COVINGTON, Ga. - The National Beta Club has announced that four Newton County School System (NCSS) schools have achieved 2017 National Beta School of Merit status. Oak Hill Elementary School, South Salem Elementary School, Clements Middle School and Liberty Middle School earned this recognition by offering National Beta to all eligible grades on their campus.

According to Bob Bright, chief executive officer of the National Beta Club, the prestigious honor is indicative of the schools’, “dedication to academic excellence, leadership development, and commitment to celebrating students’ achievements.”

Each school will receive a National Beta School of Merit window decal as a symbol of their accomplishment and will also be publicized at the 2017 National Beta Convention in Orlando, Florida.

The National Beta Club is the largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization in America. For more than 80 years, it has prepared today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders.

The club’s mission is to promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students.

Between the Junior Beta Club and Senior Beta Club, the organization has helped nearly seven million students learn how to make a life for themselves – and, since 1991, it has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships.

There are now more than 450,000 active members and more than 8,750 clubs nationally and internationally. 

“Congratulations to Oak Hill, South Salem, Clements, and Liberty,” NCSS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey said. “This is a tremendous honor and I commend each of the four schools’ leadership teams and faculties for ensuring their students have access to a program as prestigious as the National Beta Club. This is something they can be very proud of.”