Anime club is a place where students can watch anime, discuss animation techniques, and explore different genres of anime.

Anime Club meets every other Thursday in room 117 after school.

The Athletic Leadership Academy is a group of student-athletes who are chosen by their coaches to foster leadership skills. 

If students are interested in being selected, they should exhibit strong leadership skills or a desire to grow such skills during practice.

This group meets once a month during homeroom Tribe Time on Wednesday.

NC School Library Media Association sponsors Battle of the Books for Elementary, Middle, and High School competitions.   

Battle of the Books began as a program for middle school students, grades 6-8. The program has expanded to include the elementary and high school levels. Students at participating schools read books from a list established by the state Battle of the Books committees and then compete in quiz-bowl-style tournaments to test their knowledge of these books.

2024-2025 High School BOB Book List

Weekly meetings will begin in January.

The county competition for High School Battle of the Books will be held on March 18, 2025 at the Hickory Metro Trade Center.  The statewide competition will take place on April 28, 2025 in Statesville, NC. The team that wins the county competition will advance to the state competition.

"To lead by serving others." 

The National BETA Club was founded in 1934, and has become the nation's largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization. 

Our BETA Club is an honor organization that recognizes outstanding academic achievement, promotes strong moral character and social responsibility, encourages service to others, fosters leadership skills, and provides settings for you to develop strong interpersonal skills. 

This organization is open to 11th and 12th grade students by invitation only who meet all requirements. 

Meeting dates will be updated at the beginning of the school year.

The standards established for membership in the SSHS Beta Club are in compliance with guidelines required by the National Beta Club organization and the Catawba County School district.  The basic qualifications for membership are “worthy character, good mentality, creditable achievement, and commendable attitude.”

 Prerequisites for Membership:

• Membership is by invitation only.
• Membership is limited to students in grades eleven and twelve who achieve a cumulative 3.75 GPA (weighted or unweighted) and who have a clean discipline record. 

Standards for Maintaining Membership:

• A  3.75 overall G.P.A.

• The standard of conduct for membership must be maintained.

• Completion of 12 service hours and 3 collections

• Students cannot have an honor code violation

Students who do not maintain the identified grade or identified standard of conduct are subject to one of the following disciplinary actions. These actions may be involved at the end of any nine week academic period.

Probation—The club sponsor issues a warning that membership criteria are not being met.  Students on probation will have a semester to correct the deficiencies.  All club privileges are maintained.  If a student on probation does not correct the deficiency by the deadline, the student will be expelled from the club and be ineligible to return for the remainder of the high school experience. 

Expulsion— Removal of the student’s name from the Beta Club roll.  Students are expelled for an honor code violation and for not maintaining the GPA requirements and not fulfilling the service and collection requirements. Once expelled from the club, they cannot be reinstated. 

When students are placed on probation or expelled from the Beta Club, students shall be notified in writing.

Book Club is for anyone who loves to read YA fiction. The Book Club meets almost every week. Activities vary from year to year but mostly include reading selected books together, discussing books, sharing books, doing book crafts and many other bookish things. There are no requirements for joining Book Club other than loving books. Meeting days will be determined at the beginning of the year.

Meeting dates will be updated at the beginning of the school year.

"Civic Leaders of America is a grassroots student-led organization with the mission of fostering civic engagement among high schoolers through regular debates, local conventions, information about current events, and activism and volunteering opportunities. We provide students a platform to voice their opinions and engage in meaningful discussions, and we hope that through our activities, students will develop their own unique and informed worldview and create the change they want to see."

Meetings are held every other Thursday.

D.R.E.A.M. Team

D.R.E.A.M. Team (Daring to Role-model Excellence as Athletic Mentors) is an experiential training program held throughout the school year.

D.R.E.A.M. Team student athletes participate in training sessions that include instruction in effective communication skills and presentation methods, role modeling, mentoring, and positive lifestyle choices.  They select and plan services for elementary schools, middle schools, community organizations, and/or their own high school.  D.R.E.A.M. Team participants meet regularly on an arranged schedule to prepare and carry out their projects and activities.  Activities are often accomplished in collaboration with other school leadership programs.

Three roles that D.R.E.A.M. Team student-athletes assume:

• Role models and mentors when visiting elementary and middle schools to make presentations, tutor students, and assist officers with the DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) Program.
• Peer helpers for in-coming students who are new to the school.
• School ambassadors during athletic events and at local civic organizations telling about D.R.E.A.M. Team purposes, performing community service activities, and promoting healthy lifestyle choices.

Meeting and activity dates vary throughout the year. Students are required to purchase an organization t-shirt.

FAITH + SPORT = FCA

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is touching millions of lives…one heart at a time. Since 1954, FCA has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful platform of sport to reach every coach and every athlete with the transforming power of Jesus Christ. FCA focuses on serving local communities around the globe by engaging, equipping and empowering coaches and athletes to unite, inspire and change the world through the gospel. 

Meets every Monday after school in room 101.

We’re growing the next generation of leaders who will change the world.

FFA is the premier youth organization preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.

FFA is a dynamic youth organization that changes lives and prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

FFA develops members’ potential and helps them discover their talent through hands-on experiences, which give members the tools to achieve real-world success.

Members are future chemists, veterinarians, government officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international business leaders, teachers and premier professionals in many career fields.

FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. It is one of the three components of agricultural education.

The official name of the organization is the National FFA Organization. The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of our history and our heritage that will never change.

MISSION & MOTTO

WHAT IS FFA

Meeting dates will be updated at the beginning of the school year.

The Gamer's Guild motto is: "You bring it, we play it!". If you're interested in sharing in your love for video gaming, trading card gaming, tabletop roleplaying, and all things nerdy and fun, the Gamer's Guild is the right place for you!

Gamer's Guild meets every other Tuesday. This year's scheduled meetings can be found here.

GFWC-NC Juniorettes are young women, middle to high school age, working together to meet the needs of their communities through volunteer service projects. Since 1969, GFWC Juniorettes have sharpened their leadership skills and put their idealism to work in projects that benefit children, families, and communities, while having FUN!

Juniorettes are a part of the larger organization of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), which is one of the world’s largest and oldest nondenominational, nonpartisan, international women’s volunteer service organization. With over 140 clubs throughout North Carolina, club women have been dedicated to Community Improvement through Volunteer Service since 1902.

Juniorettes meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:10 a.m. in room 106. 

Juntos 4‑H is a program that helps Latino youth (grades 8 – 12) and their families gain the knowledge and skills they need to bridge the gap between high school and higher education. 

Juntos 4‑H, which translates to “together,” provides students and families with:

• Family engagement: high school and middle school workshops, family nights and events
• Juntos 4‑H Clubs: focused on academics, tutoring, life-skill activities, and community service
• Juntos One-On-One Success Coaching/Mentoring: adults help youth achieve their goals
• Summer Programs: Summer Academy, local 4‑H summer programs and other local events.
  Programs are available to English and Spanish-speaking students and their families in numerous communities across the US.

All meeting dates can be found on this calendar. Juntos meets in the cafeteria.

Juntos Calendar

Student led. Service focused.

Key Club is a student-led high school organization, sponsored by the Hickory Kiwanis Club. Our members make the world a better place through service. In doing so, we grow as individuals and as leaders by answering the call to lead and developing the heart to serve. All students are eligible to join Key Club. 

Key Club International is a self-governing, student-led organization. Each year, Key Club members elect their student officers for club, district and international boards.

Key Club members receive guidance and support from adult volunteers, including Kiwanis advisors, faculty advisors and district administrators. Additionally, the Key Club International staff trains and assists district governors and international board members. The organization is funded by nominal dues paid by every member.

You can learn more about the International Key Club by visiting their website at https://www.keyclub.org/

       Membership is $20. For more information, visit the SSHS Key Club website.

SSHS Key Club website

Mechanical Minds meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 in the Paap building, room 143, on the campus of CVCC .

Make visual arts more visible!

Student members of the National Art Honor Society :

• become members of a distinguished group of 58,000+ outstanding art students
• gain peer recognition, leadership growth opportunities, college and career preparation, and an unmatched sense of camaraderie
• are eligible to apply for the Rising Stars Secondary Recognition Program Award (Juniors and Seniors only)
• are eligible to apply for the Charles M. Robertson Memorial Scholarship and scholarships to Columbus College of Art and Design, Maryland Institute College of Art, and The Art Institute (Seniors only)
• have the opportunity to be published in NAHS News (the semiannual, full-color digital publication of the NAHS program). Artwork submitted for inclusion is often used in other NAEA publications!
• are eligible to submit artwork for possible inclusion in the annual NAHS/NJAHS Juried Exhibition held at the NAEA Studio & Gallery.

In order to join the NAHS at St. Stephens, students must make at least an 80 in BVD AND receive a recommendation from their BVD teacher.

NAHS meets on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month in room 306.

NTHS strives to bring well deserved recognition, scholarship opportunities, and career opportunities to students who excel in one of the 108 career and technical educational fields as their profession. Not only do NTHS students embody all the attributes and talent which is in demand today, these students also embrace a clear vision for tomorrow’s workforce and their role in it. NTHS understands changes in industry within local communities and on a global scale.

The growing demand to fill jobs requiring technical training is one of the hottest topics headlining current news. An article published in Forbes “America’s Skilled Trades Dilemma: Shortages Loom As Most In-Demand Group of Workers Ages” demonstrates the need to support career and technical education. Through its scholarships, NTHS encourages students to pursue higher education and training in technical fields and supports members in their lifelong commitment to a skilled trade.

NTHS meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 2:45-3:45.

Pass the bricks collects donated Legos and builds new sets that we donate to local children's organzations, such as Levines Children's hospital. We have fun building the sets and feel good knowing these Legos have been given a new purpose.

Meetings are every Tuesday in room 305 after school.

Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists was organized April 10, 1926, at the University of Iowa by renowned pollster George H. Gallup and a group of high school advisers for the purpose of encouraging and recognizing individual student achievement in journalism and scholastic publication.

Since its founding, school charters have been granted to more than 11,300 high schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 29 foreign countries. Media advisers in chartered schools are eligible to recommend outstanding high school journalism students for membership in Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society.

This honor society is for members of the yearbook staff.

When a candidate is recommended for membership, the student pays a one-time initiation fee of $25. The Society then provides the initiate with an official membership pin of their choice and a lifetime membership certificate.

Members of Quill and Scroll Honor Society must be chosen from students enrolled in the high school who, at the time of their recommendation, meet the following requirements:

1. They must be of sophomore, junior or senior classification.
2. They must have the equivalent of a B grade average, or be in the upper third of their class in general scholastic standing, either for the year of their election or for the cumulative total of all high school work.
3. They must have done superior work in some phase of journalism or school media work. They may be staffers of a magazine, newspaper, yearbook, news organization, online site or radio/television station at the school, or one conducted by an external organization.
4. They must be recommended by the supervisor or by the committee governing the media.
5. They must be approved by the Quill and Scroll Executive Director.

Quiz bowl is an academic competition team that competes against other local high schools 3-4 times a year. Competitions involve answering trivia questions about multiple topics such as math, science, literature, history, and sports. We need students with a variety of interests and the ability to compete on Wednesdays after school

Quiz Bowl meets on Mondays after school in room 305.

The SSHS Science Olympiad team is part of the greater NC Science Olympiad. 

Every year NCSO hosts tournaments on university, community college, and public school campuses across the state. These tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of different hands-on, interactive, challenging and inquiry-based events that are well balanced between the various disciplines of biology, earth science, environmental science, chemistry, physics, engineering and technology.

In 2014, more than 800 K-12 teams representing over 14,000 students and 70 counties in North Carolina participated in NCSO activities.

Meetings are held on Wednesdays after school in room 305.

Student Council Mission Statement:

The Saint Stephens High School Student Council is the voice of the student body. We are dedicated to developing leadership skills and maintaining a student/administration relationship. Student Council is responsible for representing and serving the needs of the student body through coordinating activities and holding meetings.

As Student Council members, we strive to:

• Coordinate and encourage student activities

• Work with administration in all matters affecting the welfare of students

• Stand out as leaders and role models to our peers

• Listen to and respect the concerns of everyone and voice them

• Recognize the accomplishments of clubs, sports, and individual students

Meetings are on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month. Some are after school and some are before school.

Members are chosen by application in May of each school year. Officers are elected the first week of school by each class.

Homecoming festivities normally take place in the fall. The entire week is a celebration! Every day, there are spirit dress-up themes and games in the cafeteria. On Friday, there is a Homecoming Carnival on the football field. The game is Friday night and the Homecoming King and Queen are crowned. The Homecoming dance is held on the Saturday after the game.  This year, Homecoming is scheduled for October 12, 2024.

Check back here for more information as it becomes available.

Every spring, SSHS hosts a prom for juniors and seniors and their guests. 

Juniors must pay for their tickets to prom. Seniors have a free ticket, but must pay for any underclass or off-campus guest. The cost of this year's tickets will be announced closer to the date.

Tickets are purchased during lunch several weeks before the event. Seniors must RESERVE their ticket even though they don't pay for one. 

Any student wishing to bring an off-campus guest must have a form completed for their guest. This form will be sent out on Parent/Student Square when the ticket reservation form is sent in the weeks prior to prom.

Junior Senior Prom 2025 will be held on Saturday March 29th at Moretz Mill.

During the summer, the Saint library hosts themed summer library nights. The library will be open for the evening and provide themed food with themed decorations, games and contests. Students can come participate or just come check out a book. Evenings in the past have included Harry Potter, Percy Jackson. Hunger Games, Superheroes, Zombies, Fairy Tales and Alice in Wonderland.

Summer Library dates will be announced in May.

Meeting dates will be updated at the beginning of the school year.

Coffee House nights will be announced throughout the year.

SSHS publishes a yearbook, the Corona, every year. The yearbook can be pre-ordered in the fall. Students and parents will receive emails about purchasing a yearbook. This year, the price is starting at $75, but will go up as the year progresses. There are a limited number of copies available for sale in the spring when the books arrive.

Students make up the staff for the yearbook. If students are interested in being part of the yearbook staff, they should apply in the spring before registration. Watch StudentSquare and email for information about applying to serve on the yearbook staff.

Yearbook is a course that students must register to take.