Arista is the New York City public school variant name for chapters of the

National Honor Society The National Honor Society (NHS) is one of the oldest, largest, and most widely recognized cocurricular student organizations in American high schools, with 1.4 million members. The purpose of the NHS is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to ...

(NHS). Arista began in 1921 and remained independent and active through the 1980s when nearly all schools converted into NHS chapters to avoid confusion on college applications.Brooklyn Tech Chapter of the National Honor Society 2007 constitution
declaims its earlier variant name of Arista However, some chapters are still active as local honor societies and are not affiliated with the NHS.

History

Arista began in 1921 in New York City public high and junior high schools as a variant of the

(NHS). It remained independent and active through the 1980s when nearly all schools converted into NHS chapters, avoiding confusion on college applications. As of 2018, several New York City high schools have Arista chapters. At least one chapter, upon discovering that they had been following the original Arista constitution and could not practically come into compliance with the NHS charter, chose to drop membership in the National Honor Society and continue as an independent Arista chapter. Aristia also has a junior honor society division that recognizes seventh and eighth-grade students.

Symbols

The name Arista is derived from the Greek god

Aristaeus Aristaeus (; ''Aristaios'') was the mythological culture hero credited with the discovery of many rural useful arts and handicrafts, including bee-keeping; He was the son of the huntress Cyrene and Apollo. ''Aristaeus'' ("the best") was a cu ...

and means "the best" or "most excellent". The common insignia of the Arista chapters was an oval lapel pin, worn vertically and divided diagonally into the colors of the particular school. It is approximately 1/2 inch tall and 1/4 inch wide. Its pillars are scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

Membership

High school students are admitted into Arista for excellence in academics, character, leadership, and service. Membership is open to juniors and seniors who have maintained an 85-grade average for three consecutive academic terms. Potential members must also complete fifty hours of community service. However, membership requirement vary between chapters. Potential members of the junior division must complete ten hours of community service and have served in one leadership position, along with at least an 85-grade average.

Chapters

Following is an incomplete list of Arista chapters.

Notable members

Shirley Chisholm Shirley Anita Chisholm ( ; ; November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional dist ...

, the first black woman to be elected to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...

, music executive and founder of

Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...

Richard Feynman Richard Phillips Feynman (; May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist. He is best known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of t ...

theoretical physicist Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain, and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experi ...

* Lucille Fletcher, dramatist *

David Sholtz David Sholtz (October 6, 1891 – March 21, 1953) was the 26th Governor of Florida. Prior to serving as Governor he would be a state attorney serving Florida's 7th Judicial Circuit Court and previously as a member of the Florida House of Represe ...

, 26th

Governor of Florida The governor of Florida is the head of government of the U.S. state of Florida. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Government of Florida#Executive branch, executive branch of the government of Florida and is the comman ...

Legacy

, a member of Arista during his time at

Erasmus Hall High School Erasmus Hall High School was a four-year public high school located at 899–925 Flatbush Avenue between Church and Snyder Avenues in the Flatbush, Brooklyn, Flatbush neighborhood of the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brookly ...

, repurposed the name as founder of

in 1974.Netglimpse: Clive Davis Biography
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arista - National Honor Society Secondary school honor societies 1921 establishments in New York City Student societies in the United States Public education in New York City Student organizations established in 1921