Underclassmen Recognitions
Academic Awards
Senior Recognitions
3.0 GPA or higher: gold tassel
Board of Education's Advanced Mathematics & Technology Seal
The Board of Education's Advanced Mathematics & Technology Seal is awarded to students who earn either a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all of the mathematics requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma (four units of credit including Algebra II; two verified units of credit) with a "B" average or better; and either
Advanced Studies Diploma: Seal
Beta: black and gold cord
Board of Education Seal
The Board of Education Seal is awarded to students who complete the requirements for a Standard Diploma or Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of "A" beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2006-2007 and beyond.
Board of Education's Career & Technical Education Seal (maroon cord)
The Board of Education's Career & Technical Education Seal is awarded to students who:
Board of Education’s Diploma Seal for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
The Board of Education’s STEM Seal shall be awarded to students who earn either a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all Math and Science requirements for the Advanced Studies diploma with a “B” average or better in all course work, and
Early College Scholars Graduates: Blue and Silver Cords
EARLY COLLEGE SCHOLARS
The Early College Scholars program encourages eligible high school students to earn 15 hours of transferable college credits while completing the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma.
To qualify students must
• Have a “B” average or higher.
• Be on track for an Advanced Studies Diploma.
• Take and complete courses that result in at least 15 transferable college credits hours.
• Sign an Early College Scholars agreement.
Board of Education's Excellence in Civics Education Seal
The Board of Education's Excellence in Civics Education Seal is awarded to students who meet each of the following four criteria:
Board of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy
The Board of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to students who earn a Board of Education-approved diploma and:
Board of Education’s Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment
The Board of Education’s Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment is awarded to students who enter the ninth grade for the first time in the 2018-2019 year and thereafter, and meet each of the following criteria:
Criminal Justice: Black and Royal Blue Cord
FCCLA: Red and White Cord
Governor's Seal
The Governor's Seal is awarded to students who complete the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of "B" or better, and successfully complete college-level coursework that will earn the student at least nine transferable college credits in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, or dual enrollment courses.
Governor's School: CBGS (cords and seal), CGS (medal and seal)
James Farmer's Scholars: Black and Purple Cord
JROTC: Black Cord
Mu Alpha Theta: Light Blue and Gold Cord
National Honor Society
Cum Laude: medal
Magna Cum Laude: medal
Summa Cum Laude: medal
Academic Awards
- Students with a cumulative GPA of a 3.75 or higher are recognized each year during the Academic Awards Ceremony
Senior Recognitions
3.0 GPA or higher: gold tassel
- Final Cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher.
Board of Education's Advanced Mathematics & Technology Seal
The Board of Education's Advanced Mathematics & Technology Seal is awarded to students who earn either a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all of the mathematics requirements for the Advanced Studies Diploma (four units of credit including Algebra II; two verified units of credit) with a "B" average or better; and either
- pass an examination in a career and technical education field that confers certification from a recognized industry, or trade or professional association
- OR acquire a professional license in a career and technical education field from the Commonwealth of Virginia
- OR pass an examination approved by the board that confers college-level credit in a technology or computer science area.
Advanced Studies Diploma: Seal
- See graduation requirements tab for current requirements
Beta: black and gold cord
- Member in good standing of the BETA organization for academic achievement and community service.
Board of Education Seal
The Board of Education Seal is awarded to students who complete the requirements for a Standard Diploma or Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of "A" beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2006-2007 and beyond.
Board of Education's Career & Technical Education Seal (maroon cord)
The Board of Education's Career & Technical Education Seal is awarded to students who:
- earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and complete a prescribed sequence of courses in a career and technical education concentration or specialization that they choose and maintain a "B" or better average in those courses
- OR pass an examination or an occupational competency assessment in a career and technical education concentration or specialization that confers certification or occupational competency credential from a recognized industry, trade or professional association
- OR acquire a professional license in that career and technical education field from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Board of Education’s Diploma Seal for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
The Board of Education’s STEM Seal shall be awarded to students who earn either a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all Math and Science requirements for the Advanced Studies diploma with a “B” average or better in all course work, and
- successfully complete a 50 hour or more work-based learning opportunity in a STEM area, and
- satisfy all requirements for a Career and Technical Education concentration. A concentration is a coherent sequence of two or more state-approved courses as identified in the course listing within the CTE Administrative Planning Guide, and
- pass one of the following:
- a Board of Education CTE STEM-H credential examination, or
- an examination approved by the Board that confers a college-level credit in a STEM field.
Early College Scholars Graduates: Blue and Silver Cords
EARLY COLLEGE SCHOLARS
The Early College Scholars program encourages eligible high school students to earn 15 hours of transferable college credits while completing the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma.
To qualify students must
• Have a “B” average or higher.
• Be on track for an Advanced Studies Diploma.
• Take and complete courses that result in at least 15 transferable college credits hours.
• Sign an Early College Scholars agreement.
Board of Education's Excellence in Civics Education Seal
The Board of Education's Excellence in Civics Education Seal is awarded to students who meet each of the following four criteria:
- Satisfy the requirement to earn a Modified Standard Diploma, a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma
- Complete Virginia & United States History and Virginia & United States Government courses with a grade of "B" or higher
- Complete 50 hours of voluntary participation in community service or extracurricular activities, such as volunteering for a charitable or religious organization that provides services to the poor, sick or less fortunate; participating in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or similar youth organizations; participating in Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC); participating in political campaigns, government internships, Boys State, Girls State or Model General Assembly; and participating in school-sponsored extracurricular activities that have a civics focus. Any student who enlists in the United States military prior to graduation will be deemed to have met this community service requirement.
- Have good attendance and no disciplinary infractions as determined by local school board policies.
Board of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy
The Board of Education’s Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to students who earn a Board of Education-approved diploma and:
- Pass all required End-of-Course Assessments in English reading and writing at the proficient or higher level
- Demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate-mid level or higher in one or more languages other than English as demonstrated through an assessment from a list approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. American Sign Language qualifies as a language other than English.
Board of Education’s Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment
The Board of Education’s Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment is awarded to students who enter the ninth grade for the first time in the 2018-2019 year and thereafter, and meet each of the following criteria:
- Earn either a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma
- Complete at least three different first-level board-approved laboratory science courses and at least one rigorous advanced-level or postsecondary-level laboratory science course, each with a grade of “B” or higher
- Complete laboratory or field-science research and present that research in a formal, juried setting
- Complete at least 50 hours of voluntary participation in community service or extracurricular activities that involve the application of science such as environmental monitoring, protection, management, or restoration.
Criminal Justice: Black and Royal Blue Cord
- 2.5 GPA or higher and 24 hours of community service
FCCLA: Red and White Cord
- Member in good standing of the FCCLA organization for Family and Consumer Science.
Governor's Seal
The Governor's Seal is awarded to students who complete the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of "B" or better, and successfully complete college-level coursework that will earn the student at least nine transferable college credits in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, or dual enrollment courses.
Governor's School: CBGS (cords and seal), CGS (medal and seal)
- Completion of the Governor’s School program as indicated by program representatives.
James Farmer's Scholars: Black and Purple Cord
- Inducted member in good standing of the James Farmer’s Scholars organization for high-achieving African American students.
JROTC: Black Cord
- Completion of the JROTC program as indicated by instructors.
Mu Alpha Theta: Light Blue and Gold Cord
- Inducted member in good standing within Mu Alpha Theta
National Honor Society
- Inducted member in good standing of the National Honor Society.
Cum Laude: medal
- Final cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher.
Magna Cum Laude: medal
- Final cumulative GPA of 4.0 or higher.
Summa Cum Laude: medal
- Final cumulative GPA of 4.25 or higher.