Breck's New Inductees to the Cum Laude Society

On Sunday, April 16, 25 students from the Classes of 2023 and 2024 were inducted into Breck’s Cum Laude Society. The Cum Laude Society has a rich history and high standards, and membership in the Society is the highest academic honor awarded to students at Breck. It is truly an honor to be elected to it, and we are incredibly proud of these students for this accomplishment! Thank you to Win Bennet '05 for being our alumni speaker!

New Inductees:
Lilliana Ahluwalia ’23, Max Aronson ’24, Samuel Bae ’24, Yvonne Frerichs ’23, Zachary Furman ’23, Henry Gaillard ’24, Dureti Gamada ’23, Noah Getnick ’24, John Gorman ’23, Anna Iordanoglou ’24, Ava Jaffe ’23, Ciara Kinney ’23, Daniela Kroul ’23, Petra Lyon ’23, Witt Mehbod ’24, Ivy Miller ’24, Noa Mor ’23, Corinne Moran ’24, Meghan Moy ’24, Enrico Petto ’24, Amira Sinclair ’23, Kimi Tanaka ’23, Olivia Teeter ’23, Ava Warford ’23, and Annika Wilson ’24.

 

Returning Seniors
Mina Adabag ’23, Eva Breiland ’23, Floria Elliott ’23, Sarah Feng ’23,  Laura Logan ’23, Sydney McDaniel ’23, Sarah Peterson ’23, Elizabeth (Romy) Peterson ’23,  Ava Roh ’23, Trisha Samba ’23, and Kendall White ’23.

 

 

The Cum Laude Society dates back to 1906 when Dr. Abram W. Harris, Director of the Tome School in Maryland, determined that scholastic achievement of students in secondary schools should be accorded as much recognition as given to other accomplishments. He envisioned a society modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, which would encourage and recognize true scholarship. Therefore, Dr. Harris along with the Phi Beta Kappa members of the Tome School faculty organized an interscholastic scholarship fraternity. The group adopted the name Alpha Delta Tau Fraternity and the Greek words Arete’, Dike’ (Deekay), Time’ (Teemay) were chosen for the motto. 
Unlike the National Honor Society, schools must first demonstrate their own academic excellence before they are granted a charter for Cum Laude Society. In practice, only independent schools have charters.  Breck School became a member in 1958. In 1995, Breck’s Head of School at the time, Samuel A. Salas, was named as the Midwest District regent for the Society, a position he held until his retirement in 2007.

Since the motto of the Society stresses excellence, justice, and honor in the broadest sense, the Regents assume chapters will elect membership only to students who have demonstrated good character, honor, and integrity in all aspects of their school life in addition to their documented achievements in the classroom.

Congratulations to all the new and returning members of the Breck Cum Laude Society!