Beta Club and Junior Beta Club
When MSB 2011 graduate Ellaun Williams was a senior he was elected national Beta president at the club's annual convention in July, 2010, in Louisville, KY, despite having only three classmates in the audience of more than 3,200 club members from across the country. Less than 10 percent were from Missouri. His Beta Club presidential duties include planning next year’s national convention, visiting state conventions across the country and giving keynote speeches to members. Ellaun's theme is the importance of perseverance in order to overcome seemingly impossible odds and achieve success, a trait he has demonstrated throughout his own life.
An all-around student, Williams supplements his studies at MSB with wrestling, track and field, swimming, goalball and forensics. But it’s not all hard work for him - he found time to get elected King of the Junior-Senior Prom last April. He plans to graduate from MSB in June of 2011 and intends to pursue a career in the business end of the music industry. Ellaun is the son of Darlene and Carlos Pittman of Florissant. He has attended Missouri School for the Blind since he was eight years old.
MSB is the only school for the blind in the United States that has an active Beta Club. Club sponsor is social studies teacher Shaughn Doyel.
The National Beta Club is an organization for fifth-12th graders that recognizes academic achievement, leadership, character and service. There are nearly 370,000 active Betas in the Senior and Junior divisions and over four million alumni. The club's motto is "Let Us Lead By Serving Others." Beta is an academic honors program with a strong emphasis on community service. Traditionally, students are awarded membership based on their GPA and character traits. Each individual school chooses what items they will look at for their chapter's member qualifications.
The Junior Division of The National Beta Club, for students in fifth-ninth grades, was formed in 1961. The Senior Division of Beta is for 9th-12th graders. Some famous former Betas include U.S. President Bill Clinton, Miss America 2000 Heather French, Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller, anchorwoman Diane Sawyer, Heisman Trophy recipient Herschel Walker, and country superstar Trisha Yearwood.
2011-2012 Schedule: Missouri Junior Beta Club Convention, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2012
Missouri Senior Beta Club Convention, March 8-10, 2012