her GPA has again reached standards.

Permission for Placement of Name/Picture on Organization Website

§  Please see the attached permission form for this topic and return it with your student’s application.

To figure the GPA:

A = 4.0 points

B = 3.0

C = 2.0

D = 1.0

F = 0

We recognize that there are different grading scales for assigning letter grades to students. For example, one family may use 90-100 = A, 80-89=B and so on while another may use 92-100=, 84-91=B, etc. While such scales are acceptable, a scale in which a grade lower than 90 would count as an A would not be acceptable.

Regardless of how your grade scale conversion from numbers to letter grades translates, please use the above table for computing your child’s GPA.

Assign grade points to each course taken, add the total points, and divide by the number of courses to calculate the cumulative GPA.

For Example:

Course / Letter Grade / Grade Points Earned
English / A / 4.0
Algebra / B / 3.0
Physical Science / A / 4.0
Geography / A / 4.0
P.E. / A / 4.0
Music / B / 3.0 / Cumulative GPA:
Total: 22.0 / 3.67

The total grade points earned (22) divided by the number of courses (6) equals a cumulative GPA of 3.67.

PERMISSION FOR PLACEMENT OF NAME/PICTURE

ON ORGANIZATION WEBSITE

Zeta Delta Chapter of the Eta Sigma Alpha National Home School Honor Society has a website located at www.orgsites.com/hi/zeta-delta-honor. The purpose of the website is to inform home schooled students of Oahu about the existence of this chapter, to solicit membership applications, to recognize those students who have been selected for membership, and to provide information of ongoing meetings and events for members.

In order to recognize members, we like to post pictures with captions (first names only) on the site. However, we need to have the parent or guardian’s permission to do so. Without such permission, we will not place any information regarding your student online.

Please fill out and return this form with your student’s application.

***********************************************************************

As parent/guardian of ______, I

____ do / _____ do not (please check one) give my permission for

______’s name and/or picture to be placed on the Zeta Delta Chapter website.

I understand that only first names will be used and no other personal or contact information for the students will be placed on the chapter website.

______

Signature of Parent/Guardian Date