Click here for pictures of the April 21, 2005 Ceremony.
Click here for pictures of the April 14, 2006 Ceremony
Click here for pictures of the March 29, 2007 Ceremony
Click here for pictures of the March 21, 2008 Ceremony
The entire senior class is invited every year to attend a special awards ceremony called Baron's Hall. Among the seniors, there are some students who are asked to dress nicely for the occasion. They come down to Baron's Hall with anticipation and excitement due to the fact that they have been strongly recommended to "dress appropriately" on a regular school day, which obviously strikes them as odd. These students, their parents, and the entire senior class gather for the annual Baron's Hall awards ceremony.
Baron's Hall is a tradition that was established in 1962 at Briarcliff High School and was maintained when Briarcliff High School merged with
Druid Hills High School. This traditional ceremony is held for the purpose of honoring seniors who have excelled in the areas of athletics, leadership, service, the arts, academics, and foreign languages. The National Beta Club of Druid Hills sponsors baron's Hall. It is the most important event for the club because of the time and effort that is invested in this event. Seniors who wish to be considered for these awards apply by February 21st. Three anonymous judges then judge their applications.
Judges for Baron’s Hall use a tally sheet to determine the awards. The judges give one tally mark for every year that a student participated in an activity. (Example: Football = 1 tally mark in the designated box). If a student has achieved letters/bars or has had a leadership position, one point is appointed for each. (Example: Captain of football = 1 tally mark, a letter and 2 bars in Cross Country = 3 tally marks). The tally sheet is arranged by category; by the end, it is obvious which seniors deserve awards. Four to eight seniors are chosen per category.
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The Order of the Gauntlet: Award to seniors who show outstanding ability in athletics. These seniors are major assets in the athletics program.
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The Order of Gavel Awarded to the seniors who have exhibited leadership during their time at Druid Hills. They hold prominent leadership positions in various clubs and organizations.
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The Order of the Heart Award to the seniors who have volunteered their time and effort to the community. This order recognizes the exceptional services these students have given to the school and community.
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Humanities: Awarded to the seniors who excel in one or more areas
of art, drama, music, or literature. They are frequently rewarded for
their accomplishments by teachers, peers, and organizations.
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The Order of the Lamp: Awarded to the seniors who exceed
academic expectations. These seniors are in academic clubs and are at the
top of their class.
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The Order of the Lingua: Awarded to the seniors who are honored for their accomplishments in the knowledge of foreign languages.
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One senior is chosen as the "Baron of Druid Hills". This is the most prestigious award. The "Baron" is awarded to one well-rounded senior whom the judges feel represents all six categories. In narrowing down the candidates for the Baron, the judges look at the total points earned, the quality of the activities listed on the application, and the character of the applicant. The point totals in the individual categories are looked at as well. Typically, the Baron will have qualified for awards in two or three areas and will have a good representation of points in the other areas as well. Judges are instructed to look for quality over quantity.
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