Back to the Hill | Fayetteville
When August arrives in Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas and the...
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Editor’s Note: We are excited to feature a student guest writer, Jenah Ramsey from West Side School District.
With over 45 competitions available, Beta members have several ways to showcase their talents and creativity and step out of their comfort zones. These competitions include academics, visual and performing arts, S.T.E.M., and leadership and club events. While every state has Beta Clubs, only 18 states hold a state convention, and Arkansas is proud to be one of them!
Each year, a National Beta Convention is held where thousands of members from around the country come to compete and celebrate one another’s achievements. Last year’s convention was held in Music City – Nashville, Tennessee. Beta members stayed at the Gaylord Hotel and visited the Grand Ole Opry for an unforgettable Beta night, with Lauren Alaina, Riders in the Sky, and several more providing entertainment. In the past, Beta Night has been held at places such as Universal Studios in Florida.
West Side High School, located in Greers Ferry, was one of the many Beta chapters representing Arkansas at Beta Nationals. In the West Side club’s second year, members set out to reach new achievements. Through countless hours, new memories, and a few delirious conversations, 29 students represented West Side at the state level. Four students placed in the top five across five categories: 10th Grade Psychology, Division I Speech, 10th Grade Agriscience, Quilling, and Division II Creative Writing. This year, a student became the new Arkansas Beta Vice President for the upcoming year and was the first club member from West Side in twenty years to run for a National Office. West Side also sent eight other students to compete.
Competing at Beta state and nationals is an amazing adventure. It not only gives Beta members numerous opportunities and challenges them to test their capabilities, but also allows them to meet people from all over the country. It isn’t like anything I have ever experienced before. It has inspired me to try new competitions, like poetry, in which I previously placed in the top 10, as well as quilling.
What is Quilling?
Quilling is a very tedious and intricate art form. It requires rolling and shaping small pieces of paper with glue and attaching them to a base. Although it seems relatively simple, it is physically demanding. My artwork took over 35 hours of paper cuts, sore hands, and many TV shows for me to complete.
When I first started my quilling piece, I had no idea what I was tackling. I simply wanted to connect Arkansas to Beta. But once I began, I fell in love with our state. Not only did I create a project I adored, but I also learned more about achievement, character, leadership, and service, and how Arkansas perfectly embodies those Beta pillars. This undertaking quickly became a learning experience for me, one that taught me about Arkansas’s rich history and the reason behind its nickname – the Natural State.
Quilling for Beta Nationals
Woven throughout the artwork are small pieces of our state, a tribute to Arkansas’s natural beauty. The first letter, B, showcases a pine tree, a symbol of Arkansas’s rich timberland, as well as a mountain that captures the essence of the rolling Ozark Mountains. Also included is the Diana Fritillary, Arkansas’s state butterfly, and a diamond, as Arkansas is the only state with a diamond mine. The letter itself represents achievement, something that Arkansas can pride itself on.
The letter E represents character. Of all the letters, this one is my favorite. It showcases the natural state radiantly, featuring the apple blossom, noting Arkansas’s rich history as an apple-producing state.
The letter T showcases a striking eagle that embodies freedom, another huge part of Arkansas. The four yellow stars to the left of the eagle represent the stars on the state flag. Each star strategically represents the four nations that have held sovereignty over Arkansas throughout its history.
The final letter, A, which finishes the word BETA, represents service; the fourth and final pillar. The letter highlights a crucial state helper, honeybees, Arkansas’s state insect and an excellent representation of service. The state boundary surrounds each small part of this wonderful state, recognizing that what each letter contains can be found within Arkansas.
This project not only challenged me and made me truly appreciate the Natural State, but it also earned me a national top-ten finish for Beta. Being able to take a piece of my state with me to Beta Nationals was incredibly fulfilling and allowed me to share my background with others. I was given a voice, and with it I shared one of my favorite things: my home state.
West Side High School’s Beta Club will see you next year at the Beta National Convention in Fort Worth, Texas!
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