February 4, 2012304 East Park Avenue • Port Angeles, WA 98362 • (360) 452-7602 • FAX (360) 452-0256

Honors Programs

The honors programs offer an opportunity for students to take advanced classes on the campus at Port Angeles High School. The objective in granting honors and awards to students is to stimulate a desire for excellence in school work. Students must complete a written application available in the Guidance Center to be eligible for honors. The applications are due by May 1.

Academic Honors
Academic Honors will be granted to all students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above and who have followed the program specified below:

1. A total of 22.5 credits are required for graduation with Academic Honors.

2. Twelve credits must come from designated courses in the five basic academic fields of English, mathematics, science, social studies and foreign language, with a minimum of two credits coming from each field. Designated courses will not include courses which have an honors alternative except U.S. History, Algebra 3-4 (Trigonometry) and Math Analysis. A minimum of eight credits from designated courses must be taken during the junior and senior year.

Selection of Academic Honors will be based on completion of the first semester of the senior year. Once Academic Honors are announced students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 through the second semester of the senior year.

Students who have earned Academic Honors will receive them at the graduation exercises.

Courses eligible for academic honors are designated with a double asterisk on the last two pages of the Program of Studies.

Department Honors
Selection of department honors will be based upon completion of first-semester senior year grades. Once department honors are announced, the candidates must complete their second semester classes with the same quality established throughout their high school transcript.

Seniors wanting department honors must fill out an application available in the Guidance Center.

Art Honors: Students receiving art honors at graduation must have completed the following: 1) Submit a formal application for art honors to the art department instructors the first triad of their senior year. 2) Complete the following courses with a 3.5 grade point average or higher: Drawing and Design I-II, Painting or Watercolors, Sculpture, Printmaking, Pottery or Stained Glass, Lettering & Poster making, Computer Art & Graphics or Advertising Design. 3) Have a public one-person show of the best of their high school art work (may be from any of his/her high school work).

Business Honors: All graduating business students who have earned a minimum of 4 credits in business/ marketing are eligible for this department honor at graduation. One of these 4 credits must be in Accounting. All business/marketing classes taught at this high school as well as Diversified Occupations, Using Computers, and those business/marketing classes that have been articulated with the college, will be counted to make the minimum 3.5 grade average. No work experience credits will be used in this computation. Seniors wanting this department honor must fill out a request available at the guidance office and turned into the business/marketing department head no later than May 1 each year.

Music Honors: All graduating seniors who have earned 4 credits or more in the music education field of study with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher will receive department honors at graduation. The student has to be a member of a large ensemble during their senior year, complete an approved senior project, and must have participated in one of the following: select ensemble (Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, or Vocal Unlimited for a minimum of one year); crossover group (i.e. choir/band, band/orchestra, orchestra/choir, etc.) one year minimum; or selected for performance at All-State, All-Northwest, and/or State Solo.

Physical Education Honors with Dance Emphasis: To receive P.E. Honors, students must 1) submit application December 1, 2) maintain a 3.5 GPA in P.E./Dance classes, 3) complete 4 years of P.E./Dance. A student must complete a special project that: 1) Must be approved by Dance Instructor and P.E. Department Chair. 2.) Must be completed by May 1. 3.) Must have a written evaluation by the student of the project which will include recommendations for future uses, submitted by May 1.

The student must have a recommendation from the Dance Instructor and P.E. Department Chair.

Science Honors: To receive science honors the student will have completed at least 4 credits of science with no grade lower than an A-.

Trade and Industry Honors: All graduating seniors who have earned 4 credits or more in a trade and industry program of study with a grade point average of 3.3 or higher will receive department honors at graduation. The individual student must include in his 4 credits a two- semester approved trade and industry course of study. The remaining credits will be drawn from industrial arts, trade and technical classes. Honors will be granted in special cases by a unanimous vote of department members.

World Language Honors: To receive World Language honors the student will have completed at least 4 credits of one world language with no grade lower than an A-.