The Junior Beta Club is a community service based program for 7th and 8th grade Honor Roll students. If you are new to Gotha, or are a 7th/8th grader who would like to join, please contact one of the sponsors (see below). We participate in many worthwhile fundraisers and community service projects throughout the school year. We hope you decide to join! ** Please note that membership enrollment is held every May and September each school year. To learn about this National Club, please visite the National Beta Club website at http://www.betaclub.org.

If you joined the Beta Club last school year, you are STILL A MEMBER! Your membership expires at the end of 8th grade. If you missed meetings last year, but want to get involved again this year, COME to our meetings!! We'd love to have you back!

Beta Calendar of Events
*** Please note that these dates are all subject to change and
additional dates may be added at any time! ***

** Convention:
What a successful Convention! Gotha Beta Club walked away with 9 different awards! Way to go! Also, stay tuned for info about the NATIONAL Convention, in Nashville Tennessee (if you are not receiving the Convention emails and need to, please email Mrs. Spear)! Here's the summary of what we won:
Living Literature 3rd *
Poster Contest 3rd
Group Talent 2nd
Songfest 1st (All members who attended) *
Science 1st (Stephen Talmadge)
Social Studies 3rd (Brian Hartley)
Math 2nd (Jessica Leon) *
Technology 3rd (Melissa Jones)
Wreath 3rd (Arlin Delgado) *
The * indicates that we qualified for Nationals in that event.

*** Please note that these dates are all subject to change and
additional dates may be added at any time! ***

Our previous Beta Activities are listed below, in case you want to know what we've been doing.
Thanks to everyone who has participated and made our club so successful!

** 1st Beta Club Meeting: Tuesday, August 15th at 9:00 AM in P44; members will receive information about induction, election of officers, and convention.

** Officer Applications due by Friday August 18th (8th grade members only) to Mrs. Spear (P44) or Mrs. Musser (P7).

** Beta Club Meeting: Tuesday, August 22nd at 9:00 AM in P44; Voting for Beta Officers

** Induction Ceremony: Wednesday, September 6th at 6:30 PM in main Cafeteria; we will also hold a (optional) practice after school from 3-6, including a pizza dinner ($1) and time to set up for our ceremony. Members who would like to stay after with us must RSVP to a sponsor by Friday, September 1st. Invitations for all new members will be delivered on Monday and Tuesday, August 28th and 29th.

** Convention Planning Meetings: Wednesday 9/13 and 9/20. These meetings will take place in P44 or P7. We will be planning and designing our events for this year's Beta Convention. Students should sign in to the YMCA (in the cafeteria) and wait to be picked up by Mrs. Musser and/or Mrs. Spear on each date. We will meet from 3-6pm (you may leave earlier if needed).

** Beta Club Meeting: Wednesday, October 18th at 9:00 AM in P44; we need to discuss the upcoming car wash and Red Ribbon Week.

** Deadline for all Convention Entries: Mrs. Musser and/or Mrs. Spear must have your entry for Convention no later than Wednesday, October 18th (arts & crafts, essay, speech, and any other individual entry). Academic competitions (math, science, social studies, spelling) will be held beginning Wednesday, October 4th. (for a list of information you should know for each subejct area, click here!) Please email Mrs. Spear to schedule the time/date for you to take your "test" for your subject area. Tests must be completed by Wednesday, October 18th!

** Our CAR WASH , to raise money for various Beta activities as well as charitable contributions, will be held SATURDAY, October 21st at the Wal-Mart on John Young Parkway and Sand Lake Road. We need at least 10 people present at all times in order to keep business flowing… our hours will be 9 am – 3 pm. You do not need to stay the whole time, so we are asking that you let us know (before Saturday) if you can be there and when. If you already gave us this info at Wednesday's meeting, thank you!

** Thanksgiving Food Drive: November 13th through 17th; Beta members will assist in this school-wide effort to bring in food for families. Students will be needed on Friday during the school day (time TBA) to help pick up food from classrooms. We will also need several parents (with SUVs or Vans) to help deliver the goods to Second Harvest Food Bank on Friday, November 17th right after school. Let us know if you can help!

** Send A Friend A Candy Cane Fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life; December 6th through 13th; We need all members to help in donating the candy canes, putting together and sorting on Wednesday Dec 13 after school from 3-6, and delivering them on December 15th during 3rd and 4th periods. You'll need to see/email Mrs. Spear to sign up to help.

** Pasta for Pennies Fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; January 22 - February 2; collect change through 1st Period classes; students will be needed to help count money on Wed Jan 24, Wed Jan 31, and Wed Feb 7 after school from 3-6 pm.

** February: Valentine's Day Candy Gram Sales! Beta Members will be selling Candy Grams each morning and during lunches. We will need 4 students for during lunches and before school each day.

** Relay for Life at GMS:  Wednesday April 11 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society
     1. Get a team of 4-5 Beta Club (and/or non-Beta) members; encourage other clubs to participate, too!
     2. Each team should try to raise a MINIMUM of $25; start taking "pledges" from family/friends to support your walk.
     3. Come up with a Team Theme for "A Fair to Remember..." You may use props, costumes, tee-shirts, posters, banners, etc...
     4. Be at the Relay by 4:00 to set up and start walking. Your team members will take turns walking laps or you can walk together.
     5. Your team may also think of ways to raise additional money while AT the relay (be creative!). The team that raises the most money will earn a PRIZE from Beta Club! (For example: sell baked goods or drinks, or Cancer Awareness items)
     6. Remember to invite your Family, neighbors, and teachers to come out and watch you walk!

** Spring Cleaning: (Date TBA) Beta Club is going to sponsor a School Campus Clean-Up project! We will meet at 9:00 AM in front of GMS and will work for 2 hours. Hope you can be here to earn your hours!

Join the YMCA:
All Beta Club members this year need to fill out an application for the YMCA after school program, so that you can stay after school on meeting and activity days. Applications will be available at all Beta Meetings. Or, members can pick up an application for YMCA in the front office (ask Mrs. Mary), or in Portable 7 with Mrs. Musser.

*** MEMBERS (or Parents):
If you would like to receive Beta club announcements via email, please email Mrs. Spear with the subject: Beta Club Reminders, along with your name (student name), grade, and email address. Emails will only be sent out when we are having a meeting or other event that students need to be aware of.

Sponsors:

                                  
Kristina Spear                                     Joanie Musser
brindik@ocps.net                                frischj@ocps.net
Portable 44                                         Portable 16


Updated 5/11/07