Students spend four years waiting for graduation. The time to walk across the stage adorned with the cap, gown, HHS stole, and the many cords or medals one may receive over their time here.
However, for some, this is not the case.
Not that they were not involved in any club, but rather that they are not receiving any cord for that club.
Cords are given to students to recognize their hard work in a club, activity, or sport over the years at Huntley High School and across the country. For students, this recognition is a great addition to the work they have put in; however, joining a club should not be focused on earning an accolade at the end of high school.
“Not getting a cord or medal doesn’t mean too much for me because I didn’t do it for the cord, I did it because I’m doing something that I enjoy,” senior Olivia McDonald said.
McDonald is in seven different clubs at the high school, but is only receiving cords for three of them, along with three medals. She is in the Best Buddies Club, and she is receiving neither for. However, as should be the focus of all students, she is not hurt by this.
Cords are there to serve as recognition for students going above and beyond in fields or activities that they truly enjoy.
“I think it’s a good representation of what I’ve accomplished,” senior Carlie Weishaar said.
Weishaar is receiving recognition for everything she has joined throughout her career; however, she recognizes that these cords serve as a reminder of what she has worked towards. Instead of seeing them as an award, they are something to sum up her career.
This is the initial point of the cords, to recognize a legacy of the students in each club or activity. While some clubs do not get cords, that should not have been the members’ focus in the first place, otherwise, they joined a club for the wrong reasons.
“I didn’t join my clubs for a cord; I did it because I care about the community,” senior Ivie Aschenbrenner said.
Cords are a great addition to the graduation uniform; however, for societies like the National Honor Society or Spanish Honor Society, people need to focus on the purpose of the club instead of awards and recognition. Students are supposed to be helping the community around them while joining these clubs; however, this point has been lost due to the competition around cords.
“Getting cords shouldn’t be a competition to get as many as you can, but rather you receive a cord because you have been doing something throughout your high school career,” McDonald said.
Even though some clubs may not get cords, the hard work put in and the enjoyment of the clubs should be enough of a reward for students.
