SHF at Your School

About SHF at Your School Scholarships & Contests AATF-Boutique (Graduation Regalia) Annual Report Élan Archive FAQ

Requirements for Maintaining / Starting an Active SHF Chapter

There are 3 basic requirements for your school to maintain an active French Honor Society which are detailed below. 

            Please note: Graduation regalia cannot be ordered unless all three below steps are completed and current.

Requirement 1 - The teachers sponsoring the school's SHF chapter must have Active Membership with the AATF
The sponsoring teacher of the Honor Society Chapter needs to have their own individual membership with the AATF 
  • AATF membership is $55 (+ any optional local chapter dues) per calendar year (January 1st - December 31st) and must be renewed annually.
  • AATF membership can be purchased one of two ways:
Not sure if your AATF Membership is active? Make sure you've logged into the site, and check your Member Compass here. It should show "active member until December 31st, 2024" on the right side like below:
Requirement 2 - Maintain an active SHF Charter to keep your SHF Chapter Active
The SHF Charter is what makes your school's honor society chapter active and allows students to become official members and be eligible for contests & scholarships, as well as wear SHF regalia at graduation
  • SHF Charters can be purchased or renewed  here via our online store

  • SHF Charters remain active as long as at least one student has been inducted in the last 2 years

Not sure if your school's SHF charter is active? Check the Active SHF Chapter Directory here
Requirement 3 - Eligible students must be formally inducted into your SHF Chapter through the AATF
Inducting students into your SHF Chapter costs $4 per student and formally makes your student a member of the SHF.
  • Inductions come with an editable digital certificate which can be customized and printed off for your ceremony.
  • SHF Inductions can be purchased online with multiple payment options (invoice, card or ACH)

 Click here to purchase inductions 

    • ******please note: users must be Active, Current AATF Members AND logged into the site in order to purchase
Additional, optional  printed induction certificates (as well as other SHF merchandise like Graduation regalia) may be purchased for students at the AATF-Boutique if desired, ONLY after the above three mandatory requirements are met.
Please see the AATF-Boutique page here for more information about SHF Graduation regalia

All 3 requirements met? Great! You're all set! If you want to order additional graduation regalia, merchandise, or other items to celebrate your SHF chapter and student members, check out the AATF-Boutique page here.

Additional Information Regarding SHF Policy & Procedures

To meet the basic requirements to be eligible to join the SHF, the student must:
  1. Be enrolled in at least their fourth semester of French (e.g.: the second semester of French II or higher).
  2. Be in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade (or a 9th grader who has met criteria 1 above in Jr High School or Middle School).
  3. Have earned at least an A minus (or the equivalent) in French for the previous three consecutive semesters.
  4. Currently have a grade of A minus (or the equivalent) in their current French course at the time of induction.

The National SHF Constitution lays out in further detail who is eligible for membership with the French Honor Society, eligibility in specific circumstances (e.g.: transfer students, students who are home-schooled, etc.), and other SHF policies.

  • The complete text of the SHF National Constitution may be found here.

If you wish to create your own local school-level SHF Constitution, you are encouraged to do so. Please note, local charter constitutions may exceed the requirements outlined in the National SHF Constitution, but not lower the requirements for SHF membership.

Current and former SHF sponsors have shared ideas on additional requirement for SHF Induction and continued membership that may be included in a local SHF Constitution, if desired.

Any SHF Charter without a local SHF Constitution will be subject to the requirements as outlined in the National SHF Constitution. 
There is no set ceremony, wording, script, etc. that must be followed for ceremonies inducting SHF students into the school SHF Charter.
Several sponsors have generously shared some of the documents they use for the initiation ceremonies, local constitutions, and SHF activities. Feel free to use them or be inspired by them, giving credit if appropriate.
If you would be willing to share documents you have found useful in your own SHF Chapter, please contact the Honor Society Secretary.

The Annual Report is a chance to let us know what your chapter has accomplished this school year

The Annual Report form can be found here
Recognition program available to all SHF sponsors starting in 2023

Bronze level – JAF/SHF sponsors –
  • AATF member for 3 consecutive years
  • Induct students at least twice per 3 years
  • Submit annual report each year (due July 31st of each year)
Silver level -- Bronze level requirements for an additional 3 years.
Gold level -- Silver requirements for an additional 3 years.
Teachers earning these recognitions will be honored during the AATF convention along with other AATF honorees.          
    Earning these recognitions can also be great visibility for school programs (articles in the school newspaper/newsletter, recognition at school board meetings/back to school meetings, etc.)
The official SHF logo may not be reproduced by entities outside the AATF.
Sponsors may use the term "Société Honoraire de Français" on materials and are welcome to create their own design. Suggested graphics include a fleur-de-lys, school mascot, or school logo.
We strongly discourage the use of the English equivalent, "French National Honor Society" since this name as well as "National Honor Society" are copyrighted by other associations.
Official AATF, SHF, & JAF logo use policy

Additional questions? Check the SHF FAQ here