photo by: Joselyn King

Wheeling Park High School Principal Meredith Dailer explains to Ohio County Board of Education members the policy for wearing cords, medallions and hoods during graduation ceremonies.

WHEELING — The idea of seniors at Wheeling Park High School achieving Eagle Scout recognition — and not being able to don their cord recognizing the achievement at graduation — has struck a chord with Ohio County Board of Education members.

Gary Weekley, representing Scouting America Troop 6000 in Wheeling, appeared before the board earlier this month to ask why those achieving the Eagle Scout honor aren’t permitted to wear the Eagle Scout cord they receive during graduation ceremonies at WPHS.

This past school year, his daughter Emma became the first female Eagle Scout to graduate from WPHS.

Board president David Croft recounted during this week’s board meeting that Emma Weekley had been disappointed at not having the opportunity to wear the Scouting cord at graduation.

“What I am hoping to do is draft a policy for the board to consider that states if a child has these accomplishments and has multiple cords that they can wear these at graduation,” Croft said. “We have kids that have accomplished things and are asked not to wear (cords designating the accomplishment).

“I don’t want to deny a child the opportunity to walk across the stage reflecting the accomplishments they have made.”

He plans to draft and distribute the policy to board members for consideration prior to their next meeting set for 6 p.m. on Oct. 13.

WPHS Principal Meredith Dailer addressed the board and explained the criteria for students being granted pins and medallions, hoods and stoles, and honors cords to wear during graduation ceremonies.

“It’s important to us that we maintain a traditional graduation… and I think we do a really nice job at that,” Dailer said.

As such, she explained honors recognized during graduation all are connected to classes or activities taking place within WPHS.

“So our students — based on what they have done across their four years at Wheeling Park High School — can wear a variety of medallions and pins (to signify in-school accomplishment). We give those out for the Laude System — that is our honors system,” Dailer explained.

The Laude System (or Latin Honors) is used in high schools to recognize high academic achievement by students. The pins are used to designate distinctions such as Cum Laude (“with praise”), Magna Cum Laude (“with great praise”), and Summa Cum Laude (“with highest praise”).

Students also may wear pins designating their membership in the French or Spanish honor societies, or the National Honor Society, according to Dailer.

In addition, hoods or stoles are issued to students achieving the status of being a WPHS scholar, a member of NHS, a participant in the school’s “Grow Your Own” aspiring teachers program, or having an affiliation with a military branch.

Cords traditionally signify students who are members of the National Art Honor Society, International Thespian Society, National Speech and Debate Association, the Quill and Scroll Society, or who are AP Scholars.

Gold honor cords, meanwhile, are cords specific only to WPHS, Dailer said. They are donned by general honors students and those achieving specific honors in math and science, language arts, social studies, career and technical studies, fine arts and foreign languages.

Students can only wear one gold cord, she explained. They are asked to stand and be recognized during the graduation ceremony for which individual honors they achieved.

“For all of these, not only are students wearing their medallions and pins, hoods and stoles and cords, they are listed in our program at graduation,” Dailer continued. “When families come and pick up that memorable program we still provide to attendees, all of these various honors are listed.”

Board member Andy Garber termed graduation ceremonies “a life event.”

“It is not just that they graduate … they have met goals, and have listed some of the achievements they have done,” he said. “To have a cord that represents the Eagle Scouts — which I think is quite an accomplishment — I think that’s a fair thing to do. … It is not tied to Wheeling Park High School, but it is tied to a life event they achieved (while in high school). I don’t know if this opens the door to other things — it might. But I definitely think it’s an appropriate thing to wear at graduation.”

Member Bernie Albertini suggested permitting cords at graduation could get out of control, and that a list of appropriate activities be compiled to warrant the honor.

“I think it means a lot,” said member Anne Hercules. “Just going to high school in itself is an accomplishment, and to be able to join in on the Eagle Scouts … it would be something to be proud of. Maybe other students might want to join something when they see what someone else has accomplished. I think it’s a good idea.”

Member Molly Aderholt said each year she has parents reach out to her about their child receiving a cord for an accomplishment and not being able to wear it.

“They’re limited in what they can wear, even though they worked very hard at something while they were in high school,” she continued. “We celebrate kids for doing great things.”