The Columbus Torah Academy High School Honor Society has been established to recognize the achievements of high school students in the areas of both Scholarship and Spirit.  To create an inclusive honor society that acknowledges the various ways in which students deserve honor, Yakar celebrates student achievement in Scholarship and Spirit separately. In other words, students can apply for membership to Yakar through either Scholarship or Spirit.

Eligibility

• Students may apply for membership after their third semester of high school or any semester thereafter.  New students who transfer to CTA after ninth grade will discuss the appropriate time for application with the Yakar Advisor.

• All members of the Honor Society, whether they have been recognized for Scholarship, or Spirit, are honored equally. 

• All members of the Honor Society are enrolled in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Hebrew, and at least two Judaic Studies courses. (Exception: social studies in 12th grade and Hebrew in 12th grade IF the 12th graders is taking CCP classes)

• Yakar applications, whether for Scholarship or Spirit, must include a completed Confirmation of Character form to be signed by four different CTA teachers.

• Every current teacher of a Yakar applicant will have the opportunity to inform the Yakar Advisor of any disrespectful or dishonorable behaviors, thus making that student ineligible for that semester.  If such an occurrence takes place, the student will be given specific and helpful feedback in order to correct his/her behavior and will be encouraged to re-apply the following semester, after the behavior is corrected.

• Applications will be accepted at the beginning of every semester.

Scholarship -CTA is very proud of its rigorous dual curriculum and wants to honor students who consistently earn high marks through their hard work and dedication to academic achievement.

• Yakar membership through Scholarship requires a minimum combined GPA of 3.7 with neither Judaic Studies GPA nor General Studies GPA below 3.3 with no Failures and no Incompletes. 

• Members of the Honor Society must maintain the minimum GPA required for admission to the Honor Society in order to be members in good standing. 

• Members of the Honor Society through Scholarship must be enrolled in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Hebrew Language, Talmud, Judaic Studies, and Chumash.  

Spirit – CTA is very proud of its students who are contributing both to the spirit within CTA and to the wider Jewish community.  To qualify for Yakar membership through Spirit, the student has taken on significant involvement in various activities and has gone above and beyond expectations.  Within CTA, the student’s involvement has enhanced school spirit and helped to make CTA a more vibrant and positive school.  Outside of CTA, the student has shown a commitment to people in need and/or to Jewish not-for-profit organizations.

• Yakar membership through Sprit requires a minimum combined GPA of 3.0 with no failures and no incompletes.

• Spirit must include experiences both inside CTA as well as outside CTA.  

• Students must turn in a monthly log of their hours with the contact name, address, phone number and email address of the adult who oversees the project.  Any student who embellishes information will not become a Full Member of the Honor Society that semester, or will be removed from the Honor Society.

• Contribution of time should total no less than 30 hours per month.

• Spirit within the CTA Community can include significant and positive membership and/or leadership in:

  • CTA Team Sports

  • Other CTA clubs

  • Contribution of time inside CTA should total no less than 10 hours per month.

• Spirit outside of the CTA Community can include:

  • Regular and consistent acts of chesed in the Jewish community (time spent in meetings does not count toward the 10 hours – they must be “contact hours”)

  • Volunteer work at a non-Jewish agency such as a hospital or MidOhio Food Collective

  • Employment and/or volunteer work in a not-for-profit Jewish agency or synagogue

  • Significant membership and/or leadership in a Jewish youth group or teen minyan (Examples could include preparation for Torah reading or planning a shabbaton. Shabbaton attendance, without some significant leadership contribution would not be counted.)

  • Contribution of time outside of CTA should total no less than 10 hours per month.

The Yakar Commitment 

CTA is distinguished from other fine private schools by its Jewish identity.  Therefore, membership in the CTA Honor Society should be reflected in the very essence of this distinction.  As such, Yakar membership requires the completion of a project devoted to Jewish growth and study.

• Each member of Yakar (whether through Scholarship or Spirit) will choose one Mitzvah.  This mitzvah can be bein adam l’makom or bein adam l’chavero.  The only requirement is that the mitzvah must be applicable for that student.  For example, a student who is not a Kohen cannot choose a mitzvah that is reserved for Kohanim.

• The student will conduct primary research on this mitzvah.  The student will find the original source material in Tanach or in the Talmud for this mitzvah in the original language and understand both its context and its requirements.

• Understanding a mitzvah often requires the aid of medieval commentaries and other later source material.

• The student will make a commitment to trying to fulfill, or better fulfill, this mitzvah and take note of both the challenges and rewards that s/he experiences.

• The student will give a short oral presentation to a panel of faculty and/or CTA parents and be prepared to answer questions.  The presentation must have a source sheet with citations.

• After the successful presentation and written submission, the student can be inducted as a Full Member of Yakar – The Columbus Torah Academy Honor Society.

Yakar Application Process

CTA students who have completed three semesters of high school can apply for Yakar membership.  (Students who transfer to CTA after ninth grade must speak with the Yakar Advisor to determine the right time for application. Decisions will be made on a case by case basis.)

1. All Yakar applicants through Scholarship and Spirit must submit the following in one packet:

   • Yakar Application Cover Sheet, completed and signed

   • At least one typed page on the topic listed on the Application Cover Sheet.

   • Yakar applicants through Spirit must also submit a plan of their hours involved in the activities listed above.  These activities should contribute to the spirit within CTA and the care for others outside of CTA. This should include the contact name, address, phone number and email address of the adult who oversees the project or activity.

2. All Yakar applicants who submit these materials in a timely fashion will meet individually with the Yakar Advisor to determine if the applicant is eligible for membership.

3. If the student is eligible for Yakar, s/he will be accepted as a Pending Member.  Full membership will granted toward the end of the semester to those students who fulfill the Yakar Commitment and remain in good standing.  For students who enter through Scholarship, good standing is defined by those who maintain the minimum GPA, behave in a manner consistent with school policies, and behave in an honorable way to teachers and students.  For those who enter through Spirit, good standing is defined by those who maintain their level of significant activity both inside CTA and outside of CTA, maintain the minimum GPA, behave in a manner consistent with school policies, and behave in an honorable way to teachers and students.  

4. Any student who does not fulfill the Yakar Commitment or does not remain in good standing will not become a full member of the Honor Society that semester. However, that student may re-apply the following semester.  

5. Re-applications, for previous Full Members, require a written statement on the mitzvah they will choose for the new semester.  

6. Re-applications for students who had been Pending Members but not Full Members require a written statement on why they were not able to become a Full Member previously and why they believe they can become a Full Member this semester.  These students must meet with the Yakar Advisor to discuss the plan and to get help in achieving Full Membership.

Yakar Expectations

Membership in Yakar is a privilege, not a right.  Any Yakar member who behaves in a manner unbecoming to CTA, either inside of school or outside of school, may not advance from Pending Member to Full Member during that semester. This process will be determined by the Yakar Advisor on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the CTA Head-of-School and/or Upper School Principal.