The initial year for the Psi Alpha High School National Honor Society in Psychology has been one of positive growth and excitement. Psi Alpha, launched in the spring of 2018, has over 30 chapters (as of August 2019) across the country with significant interest from many. Psi Alpha also chartered their first international high school, Colegio Roosevelt-The American School of Lima, in Peru in July 2019. The first year has met with surprising success, and goals for the coming year are to build on the solid foundation and to continue to grow. Growing numbers, however, is not the primary objective moving forward. The ability to provide services, resources, connections and make psychology come alive for high school psychology teachers and their students certainly top the list. Significant resources are being developed along with networks for high school psychology teachers to seamlessly tap into. On the national level, Psi Alpha is working hard to form working relationships with other psychology honor societies (Psi Beta and Psi Chi) as well as national organizations such as APA, APS, STP, TOPSS and others. A guiding tenet of Psi Alpha is to foster early interest in psychology as a science in the high schools and then be able to support and enhance this interest as students continue their academic studies.
Psi Alpha began with a national council comprised of early advisors as well as those interested in enhancing the high school psychology experience for teachers and students. Many of the initial members of the national council remain in place. Of important news is the confirmation of the first Psi Alpha National Council president, Traci McKinney, of Lake Nona High School in Orlando, Florida. Psi Alpha’s first national council president-elect is Emily Checketts of Roy High School in Syracuse, Utah. Both Traci and Emily have been highly involved since the beginning and have been tremendous assets with their energy and attentiveness. Congratulations to both. Current council members and their contact information are:
- Midwest Regional VP — Heather Chambers
- Eastern Regional VP — John Mohl
- Western/Rocky Mountain Regional VP — Emily Checketts
- Southeastern Regional VP — Traci McKinney
- Southwestern Regional VP — open as of Aug. 1, 2019
The council is supported by the administrative staff and liaisons as follows:
- Executive Director — Bryan Gerber
- Administrative Assistant — Elizabeth Shabazian
- Special Advisor — Jerry Rudmann
- Psi Chi Liaison — John Edlund
- Psi Beta Liaison — TBD
The APA Committee on Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) discussed the idea of forming a national high school psychology honor society for over a decade. Several years ago, Psi Beta executive director Jerry Rudmann contacted the TOPSS Committee to explore the feasibility of launching Psi Alpha as a program under the auspices of Psi Beta. Ultimately, Psi Alpha grew out of discussions between Psi Beta council members and administrators and Jerry Rudmann, with the assistance of Elizabeth Shabazian, who both deserve much of the credit for the well-developed launch and early success. Psi Alpha remains a program of Psi Beta until it is appropriate and feasible for Psi Alpha to stand on its own. There is no rush for this to occur as the support of Psi Beta has been a tremendous help.
Psi Alpha was pleased to present our first scholarships in July. Park Vista High School in Lake Worth, Florida was the recipient of the Chapter Service Scholarship. The chapter adviser is Lisa Gilbert (with student Samantha Dicker).
Christine Shatrowsky of St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardstown, Maryland received the Outstanding Psychology Student Award. We plan to continue to grow our scholarships, award them annually, and align them with our mission to recognize scholarship, service and research. This final topic, research, is one that remains a priority for Psi Alpha and the executive director. The ability to engage in simple psychological research at the high school psychology level can only further support the recognition of psychology as a science and build enthusiasm and understanding for the discipline. Assisting high school teachers with resources and ideas is a significant priority to make this happen.
As we continue to move forward, Psi Alpha is fortunate to have so many enthusiastic professionals involved. The more the merrier. If you have any ideas, questions, concerns or comments we invite you to contact us. We are ecstatic to be where we are after our first year and want to keep the momentum going. Please visit our websiteopens in new window and let us know what you think.
About the author
Bryan Gerber, PsyD, PhD, is the executive director of Psi Alpha. He spent the first 25 years of his career in applied psychology fields primarily designing, developing and implementing creative alternative programs for adjudicated youth. These programs included Therapeutic Wilderness Programs, Experiential Education Programs and Creative Alternative Programs. Gerber has now served for 15 years as an associate professor of psychology at Stark State College in North Canton, Ohio. He has been an invited speaker at numerous national and regional conferences including APA, MPA, NITOP, NISOD, APS and others. Gerber has also served/serves on community, regional and national boards for a number of organizations. Bryan has served on the Psi Beta National Council for the past six years. His research interests include adult learning principles (andragogy), interpersonal interaction and stress management. He resides in Marlboro Township, Ohio with his wife (Kathryn) where they enjoy landscaping, photography, drag racing and other outdoor activities. The Gerbers have two grown children (Tara and Branyn) and a granddaughter (Alaina).
