Newark Celebrates Language Excellence with Inaugural Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Chapter and Ambassador Memberships

Students inducted into the prestigious Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) at Arts High School
Students inducted into the prestigious Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) at Arts High School

Arts High School proudly celebrated academic excellence in Spanish and Portuguese languages on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024. The school's dedication to fostering linguistic proficiency was evident as they inducted 20 students into the prestigious Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH). This ceremony, a testament to the student's hard work and dedication, marked the inaugural event for the school's SHH chapter, with 17 students being recognized for their achievements in Spanish and 3 in Portuguese.

Uniquely, Arts High School offers Ambassador Memberships in the SHH program. This distinction is designed for heritage speakers with exceptional Spanish or Portuguese proficiency, even if they need to meet the language course requirements. The school's dedication to multilingualism was further highlighted by several students demonstrating exceptional competency in Portuguese, achieving a score of 5 or higher on all STAMP 4S Portuguese assessment sections. In addition to inducting student members, Arts High School also acknowledged honorary members who have actively supported the SHH's mission of promoting interest and achievement in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies. These community leaders included Councilman Luis Quintana, Board Member Daniel Gonzalez, Newark Board of Education Superintendent Roger León, and Art Teacher and Latin Band Director Kennis Fairfax.