High School Sororities/Frats
 

Do you know of any sororities/frats that are part of high school, rather than college? There were some sororities around when I was in HS, so I wondered if there were any experiences similar to mine.

The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority, Inc.
 

The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority is an organization that prepares young women for society, stressing the importance of education and social grace.

Every spring young girls make their debut to the world as debutantes via debutante balls or cotillions. Many times debutante balls are sponsored by churches, women's groups or schools. The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority has taken the concept of the debutante ball and created a junior sorority for girls ages 10-17 years of age. The girls meet year round and their spring debutante ball is their flagship event.

The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority was founded in 1999 by Andreia Smith-Lipscomb. The sorority prepares young women for society, stressing the importance of education and social grace. Andreia herself has been a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority for nearly 20 years so she has much insight on sorority life.

Not every young woman can be a debutante. Dozens of young girls apply to become potential pledges for the junior sorority, but only a handful are chosen. The girls with the best grades and who are socially graceful are chosen. The chosen ones also must know how to work in a group.

The potential debutantes who are chosen to be pledges come out as sisters during the spring debutante ball.

The amazing thing about the Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority are the life skills that the young women learn. The girls meet weekly throughout the year. The girls themselves take part in every phase of the planning for all of their events-including the debutante ball. The girls have their say about choosing the venue and even the menu for the event.

In weekly meetings, the girls plan their events and the meeting itself is conducted by the junior officers. Ms. Siera English is the current president of the sorority and she is also the current Miss SAQ. Every year one girl who exceeds expectations and goes above and beyond is crowned Miss SAQ. Although, Siera is president, all of the officers play important roles in making sure that the goals of the sorority are met. The founder, Mrs. Lipscomb, her Dean of Pledgees and other mothers are often present at meetings, but it is really the girls who make things happen.

The girls have appeared at the Norfolk State Homecoming Parade in the past and plan to participate in more parades in the future. They also plan shopping trips as fund raisers and visit college campuses. Like traditional sororities, the girls also do community service from time to time. Although, the Sisters of Alpha Omega is a social group, education is a strong foundation of the organization. The founder, Mrs. Smith-Lipscomb has three higher education degrees and her dean of pledgees also two higher education degrees.

These young ladies have an advantage over other young women when they head to college. If they choose to join a sorority, they already have some idea of the responsibility of being a sorority member.

The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority is based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Currently, they are the only social group in the Hampton Roads area that has a sit down dinner debutante ball. You can visit them on the web at www.sistersofalphaomega.com. Visit their web site to view pictures and to learn more about their organization.

If you are interested in becoming a debutante in your area, talk to other young women who may have been debutantes in the past. These organizations often don't advertise so many times you have to scout them out or have the right connections. Being a debutante is a wonderful experience, having the opportunity to wear a white gown and to waltz in front of your family and friends. It is a once in a lifetime experience.

If their are no organizations in your area that offer debutante balls or cotillions, talk to a family member, your church or a person who is active in your community. Chances are if you find a dedicated person, you may be able to help coordinate a debutante ball in your area. Also, if you are interested in starting a chapter of The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority in your area, please visit their web site and contact the organization for additional information.

Be sure to visit the official web site for The Sisters of Alpha Omega Sorority at http://www.sistersofalphaomega.com

http://http://www.sparkledoll.com/images/forbella.jpg

there is Delta Beta Sigma...it's a high school sorority. I know they have a few chapters in Arkansas, and in other states as well.

being a member of a HS sorority renders you ineligible for pledgeship into PiPhi....as well as several other National sororities if I'm not mistaken.

Actually, being in a "high school sorority" is regarded as simply another activity. Depending upon the goals of that organization, it can be a good preparation for being in a university-based GLO. It has no bearing on eligibility to pledge Pi Beta Phi... only pledging another NPC collegiate group would make someone ineligible.

hmm, odd...I was told otherwise.

what is the point of the HS sorority? It more important to focus on education. I was in yearbook, honor clubs, and other clubs that promote education and diversity. It was so much fun. I can see potential hazing or "clique/elite" status. Even the cheerleaders at my school didnt have any status, you too could become a cheerleader if you have 500 dollars and time/ride to the games.

Anyways, where do they have them in the south???

why couldn't this very same argument be made for college sororities? It may even be MORE important to focus on your education in college.

Demolay is a sorority (and fraternity?) for young people up to age 21.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Diamond Delta

Demolay is a sorority (and fraternity?) for young people up to age 21.

=================================

deMolay is a sorority? Is this a new development? It was a male only, Masonically oriented, brotherhood when I was in school. I was not a member but I knew some guys who were involved. Please enlighten me.

http://www.wademolay.org/family/sorority/service.shtml
 

I got the information from here:
http://www.wademolay.org/family/sorority/service.shtml

I do not know if it is a national thing or just this area. I have also seen sites that call them sweethearts instead, but they have officers and plan events and all the same things sororities do.

Demolay is a Masonic brotherhood for young men. They have an auxillary group associated with them called "sorority" (what it is called now in Washington) or "sweethearts" (what it was called when I was around :)). I believe to be a member of the auxillary group (which from my understanding is mostly to help with the service projects and meet the boys) you have to be a member of one of the Masonic groups for young women, either Rainbow for Girls or Job's Daughters. Those are more sorority like then Demolay "sorority". There is ritual, officers, service/philanthropy, and chapters everywhere.

I was a member of Rainbow, and am a member of Eastern Star (an adult Masonic Group). If you have any questions I would be glad to try and answer them.

In New Orleans, the private and Catholic schools such as Mt. Carmel Academy, Academy of the Sacred Heart, Dominican, etc do not have high school sororities. I am pretty sure in Memphis, TN either Hutchinson or St. Agnes have high school sororities.

Re: http://www.wademolay.org/family/sorority/service.shtml
 

DeMolay International is a Masonic-sponsored fraternal organization for boys/young men.

Click on the link that says "DeMolay Family" at the site referenced, and you will see this statement:

"DeMolay is for young men ages 12-21, but the DeMolay Family is large enough to include everyone. This section is dedicated to telling you a little about each of the appendant organizations that form the DeMolay Family here in Washington."

The Washington DeMolay Sorority is, according to the website, "an appendant organization of Washington DeMolay providing young women the opportunity to support DeMolay through collaborative efforts and its own program of activities and leadership development." Similarly, they have "Squires of the Round Table" for boys ages 10-12, as well as an alumni group.

I'm a proud Past Honored Queen of Job's Daughters. There are many likenesses to Job's and sorority life. Just as I'm sure DeMolay is similar to fraternity life.

I was a member of two clubs in high school that didn't have greek letters but could be considered high school sorority type - Hi Tri and Nike.

You're in New Orleans? OMG!

The public schools here in Jefferson had sororities and fraternities, at least when I was in school there in the '70s. I think some of the Catholic schools (Blenk, Shaw, Immaculata, etc.) had 'em, too. I know that Blenk had Xi Delta Sigma. We (Ehret) had three chapters of Kappa Phi, Kappa, Beta and Zeta, ABG and a few members of Alpha Mu Omega.

Don't know about Mt. Carmel or the others. I want to think...maybe Cabrini had 'em?

I'm from New Orleans, born and raised and now I live in Oxford, MS where I went to college, Ole Miss :)

Not to say its bad or good, but I cannot imagine high school sororities/fraternities at my high school.

I did hear of some girls at my school who were in high school sororities and they mentioned that rituals were similar to that of their collegiate sorority. I don't know what high school sororities they were in and I don't remember which college chapers they joined, but I couldn't believe that.

Does anyone know if any collegiate organizations have connections to high school sororities? (You don't have to be specific so as to not potentially leak any information.)

Sororities and fraternities and other secret societies were expressly forbidden at my high school.

In my high school we had sorority/fraternity like orgs....they were "Y" clubs (YMCA) that did a lot of work in the community, they also had "rush", not sure if they had rituals (I was not a member) they were not greek or greek-lettered. The names were derived from the french or hawaiian language.

Ahh, so that's your connection. OK. I thought you still lived here. I'm a UNO girl m'self, though I went to USL (now ULL) for a year.

What an amazing...

-Rudey
--Crock

The high schools in Lexington have Reveler. Its a type of sorority for high-schoolers I guess.

Some of these high school / secondary school groups go back to the 1860s, so yes, they can indeed have very elaborate rituals just like a traditional collegiate GLO.

wptw

Eastern Star Link

Here's some info for ya.

That is very true. There is really very little difference between a highschool sorority and many of our current sororities that were founded by young women. Remember, in the 1800's a lady wasn't 18 or 19 when she started "college" (or finishing school or whatever) they were like 14 or 15.

A lady who used to work for my aunt was in Kappa Phi. (I thought it was strange because there is a national HS fraternity named Kappa Phi.) After graduation, they would join another sorority for alumnae. That sorority had three letters but I can't remember the name. I want to say that she went to Academy of the Holy Angels in the 1960s.

I'm the Associate Patron of Plano Chapter #703, Grand Chapter of Texas, OES. If all goes well and I don't screw up ( ;) ) I will more than likely be elected Worthy Patron next year.

You have to have a male relative (father, grandfather, uncle, grand-uncle, husband) who is a Mason in good standing (read: dues paid and current, not under suspension) in order to be eligible for membership in OES. Males wishing to join OES must be Master Masons in good standing, and must maintain it throughout their membership.

If you are (or were) a Rainbow Girl or Job's Daughter who has been a member for over three years or have reached their 'majority member' status (at least 18 years old), you are also welcomed to petition as well.

One of the girls that want to pledge for us next semester is a rainbow girl. Is that bad? can they be part of us or are they part of the Masonic thing? I am confused.

Not at all. Generally, a Rainbow Girl will have some Masonic family tie in her family, but any Rainbow Girl can recommend a girl for membership, even if she does not have Masonic relatives.

I know that there are high schools sororities here in Tuscaloosa, Ala., as well as in Memphis (Germantown area), Warner Robins, Ga., and other areas around Alabama. It's a pretty big deal.

At my high school we had this organization called Mu Sigma. I guess it was a service/honor fraternity. (No one ever questioned it's official catagorey.) It is co-ed and we had a g.p.a requirement. We qualified to join at the end of our jr year; during our membership as a senior we did a lot of community service and other stuff. There's one catch though; we had to dress up in costumes and parade around the school singing a song that went with that year's theme before we could be a member. The previous class gets to choose the theme for the incoming class. For my year, we had to dress up as Teletubbies and sing one of that show's songs. It was mortifying! Now that I think about it, that's hazing!!!!

Teletubbies...how funny! But yeah, that's a form of hazing, a real no-no.

I noticed you're in NO. So am I!!! PM me sometime.

I notice that the membership info for OES says that if you're a great-granddaughter of a Mason in good standing, you can be in OES. Does this count if my great-grandfather is deceased now? If so, how would I go about joining OES if I so desired?

It does count if your great-grandfather is deceased. You will need to know which Lodge he belonged to (a dues card might be helpful, but I am not sure it is necessary). To join, contact the chapter closest to you. Since your profile says you are in Alabama, you can go to the Alabama OES website (http://members.aol.com/alaoes/) and find the closest chapter and their contact information, if you do not know it already. The Worthy Matron or Secretary would probably be the best people to contact, though any member can help you with the process. First they will have you fill out a membership application known as a petition. Then you will meet with a few members, be voted on, and hopefully intitated.

Hope this helps!

Prior to the new House System at my high school, which started in the late 60s/early 70s, all senior school (Grade 7+) students were assigned to teams consisting of a single Greek letter. I believe there were 6 of them. Like the current House System, the girls would compete in athletics, academics, etc for points.

We had 2 sororities, Thaelis and Delphi, in my high school my sophomore year. After that, all HS sororities were banned, and they just went underground.

I was a Rainbow Girl for 7 years, and I was able to join Eastern Star on my Rainbow affiliation.

There were 2 HS sororities in Jacksonville that I knew of. LSS and IDS. I was a "legacy" to IDS, but both were shut down (parents found out about hazing) before I could join. My senior year there was a movement to restart them. I was asked to be a re-founding member of LSS, but it never got off the ground - not sure if they have now. You could attend any school to belong to these, but I think the majority of the membership came from the predominant private schools in the area.

Quick question... What is a Rainbow Girl? I've never heard of them.

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is an organization for girls between the ages of 11 and 20. At the age of 20, or upon marriage, which ever occurs first, girls who are members in good standing are eligible for Majority Membership. To join, girl must be sponsored by two other girls who are either active members in good standing or a majority member, and at least one adult whom must be a member in good standing of either the Masonic Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star, Order of the Amaranth or the White Shrine.

More information: www.iorg.org