SHF Celebrates Members and Mardi Gras with Induction Ceremony

Hibah Ahmed, Marketing Director| March 7, 2023

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  • Riya Patil plays a classical French piece before the ceremony begins. Samera Zhang performed aside Patil, on the piano.

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  • Kavya Ray cleans up after the ceremony. Ray, along with other SHF members , volunteered in advance to help officers throughout the night.

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  • Rika Chang and Ayush Mende stand at the entrance to welcome inductees and their families. The pair handed out beaded necklaces to incoming guests in celebration of Mardi Gras.

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  • Nicole Frazier reviews her speech for the induction ceremony. Frazier’s speech welcomed the new members and their families into the SHF community.

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Coinciding with the timing of Mardi Gras, the National French Honor Society (Société Honoraire de Français, or SHF) hosted their annual induction ceremony for incoming members on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

“Our local high school chapter provides opportunities to focus activities around French language and francophone culture,” SHF sponsor Madame Anne Macharia said. “We are very proud of our inductees and look forward to their contributions to la Société Honoraire de Français. Félicitations!”

The ceremony was a community effort, as current members and officers came together to help decorate and welcome guests to the ceremony. Members brought King’s cake, traditional dessert for Mardi Gras, along with other french delicacies for inductees to enjoy after the ceremony.

“We created lists of what we needed for the Induction Ceremony and then planned to use volunteers from SHF to help set up,” SHF Parliamentarian Akhila Rajesh ‘23 said. “It felt good to know we were bringing in new members who will carry on the French activities at [Westwood].” 

The ceremony was prefaced by musical performances by SHF members Samera Zhang ‘23 and Riya Patil ‘24, before Mme Macharia welcomed the inductees and their families in an introductory speech. Following a brief speech in both French and English by SHF president Nicole Frazier ‘23, SHF secretary Amali Oakley ‘23 took the podium to announce the names of the inductees, signaling them to join Mme Macharia and receive their certificates. Inductees were photographed beside Mme. Macharia and offered a candle before lining up on stage. 

“I think the ceremony went really well,” Oakley said. ”And I can’t wait to see where [SHF] goes in the future.”

After each inductee made it on stage, Frazier led them in the customary SHF pledge, officially assimilating them into the organization. Then, all at once, the members blew out their candles to seal the pledge. Afterwards, inductees joined their families off stage and participated in the Mardi Gras feast. 

“I’m excited for the volunteer opportunities that SHF offers,” SHF inductee Sabrina Kim ‘25 said. “I’m also ready to meet new people, not just those in my French class, and make connections with people who love the language as much as me.”