WAYNE, Pa., Oct. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agora Cyber Charter School, an accredited, online public charter school for Pennsylvania students in grades K-12, accepted 50 new members to its National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) chapters this month. A ceremony was held in Mechanicsburg, PA on October 5, 2014. In 2010, Agora became the first cyber school in the nation to charter an NHS chapter. Membership has grown from 17 original students to almost 100 active members for the 2014-2015 school year.
All students are required to maintain a 3.5 GPA to receive an invitation to apply. Acceptance is based on a written application which clearly demonstrates a strong dedication to community service, excellent leadership skills, and a solid ethical foundation.
As active members of Agora's NHS and NJHS chapters, students attend monthly meetings and commit to serving 40 hours of community service on a local and national level. Over the past 4 years, the Agora chapters have partnered with the Make a Wish Foundation, Big Brothers & Big Sisters Program, Habitat for Humanity, Holiday Card for Heroes, local children's hospitals, and several local food banks across the state.
Samantha Medasie, Agora 11th grader and secretary of the school's NHS chapter, spoke about philanthropy and service at this year's induction ceremony, where her younger brother was inducted into the NJHS chapter.
"I love having this opportunity to connect with other students at Agora who are as motivated and as goal-oriented as I am," Medasie said. "This year, my goal is to get the entire NHS chapter involved in our community service projects."
During the upcoming school year, Agora aims to challenge its NHS and NJHS students to step out of their comfort zones and employ their leadership skills to make an impact on a local, national and even global level. As part of its school-wide service learning campaign, Agora has partnered with the Pencils of Promise organization to help make a positive impact on children's education around the world. This year, Agora's NHS and NJHS chapters will focus on raising funds and awareness to help Pencils of Promise build a fully-functioning school for students who have the passion to learn but lack the resources needed to achieve their aspirations.
Through the individualized online K12 curriculum and support from state-certified teachers, Agora provides core courses in Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Music, Art and Physical Education. The high school program includes a foreign language course and access to AP courses. Students can also choose to participate in a variety of extracurricular groups and clubs through Agora, as well as participate in their school district's extracurricular activities.
"Our fifth annual induction of new students into the Agora chapter of the National Honor Society is a testament to the academic commitment and strength of our school community," said Susan Siever, Head of School at Agora Cyber Charter School. "We value this opportunity to celebrate our students who consistently demonstrate leadership in the classroom and in their daily lives."
Enrollment is still open for the 2014-2015 academic school year, and all interested families are encouraged to visit www.K12.com/Agora for more information, including details on upcoming community events and information sessions.
About Agora Cyber Charter School
Agora Cyber Charter School (Agora) is a full-time, state-accredited, public cyber school serving Pennsylvania students in grades K through 12. As a public cyber school, Agora is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the award-winning curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about Agora, visit www.K12.com/Agora.
SOURCE Agora Cyber Charter School
