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Student Organizations

Student Organizations

Get involved in your Middle School community.

At The Villages Chater Middle School (VCMS), extra-curricular clubs and organizations provide our students opportunities to connect with the community and one another. Learn more about VCMS clubs below.

Student Council

Student Council is a great way to get involved with campus events. Council members help plan a variety of fun events throughout the year that bring us together and create memories. 7^th and 8^th grade students are eligible to run for election at the beginning of each school year. More information is provided during the morning announcements.

We’re looking forward to a great school year filled with lots of fun events!

2024-25 VCMS @ Buffalo Ridge Officers:

7th Grade:
President – Hunter Rose
Vice President – Tanya Nguyen
Secretary – Peyton Holley
Treasurer – Jae’nel Sesler
Student Body Liaison – Nyana Yenque

8th Grade:
President – Maci Evans
Vice President – Ronnie Syme
Secretary – Mickey Lewis
Treasurer – Stella Cruz
Student Body Liaison – Chloe Slem

2024-25 VCMS @ Middleton Officers:

7th Grade:
President – Addyson Haase
Vice President – Alexander Roca
Secretary – Sydney Dees
Treasurer – Caroline Wolgamott
Student Body Liaison – Olivia Armstrong

8th Grade:
President – Khloe Allen
Vice President – Norah Oni
Secretary – Chloe Mills
Treasurer – Abbie Byrne
Student Body Liaison – Trase Traylor

Contact Us

Please email your Student Council sponsor if you have any questions:

Coach

Keelle

Zisa

6th Grade
PE

VCMS @ Buffalo Ridge

keelle.zisa@tvcs.org

Mrs.

Michelle

Rees

8th Grade
Computers & Careers

VCMS @ Middleton

michelle.rees@tvcs.org

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)

The Sharon Morse Chapter of The Villages Charter Middle School National Junior Honor Society

The National Junior Honor Society is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle level students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS honors students who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1929.

Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in official Honor Society activities. NHS and NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.

History

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) officially established NJHS in 1929, eight years after it founded National Honor Society for high school students. Under Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of the Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, the organization grew from the original Alpha Chapter at the Fifth Avenue School to over 1,000 chapters by 1930. Equipped with a constitution, an emblem and motto, and a group of dedicated principals as coordinators, the new NJHS organization quickly developed into one of the country’s leading educational groups.

Five main purposes have guided chapters of NJHS from the beginning: to create enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership; to encourage responsible citizenship; and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.

Parent and Sister Organizations

For additional information about NASSP and the additional student programs sponsored by the association, please visit www.nassp.org, www.nhs.us, www.nehs.org, and www.nasc.us.

New Students and Parents Interested in NJHS

Eligibility will be determined at the end of each school year using current 6th and 7th grade student GPA (3.8 or higher), conduct status, administration and teacher insight and the final Faculty council decisions. Students who qualify will receive an application/information packet in June. Students must complete the application, community service requirements, and recommendation forms to be eligible for consideration.

Current NJHS members must earn a 3.8 GPA to maintain status as a member in good standing; however, no application is required to remain in NJHS. Current NJHS members are still expected to complete service hours.

Students completing the application process also need to get 3 teacher recommendations. You can use this link to send to your teachers to get these recommendations. Google Forms Link for References:

To New Students and Parents of VCMS Students who were in NJHS in a previous school:

If a student was in NJHS in their previous school and would like to continue to be in NJHS at VCMS, a member transfer letter or email from the previous school’s NJHS Advisor is required. Eligibility requirements, as stated in our NJHS by-laws, must be maintained in order to stay a member in good standing.

Contact Us

Mr.

Kenneth

Hoffman

8th Grade
Social Studies

VCMS @ Buffalo Ridge

kenneth.hoffmann@tvcs.org

Mrs.

Sharis

Kirkland

7th - 8th Grade
ESE

VCMS @ Middleton

sharis.kirkland@tvcs.org

Clubs

Builders Club

VCMS @ Middleton is excited to begin Builders Club. Builders Club is an international service organization that offers learning and leadership opportunities at the local level. Its connection to Kiwanis International and other Kiwanis youth programs also allows members to collaborate with an inter-generational audience to achieve their goals. Each Builders Club is sponsored by a local Kiwanis club and has access to educational programs and resources provided through Kiwanis International. Kiwanis members are dedicated to serving the children of the world. Each Builders Club is assigned a Kiwanis member as an advisor to support and collaborate with their faculty advisor. All Kiwanians receive background checks and regular youth protection training. Our Builders Club specifically works with local animal shelters to provide food and supplies to help offset the
growing need for donated items by sponsoring a pet food & needs drive. We also provide support through homemade greeting cards for our local veterans and nursing home members to help let them know we care. We try very hard to encourage empathy for others in our projects supporting our community. Studies show that service and volunteerism boost happiness. And they’re a key ingredient in building character. Student leadership helps young people develop social-emotional skills, which are essential for success in adult life. With service in local and school communities, Builders Club can do wonders to help middle school students engage with the world around them.

Debate Club

Students in the debate club gather to participate in competitive discussions designed to help them develop critical thinking skills, gain comfort with public speaking, and understand the power of persuasion. Students also work together to train for debate competitions.

Future Farmers of America (FFA)

The FFA is an inter-curricular club that focuses on making a difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The FFA offers many opportunities for students to engage
in before, during, and after school. Students can show animals at the Sumter County Fair, compete in a career development event (horse evaluation, aquaculture, forestry), participate in a leadership development team (public speaking, parliamentary procedure),
or work together to give back to the community with a service learning project. Students must be enrolled in an agriculture education class to be an FFA member, for more information please contact the agricultural science teacher at your campus.

Interact Club

Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting.

Club membership varies greatly. Clubs can be single gender or mixed, large or small. They can draw from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools in the same community.

Each year, Interact clubs complete at least two community service projects, one of which furthers international understanding and goodwill. Through these efforts, Interactors develop a network of friendships with local and overseas clubs and learn the importance of

Developing leadership skills and personal integrity
Demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others
Understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work
Advancing international understanding and goodwill

As one of the most significant and fastest-growing programs of Rotary service, with more than 14,911 clubs in 145 countries and geographical areas, Interact has become a worldwide phenomenon. Almost 342,953 young people are involved in Interact.

Students can join the Interact Club at any time!

Science Olympiad

We are excited to be in our second year of Science Olympiad at VCMS @ Buffalo Ridge and its first year at VCMS @ Middleton. Science Olympiad is designed to increase a student’s interest in STEM fields and provide recognition for outstanding achievement in team events. Like the Olympics, Science Olympiad allows students to compete but in STEM related events rooted in mathematics, physics, chemistry, Earth and space science, biology, and engineering. The regional competition is usually held in mid to late February and teams that qualify will compete at the University of Florida for the state competition which is usually held in early April. At this point of the program, the teams are created from teacher recommendations.