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High School Awards

Scholar Diploma Designation

In addition to the standard diploma requirements, the student must meet the following criteria:

  • Earn one credit in Algebra II
  • One credit in statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course,
  • Pass the Geometry EOC assessment with a level 3 or higher,
  • Pass the Biology I EOC assessment with a level 3 or higher or earn a minimum score required to earn college credit on AP, IB,or AICE assessments,
  • Earn one credit in chemistry or physics,
  • Earn one credit in a course equally rigorous to chemistry or physics,
  • Pass the United States History EOC assessment with a level 3 or higher or earn a minimum score required to earn college credit on AP, IB, or AICE assessments,
  • Earn two credits in the same world language, and
  • Earn at least one credit in an AP, IB, AICE, or dual enrollment course

 

Industry Scholar Diploma Designation

In addition to the standard diploma requirements, the student must attain a passing score on one or more industry certifications

Honor Cords

Beginning with students entering 9th grade in 2014-15 and thereafter, Honor Cords shall be issued to those students who graduate with a standard diploma under the following conditions:

  • Honors
    • Graduating students shall be in the top 10% of the entire senior class by rank order established by the District's weighted grade point average. Graduating students who have earned a 3.75 weighted grade point average but who may not be included in the top 10% shall also receive Honors recognition.
  • High Honors
    • Graduating students shall be in the top 5% of the entire senior class by rank order established by the District's weighted grade point average.
  • Highest Honors
    • Graduating students shall be in the top 2% of the entire senior class by rank order established by the District's weighted grade point average.

Silver Cords

Silver cords shall be issued to those students who graduate with a standard diploma and have earned a minimum of 250 documented volunteer service hours beyond the school day.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian

To be selected as valedictorian or salutatorian, a high school senior shall have completed at least the last two full years of high school in any SBBC public school.

Students transferring from one SBBC high school to another in the last 2 semesters (or 4 quarters for block schools) shall not displace, for class ranking purposes, including valedictorian/salutatorian, any other student.

Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy recognizes graduating high school students who have attained a high level of competency in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in one or more languages, in addition to English. The Seal of Biliteracy is differentiated between two levels of competency.

  • Gold – Students need to meet ONE of the following criteria.
    • 4 credits in the SAME Foreign Language (FL) AND 3.00 or higher unweighted gpa in those FL courses AND a level 4 or higher on FSA ELA 10th grade
      • 700 or higher on SAT FL Subject test
      • CLEP test score (63 or higher on Spanish FL test, 59 or higher on French, 60 or higher on German)
      • 5 or higher on IB FL test
      • 4 or higher on AP FL test
      • 4 or higher on AICE FL test
  • Silver – Students need to meet ONE of the following criteria.
    • 4 credits in the SAME Foreign Language (FL) AND 3.0 or higher unweighted gpa in those FL courses
      • 600 or higher on SAT FL Subject test
      • 50 or higher on CLEP FL test
      • 4 or higher on IB FL test
      • 3 or higher on AP FL test
      • 3 or higher on AICE FL test

Seal of Fine Arts

The Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program was established to recognize high school graduates who have met exemplary benchmarks in fine arts coursework by the award of a seal on a standard high school diploma. The purpose of the Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program is to encourage students to develop an exemplary level of proficiency in the performing or visual arts. 

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the Florida Seal of Fine Arts shall be awarded to a high school student who demonstrates the following requirements have been met: 

(a) The student earned a standard high school diploma; 

(b) The student completed at least three (3) year-long courses in dance, music, theatre, or visual arts with a grade of “A” or higher in each course, or earned three (3) sequential course credits in such courses with a grade of “A” or higher in each course pursuant to Rule 6A-1.09441, F.A.C.; and 

(c) The student completed at least two (2) of the following requirements: 

    1. Completed a fine arts International Baccalaureate, advanced placement, dual enrollment, or honors course with a grade of “B” or     higher; 

    2. Participated in a district or statewide organization’s juried event as a selected student participant for two (2) or more years; 

    3. Recorded at least twenty-five (25) volunteer hours of arts-related community service in his or her community and presents a                   comprehensive presentation on his or her experiences pursuant to district procedures; 

    4. Submits a portfolio that demonstrates the student is an exemplary practitioner of fine arts, as described in subsection (4); or 

    5. Received district, state, or national recognition for the creation and submission of an original work of art.

More information about the Seal of Fine Arts can be found HERE.

Silver Knights

The Silver Knight Awards program was instituted at The Miami Herald in 1959 by John S. Knight, past publisher of The Miami Herald, founder and editor emeritus of Knight-Ridder Newspapers and 1968 Pulitzer Prize Winner. Nominees are outstanding 12th grade students selected by their high schools. Fifteen panels of volunteer judges read the nomination forms and conduct interviews. All nominations will be screened before going into the interview phase. Not everyone will qualify for the interview phase. Judges will select a Silver Knight winner and three Honorable Mentions in each category. Nominating students is the responsibility of each high school. Selecting judges, arranging interviews and presenting the awards are the responsibilities of The Miami Herald.

Eligibility: The Silver Knight Awards program is open to 12th grade students with a minimum 3.2 GPA (unweighted) in public, private, and parochial schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Only students with strong records of service to their school and community should be nominated. School may nominate one student per category.