Lewis S. Mills High School

Academic Bowl
Students from area schools compete for excellence in poetry, art, music, and a general knowledge quiz bowl.

Agora (School Store)
Students sell supplies and snacks.

Class Officers
Grade 9 Class Advisors
Grade 10 Class Advisors
Grade 11 Class Advisor
Grade 12 Class Advisor
Students elected to class leadership positions.

Color Guard
Drill team for the Marching Band.

Debate Club
Students participate in interscholastic academic competitions, including state-wide mock trial competition and state-wide debate competition. All students welcome. Meet on Fridays after school.

Diversity Club
Promotes acceptance of people’s differences.

Drama
Students act in or help with plays and musicals-Fall and Spring performances.

Eco-Action
This is an informal organization through which students educate others about issues critical to the environment.

Future Business Leaders Of America
"FBLA-PBL is the premier student business association. Our mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs." Our chapter participates in two state leadership conferences, where students compete at a state level trying to advance to the national competition. We show social responsibility by participating in community service and enjoy trips and speakers related to the business world.

Future Teachers of America
Students interested in becoming teachers learn about various aspects of the teaching profession.

History Day Club
Helps prepare students to compete in the CT History Day competition.

Humanitarian Club
For students who want to give back to the community by completing service projects in Burlington, Harwinton, and surrounding towns, and by raising awareness of international problems and raising funds to help address those problems.

Jazz Band
Qualified musicians are invited to audition.

Link Crew
Orientation program offering yearlong activities connecting all freshmen with Junior/Senior Link Leaders who encourage positive transition from Har-Bur to Lewis Mills High School. Click here for details.

Math Team
Students solve math problems and compete against other high schools.

 M.I.L.L.S. Club
Service club for school and community.

National Foreign Language Honor Society
Students inducted based upon academic achievement and characteristics as good students and use their foreign language skills to enhance others’ experience.

National Honor Society
Induction into the National Honor Society is an honor that is recognized throughout the nation as public recognition of accomplishment and the private commitment to continued excellence on the part of the members. The Faculty Council selects students who demonstrate outstanding performance in the criteria of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. A brief description of the four pillars of the National Honor Society follows:

• Scholarship - A cumulative grade point average of 3.8 is required. Juniors are evaluated on their first five semesters in school and seniors are evaluated on their first six semesters.
• Leadership - A student that exercises leadership is resourceful, demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities, exercises positive influence on peers, and contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school. The student is able to delegate responsibilities, exemplifies positive attitudes, inspires positive behavior in others, and demonstrates academic initiative. Such a student acts reliably and dependably, while holding school offices and / or positions of responsibility. This student is a leader in the classroom, at work, and at other school and community activities, is dependable and is willing to uphold scholarship and maintain a loyal school attitude.
• Service - Service is generally considered to be those actions under taken by the student that are done with or on behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation to the individual performing the service. Service includes contributions that the student has made to the school, classmates and the community. The student's attitude toward service may also be reviewed. A person who serves, volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, is gladly available, and is willing to sacrifice to offer assistance. This student works well with others, cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any service requested at the school, is willing to represent the class or the school, does committee and staff work without complaint and shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers and students. This person participates in activities outside of school and mentors persons in the community or students at other schools.
• Character - A person of character demonstrates the following six qualities: respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring and citizenship. In addition, it can be said that a student of character takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously, consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, and stability). This student upholds principles of morality and ethics, cooperates by complying with school regulations, demonstrates honesty and reliability, and regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others. A student of character observes instructions and rules, is punctual, and has powers of concentration, self-discipline and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies. This student manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating in written work and actively helps rid the school of bad influences or environment.

The Faculty Council makes their selections based on the extent to which the eligible student demonstrates the four pillars of the National Honor Society. All candidates are informed of their selection or non-selection status as soon as the Faculty Council finalizes their decisions.

Notable Notes
Selected musical group of students from Concert Choir.

Orpheus
Orpheus is the Lewis S. Mills literary magazine consisting of student writing and artwork. Orpheus is published once a year. Student interested in being on the Orpheus staff will be asked to solicit writing, edit, type, and collate for each issue as well as contribute work of their own for the magazine. Participating on the Orpheus staff is encouraged for students particularly interested in writing and in being involved in the production of a literary magazine.

Social Studies Activities
The Social Studies Department sponsors a variety of academic programs from which students may choose. The activities include: the Model U.N. Organization, the Debate Team, the High School Bowl, the History Day Program, Election Programs, Essay/Speech Contests/Programs, Legislative Page Programs, the Awards Program, Service Activities, Sociology/Psychology Seminars, and Advanced Placement History Review.

The Spartan Scroll
The objective of The Spartan Scroll is to put out eight to ten issues a year. Students who wish to join the paper will be required to submit a writing sample to the advisor. The advisor and editor will review the samples and notify the students of the decision. Enrollment in The Spartan Scroll activity is not mandatory for membership on the paper. Membership on the paper entails gathering news from the school community as well as surrounding towns. Students will be expected to write articles and present them in newspaper form. Students will learn proofreading skills, layout, format, and advertising techniques. Students will be expected to meet deadlines and accept full responsibility for the accuracy and quality of their work. Membership on the paper is encouraged for all college-bound students.

In the event a staff member fails to perform his or her duties in a satisfactory manner, the advisor reserves the right to suspend the student from the staff either temporarily or for the duration of the school year. Editors may not be officers in other clubs without the newspaper advisor's permission.

Student Council
The Student Council will have an elected representative from each class. Twelve seniors, nine junior, six sophomores, and three freshmen well be elected by their respective classes to serve annually as representatives. All prospective members must pass four major subjects.

• Objectives:
  1. Provide a democratic forum in which students can address those school-related issues that affect their lives.
  2. Maintain a continuous communication channel from students to both faculty and administration, as well as among the students within the school.
  3. Offer a yearlong program of social functions and community involvement project for the students.
  4. Direct students in the duties and responsibilities of good citizenship, using the school environment as the primary training ground.

Three R’s Committee
A team of students, teachers, parents work with the assistant principal on school issues.

Tri-M
Music Honor Society.

United Way Youth Board
Four students from Mills join students from 5 other high schools to work on projects of interest to help United Way and its member agencies.

VEX Robotics Club
Design, test, and build robots, and participate in robotics competition.

Yearbook
The Adobe Creative Suite CS 2/3 is utilized to enhance the LSM yearbook. The yearbook staff consists of the Desktop Publishing class and is also an extra curricular activity. Our LSM yearbooks has received national recognition for creative layout and design from 2003-2007 from Taylor Publishing.

Other school activities

There are many other activities available at Mills including: Art Club, Human Relations, and Technology Club. New clubs form each year with the support of a faculty advisor.

School Policy for School Activities on/off School Grounds

Any student who attends any school-approved activity, on or off school property (i.e., field trips, dances, athletic contests, etc.) outside the normal school day is subject to all school regulations. Students are subject to suspension and/or restriction (even though they are not on school property) and may be restricted from other after-school activities if they do not follow regulations. Students who are suspended from school may not participate in any school activity or practice.