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    The Honor Giant program seeks to recognize our students annually for academic achievements, attendance, behavior and activity involvement at school. These criteria are the standard we would like all students to strive to achieve during high school. This growth mindset model enables every student the opportunity to be recognized as an Honor Giant after each school year. This supportive approach intends to encourage resiliency and promote student growth by encouraging them to reach or even exceed the Honor Giant criteria every year.

  • HPHS Honor Night History

    The Honor Giant program was initiated in 2019 and began awarding annual Honor Giant recognition to students beginning with the Class of 2021 and Class of 2022 for their engagement in the 18-19 school year.  The change was implemented because HPHS witnessed tremendous change in how our students engage in their academic and extracurricular activities during their time at HPHS.  As a result of these changes, HPHS announced a new model of recognition called Honor Giants. HPHS switched from a National Honor Society to a Highland Park Honor Society in 1999.

    The Honor Giant program seeks to recognize our students annually for academic achievements, attendance, behavior and activity involvement at school.  These criteria are the standard we would like all students to strive to achieve during high school.  This growth mindset model enables every student the opportunity to be recognized as an Honor Giant after each school year.  This supportive approach intends to encourage resilience and promote student growth by encouraging them to reach or even exceed the Honor Giant criteria every year rather than being recognized just once over four years as in the previous recognition models. We look forward to continuing  this recognition process as part of our school culture. 

    Please see our current criteria and FAQs to be recognized as an Honor Giant on this site.  These criteria were set with the input of students, parents, and staff members.  Postsecondary counselors also served as guides as we evaluated the impact of this change. 

    This year we will be honoring the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2022 for their achievements during the 18-19 school year.  Students that meet the requirements will receive a letter in early November to identify and celebrate their achievements.  In the future, this recognition will take place earlier in the fall of the school year. 

  • The Honor Giant program is being created to recognize our students’ academic achievements, attendance, behavior and activity involvement at Highland Park High School after each attendance year. The Honor Giant program will recognize students in each grade and will replace Honor Society, which only recognizes juniors and seniors.  Students will be encouraged to achieve and meet Honor Giant criteria as we implement and grow the program.  Below outlines the criteria required for Honor Giant recognition at Highland Park High School.  

     

    Attendance Criteria Information - (criteria waived for the 20-21 & 21-22 school years)

    • Absences are calculated by the sum of minutes absent / student day  based upon the record in Infinite Campus. Nine days represents 95 percent attendance rate , HPHS is honoring students with fewer than 10 days absent. 

    • http://www.lakecountyil.gov/4252/Truancy-Law

    • Students may submit a doctor’s note for a review of attendance if the student feels he/she meets the other criteria. An email will be sent to each family prior to recognition letters being sent home if all other criteria is met besides attendance.  Additional information can be found in the FAQ section on this site. 

     

    Freshman Year Recognition - Recognition would be sent Fall Sophomore Year

    • GPA (unweighted) Annual Average => 3.00 cumulative from freshman year.

      • No D’s or F’s

    • Attendance (no more than 10 days absent ) during the year. (criteria waived for the 20-21 & 21-22 school years)

    • No code violations or violation of student conduct policies.

    Sophomore & Junior Year Recognition - Recognition would be sent Fall Junior/Senior Year

    • GPA (unweighted) Annual Average => 3.33 cumulative during sophomore and/or junior year. 

      • No D’s or F’s

    • Attendance (no more than 10 days absent ) during the year. (criteria waived for the 20-21 & 21-22 school years)  

    • No code violations or violation of student conduct policies

    • Participate in one HPHS school Activity/Team (criteria waived for the 20-21 school year only, will be used for review of the 21-22 school year)

  • Why Honor Giants instead of HPHS Honor Society?

    HPHS would like to encourage all students to earn this annual achievement during their high school career.  This growth mindset model allows every student the ability to be recognized as an Honor Giant after each school year.  Our current model only recognized students once during their time at HPHS and required them to earn points to apply.  Many students who met the academic requirement were unable to apply because of the number of points required for involvement or service. We found that many of the groups already have community service built into their programs.  With this change,  students only need to be involved in one activity/team per year. 

    Why these criteria?

    These criteria are designed to represent the whole child--their engagement with and contribution to our school community while attending HPHS.  In addition to being academically successful, the child should demonstrate behavior and an attendance record that serve as a model to others.  As a student matures/advances/develops, participation should develop as well, hence adding the extra-curricular requirements after freshman year.  

    Is there an application process?

    Recognition will be based upon the student’s record. Students will not need to complete an application.  Grades, attendance, behavior and extra-curricular participation are all recorded in Infinite Campus.  A secondary review of a student’s record will be made in cases when a student believes the record is incomplete or inaccurate.  

    How will not having an Honor Society affect my child’s college application/admission?

    High schools are able to set their own criteria for honor society membership.  HPHS worked extensively with our postsecondary counselors and have verified that membership in an honor society does not play a deciding role in college admissions. As with any extra-curricular involvement, award or achievement, students can list their status as an Honor Giant on their academic resume.  Please speak to your child’s counselor if you have questions or concerns. 

    How will students be honored?

    HPHS will send a special letter home to the student with a certificate of achievement.  

    What if my child missed 10 or more days of school for documented medical reasons or a family obligation and I know he/she met all the other criteria?

    HPHS would be happy to review a student’s record if absences were due to medical or other extenuating excused reasons.  A letter from a medical provider verifying the absence(s) should be sent to the Student Activities Office or the student’s counselor.   

    How does summer school or replacement grades affect recognition?

    Only classes taken during the academic year will be used to determine if a student will be recognized as an Honor Giant.  Honor Giant recognition uses only the average of the school year’s Semester 1 and Semester 2 grades.

    Why Honor Giant Recognition?

    HPHS wants students to set goals and take ownership of their own learning process.  Honor Giant recognition is one way to celebrate their investment in themselves.  This achievement is designed with growth in mind.  Students can be honored one or multiple times during their tenure at HPHS.  We hope students will look to achieve recognition as an Honor Giant and seek the support needed to do so.