Whether we like it or not, honor cords have become a huge part of graduation. They’ve become a sign of status, signifying who is ‘more accomplished.’ It’s always a competition to see who can have the most honor cords… but at what cost? Every year, we see and hear about more and more people getting onto Amazon and buying all the honor cords they could dream about, and parading them around graduation as if they deserve it. This undermines everything an HONOR cord stands for. However, there is one Eureka honor cord that sparks major debate: the science honor cord.

To earn a science honor cord, one has to take seven semesters of science, at least one AP course, and have no more than two unweighted B’s. Pretty standard, but biology, chemistry and physics are also required. Why?

“We [district science teachers] feel that biology, chemistry and physics truly represent science as a whole and to earn an honor cord a student should represent an understanding of each area,” Matthew Strickland, science department chair, said.

I understand the reasoning behind these requirements; however, I also understand the frustration many Eureka students feel that physics is a requirement.

“It’s annoying because I’ve gone all the way up to QUAL, which is like the chemistry path within our science department. So I went from biology, to chemistry, to AP Chemistry and then to QUAL, and I can’t get an honor cord for that,” Natalie Calcaterra, 12, said.

At Eureka, we are fortunate to have so many different classes available to us, specifically within the science department. For example, if a student is really into chemistry and wants to study chemistry in college, why would they take physics instead of chemistry classes? Furthermore, if this student takes all of these challenging science classes, why shouldn’t they receive an honor cord, recognizing them for going above and beyond?

“I want to major in chemistry, that is my career path, so physics didn’t pertain to me. So I didn’t feel like I needed to take that class,” Calcaterra said.

It almost seems that the science department places a higher value on certain science classes. If someone is interested in pursuing a certain path, it only makes sense for them to take all the classes available, but in exchange, you forfeit an honor cord in the subject you love the most.

Honor cords have become increasingly popular and important, but what does the honor in honor cord actually stand for? Does it stand for academic honor? Or rather to honor a commitment?

To many students, the honor cord symbolizes above and beyond academic achievement. However, to some, honor cords also symbolize going above and beyond with their commitment to an area.

“Every year at the [Golden Line] banquet, the seniors’ moms give them a little gift and an honor cord,” Golden Line Captain Rylee Beeman, 12, said. So why is a sports activity receiving honor cords, and where is the academic honor? “[The honor cords are] more of our mom’s recognizing us because of how much we put into the school. We go to every home football game, we’re going to almost every home basketball game, we’re doing the pep rally, we do Mr. EHS and we do Golden Guys. So I think the honor cords are a way for our moms to be like, ‘here, we see you, you deserve this,’” Beeman said.

So to some, just like they are viewed academically, honor cords represent a sign of dedication and going above and beyond in a sport. But wait? Isn’t that what a varsity letter is for?

“Letterman jackets are not really as big as they used to be. And normally that was like a sign of oh, look at how far you’ve made it. Look how far you’ve progressed, you get your letter, you get your bands, and like yes, some sports still do that. But it’s not that many,” Beeman said.

Calcaterra, a four-year varsity track athlete, agrees.

“With my letters, they literally sit on my desk at home. So what’s the point of that? But with an honor cord, you can show that you committed to a sport,” Calcaterra said.

This raises a pretty good point. Our culture has shifted away from the letterman jackets and towards honor cords. That is not to say the school should take away the varsity letters, but really, how many people do you know that wear a letterman jacket? Letterman’s are meant to be a sign of pride and accomplishment, but now more times than not, a letter will probably just sit in a drawer. So, could honor cords be a new way of honoring people?

“With the criteria for [the sports honor cords], I feel like it would be you commit- ted to it for four years. And then you also could do more than just the sport, like if there were more criteria than just doing a sport,” Calcaterra said.

Eureka has a lot to think about when it comes to honor cords, how to change requirements to make them more fair and how to possibly incorporate them into sports, but one thing remains the same. Honor cords should be earned, not bought.