High School Sororites
 

Hey. I was wondering if anyone could give me information on getting sororites started in a high school. If you do please let me know..thanks!

On that note, I doubt you'll find much support from your HS administration. I'll also let you know that high school sororities do not get recognition from any NPC or NPHC sorority.

Concentrate on high school. Apply to colleges. Finish high school. Go to college. Explore Greek Life.

That's my suggestion.

Rigmas - Together forever, Trevor.

Actually, I mostly agree.

In Huntsville, most of the highschools have sororities and some of them are reputable, but, mostly they turn girls off from college sororities due to the "initiation ritual", which in Huntsville is called gooping. (where they pour gross stuff on the girls that are being initiated) Girls that would potentially go through college recruitment assume it is the same in college and don't look to far into it to find out that GLO's are so much more.

What I would do is get an ANCHOR or Key Club started or what ever they are called in the different regions. I assume your school doesn't have that or else you would have mentioned those. Again, in Huntsville these are service organizations that are fun and look good on your application to college and to the greek system.

ANCHOR at Huntsville High School, for example, requires 80 hours of community service for each member. They are also a social organization that have "ice water teas," formals, etc. ALSO, they are approved by most highschool administrations, if they are set up correctly.

I wish I could tell you more but I went to a private school that didn't have ANCHOR club so I don't know any more then that, but I am sure you can find out more on the net.

GOOD LUCK, oh yea and study hard.

I dont know much about high school sororities.

But what I do know is that there are some orgs that work with ladies around the high school age in the community.
From off the head Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc, comes to mind.
they have a group called Archonettes. Look up some info.

Sororities are hard work and its gonna be extremely hard to get your school to cooperate. The greater purpose of Greek life is to provide service to your community, right? So you could always just go out and do some community service with a group of friends.

I got it "saved by the bell" (just wanted you to feel good about your post)

The only thing I can think of is to suggest that your school start a "house system" similar to that in the Harry Potter books/British schools/private schools. You get a little friendly competition, traditions, and perhaps even your own "initiation" ritual that is compltely school-sanctioned. That's probably the closest thing to a sorority/fraternity you can get in a high school.

And it's also the best suggestion :)

In some school districts, most notably Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida (where I grew up), high school fraternities and sororities are considered illegal organizations and also prohibited under Florida Statutes (FS 232.39) and Miami Dade Public Schools (School Board Rule 6Gx13-5C-1.041). If you're caught, punishments are severe, leading up to expulsion.

If you really need to be part of something
 

Consider organizations like

Girl Scouts of the United States of America
Boys Scouts of America (Explorers and Venture levels)
Youth organizations affiliated with fraternal organizations (i.e., Masons, IOOF, Pythian, etc)
Church affliated groups
Clubs in your schools

Ask around....it is good to be part of something bigger than yourself.

In my high shool...

we had, what I would consider "sorority-like", they were Y-clubs (YMCA) and they did A LOT of community service. Each fall they would do a presentation to all the school wide ladies and then have individual parties/interivews. It usually went about a week and then "pick-ups" would happen, most likely on a friday night.

When my sister got into one, man did they trash her bedroom, she had a great time. (Of course, they called and let the parents know that they were coming over and what was going to happen to their rooms)

The guys finally caught on and formed their own Y-Clubs

Mostly all the clubs that we had were all community service and dual membership was not unheard of, for example: Na'ali and Girls League.

Of course my high school is not your typical high school.

Did they have different club names? And what were the qualifications for the Y-clubs?

It was the same thing in my school district.

actually, there were some underground girl groups in the high schools back home. they would "pledge" the girls like at lunch time and the one at my high school stepped in the pep rallies all the time. they definately were not recognized by the school though and i'm sure they could have gotten in trouble for the "pledging" but they never did and some of the teachers knew about it. anyway there were about 2 sorority like groups and 2 fraternity like groups with quasi greek letter names. anyway people seemed to have a great time in them. it's interesting though, because most of the people i know that were affiliated with them are not greek in college.

my suggestion is to figure out why you wanted to start a sorority in the first place...friends? com service? to be popular? and find a way within the system of your school to do that. i know that some of the nphc orgs have high school groups - Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta.

My high school didn't have sororities, but I can't help be reminded of the sorority in the "Sweet Valley High" books I read in Jr. High. I think it was called Pi Beta Alpha and it was made out to be an elitest group for only the most "popular girls".

There are so many other social outlets available to high school students, I can't say I think starting a sorority is a good idea. Like others have said, spend your time in school wisely by studying, joining other established groups (maybe drama, DECA, Key Club), try out for a sports or dance team if you are atheletic, or consider spending that free time volunteering in your community. Doing activities such as these will make you the kind of well rounded person that college sororities look for!

Welcome to Greek Chat. This message board is for members, supporters and those interested in collegiate Greek Life. I hope you will be among them! :)

While some girls' social groups with Greek names may exist exclusive to their high school, please know that isn't typical of high schools. You might find an organization that currently doesn't exist at your school by doing an online search or talking to a guidance counselor. Perhaps you will find one that has Greek letters or is for girls only.

As with the other posters, I advise against starting a high school social club for girls without your administration's support and calling it a "sorority" or giving it Greek letters. Starting such a group won't receive positive support or funding from your school. It also won't be something that you can put down as an "activity" on your college applications. And yes, you do want to have school-approved activities on your transcript!!! This will help you get into college (and possibly college organizations like sororities) and/or help you get a job right out of high school if college isn't in the works for you.

There are many activities at your high school that have socials, fundraisers, community service and are a place for high school aged women to have fun and make friends. Check out the list of clubs at your high school and get involved!

If you go ahead and decide to start a high school sorority, despite the cautions that have been mentioned, I wish you luck, but please take our advice that your time is better served getting involved with a school-sanctioned activity-- you'll get the same benefits PLUS the future benefits of having a stronger chance to get into college, a college sorority (and again, a job out of high school if you don't plan to go to college.) And if you are interested in joining a college sorority in college, being a member of an unrecognized campus club may reduce your chances of realizing this goal.

Edited to recommend going to your guidance counselor and working with the campus adminstration to start a new club or find a new national high school club to bring to campus.

Re: High School Sororites
 

Greetings Brothers and Sister of GC,

I don't think that high school is an appropriate atmosphere to foster the development of any Greek letter societies. While the idea may be enticing to some adolescents we must remember that the rites of passage and initiation ceremonies ignite a turning point in our lives that should be very dear to ourselves in society and in self-cognition. Adolescents that are still in what some Psychologists refer to as "Identity vs. Role Confusion" are still knowing themselves and developing as people. The transition into college and development of a fellowship in fraternal spirit are just another point in growing.

Most importantly let's not forget the origins of Greek Letter Organizations. The development began in the atmosphere of the scholar who was attaining the higher degree of learning and not in the pre-requisite stages of learning.

High school is a fun point in life but there are other organizations such as sports, band, or debate that can offer a sufficient social niche in an adolescent’s growth. If a high school individual is really serious about joining a Greek Letter Organization then he or she needs to redirect that fire into being loyal to their scholarship. Attending college will become a goal in order to attain to the level of the Mystics in our Greek Letter Societies.

At my alumni speech I made it very clear that one of my biggest goals since high school was to attend college so that I could join a Fraternity. I accomplished that goal and superceded so much more as I followed the pathway with my brothers through the disciplines as well as the social realm. In a nutshell I had a blast and worked hard!!! !

Stay focused in high school and prepare to embark on your own journey that lies in the future of your Greek Letter Society of choice. It will be worth it at the end of the tunnel.

Best Regards,

Boodleboy322
Phi Mu Alpha
Gamma Theta Alumnus
Delta Omega Class of 99

I think HS sororities are sorta kids trying to "play pretend". Like how some kids pretended to be the characters from 90210 in like 5th or 6th grade.

Enjoy HS. If you're interested in greek life learn more about it and educate yourself then go for it when the time is appropriate

We had groups like these at my high school. They were part of the YMCA and were Tri-Hi-Ys. We had 4 that had been at my high school since my grandmother went there: Doria, Dorcas, Delma and Delta. We also had ANCHOR. I was in Doria as was my grandmother, and my mom was in Dorcas when she went to the same HS. We actually got HAZED! Haha it's funny looking back on it now...

We would "try out" and we had to make a collage full of pictures of ourselves and go up to a room at the Advisor's house with the entire group staring at us and explain the collage. That was a Sunday afternoon, the next Monday earrrrrrrly in the morning the girls would wake you up if you got in and they gave you a "Birth Announcement" a bib and a rattle (They were nicknamed the Doria Dolls) and told you to wear a white t-shirt and overalls to school. At school we got to miss an entire period of class to get our hair put into pigtails and get freckles and blush circles put on our cheeks and we walked around all day with the Bib and Rattle. We had our matching t-shirts and sweatshirts we would wear on Spirit and Game Days. One year got sweatpants and a sweatshirt that had Doria Dolls on the butt. Ahhhh high school memories...

We did TONS of Community Service and Social Activities with the mens Phi-Hi-Y Digna. Hey it's the South, I can't help it! It is nothing like Sororities in college but it was a cool way to get involved in school.

Came across this org...

http://www.sistersofalphaomega.com/

I'm from California and we had Tri-Hi-Ys here too! I was a member of one in high school. We would have "socials" with the boy groups and did tons of community service. It was such a good time!

It seems like the Y-Clubs are common in Cali, I don't recall if others in my school district has them (only 3 high schools), but they were very popular

Does Alpha Omega only have that one "chapter"? It's on the other side of town from my school!

Anyone hear of the "Senior Ladies"? I have heard about them in a few schools around Houston. My husband, who is from Houston, first told me about them and then I met other girls from other High Schools that were a part of it too.

Arkansas has (had?) Delta Beta Sigma in a couple of high schools, and there was another "sorority" in those high schools as well. I tried Googling DBS, but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. I know a few of my chapter sisters was in DBS, but that was back in the 90's so who knows if they still exist. Apparently DBS is a national organization, because one of my chapter sisters was in the Kappa Rho chapter of DBS.

I don't think you would need to create a sorority...sounds like there are plenty of organizational options out there to fit your needs.

PsychTau

Interesting. There is/was a local at Wilfred Laurier University called Alpha Omega. I believe it is also the name of a national society. I wonder how many Alpha Omega groups there are out there!

When I was in high school, we had a group called STAR (it stood for Standing Together Above The Rest...I think..but everybody had other nicknames for it), and they didnt really do much. That had "jersies" that they wore to school and had parties and such. The big thing was that they hazed their pledges...made them dress strangely, and then to get "initiated" they had to get gooped. They had a really awful reputation and I think they really turned girls off to college sororities.

So..this is my advice. I know you may have good intentions (heck, my friends even tried to start a high school sorority once), but it's really not the best idea. It could even hinder your chances of getting into a college sorority, plus it could damage your reputation. Hope that helps.

the Sisters of Alpha Omega group just looks a lot to me like Rainbow (any other Rainbow girls think so?) Rainbow was a lot like a sorority and I am told that Tau Beta Sigma ritual has a little bit of base in IORG rituals. (And I did notice)

We had a sorority in HS (SAIPrincess was in it... heh) called Psi Sigma Mu. We were the band girls... lol... and the funny thing is, SAIPrincess and I ended up joining a band service sorority in college (Tau Beta Sigma).

Ahh the wonders.

Well, I can see that in the long dresses & such...but Rainbow wasn't terribly exclusive. Judging by the article linked to their site Sisters of Alpha Omega doesn't just let anyone in (not that Rainbow does, but in all my years as a member, I only remember 1 girl not getting in-she was a well-known ho-bag, and she didn't want to join anyway-only petitioned b/c her grandmother made her)....

I agree though-Rainbow was alot like a sorority, only Rainbow did ritual/initiation alot more often!

When I was in High School In Seattle we had High School Fraternities & Sororities. They were actually started up by members of NPHC Frat./Soror. I belonged to a group started by Alpha Phi Alpha Called ABA (All Brothers Allowed) We performed in local step competitons but Community Service was 1st & foremost.

Yes I agree that Rainbow was a lot like a sorority. It way helped prepare me for ritual now. Ritual seems so easy after that. Been doing it since I was 11.

Silly questions: For those IORG members, which state and were you a grand officer? :) just being nosy

Past Worthy Advisory, Duncanville Assembly # 339...Grand Assembly of Texas...I was not a grand officer, though...in my assembly, if you were the friend of a Rainbow Girl, as I was, with no familial Masonic ties, you had no chance of being submitted for appointment (in my assembly we had 1 girl who's Dad was huge in the Texas Grand Lodge-if that's the right term, and several others w/parents/grandparents who were devoted to OES on many levels). I did get to do Grand Choir one year, which back when I was active, was tough to get into b/c only 2 girls per assembly could be in it...there were alot more assemblies back then...*sigh*

That's OK. I still love my Rainbow memories, and hope my daughter will join someday...if for nothing else than to be prepared for sorority life! The memory work alone made it worth the experience (I was great at memorizing stuff for school after Rainbow!).

Wow

I didn't realze that Tri Hi Y-Clubs were so popular across the country.

You learn something new everyday!

Yes, I was a Grand Representative. I'm a PWA of Handley Assembly in Fort Worth, though it has gone dark now. There used to be about 10 assemblies in Fort Worth area, now I think there are 3.

That stinks. I remember when there were tons in the Dallas area too that are now gone (Grand Prairie, DeSoto to name a couple). My first Grand Assembly, the GWA was from Fort Worth Assembly...we FILLED the convention center in Amarillo. Now they have it in smaller places, like Beaumont!

We used to go to the DeMolay dances @ the Fort Worth Masonic Temple...good times....

PWA x2 from Bothell Assembly in Bothell, WA. I am Past Grand Editor 97-98, Past Grand Executive Board Assistant Editor 96-97, and Past Grand Marshal on the Grand Cross of Color Team 99-00 from Washington Idaho.

high school sororities wont work... havent you seen Mean Girls?