In 1991, President George Bush presented the BBHMSS with the "1000 Points of Light" award during a ceremony held at the U.S. Naval Academy.  Since this time, the BBHMSS has received several outstanding community service awards.

Student Participation 

The BBHMSS program is open to all middle and high school students attending public schools in the Washington metropolitan area. Students may apply for acceptance in the Society with a minimum GPA of 2.0.  It is expected that the student will work to elevate that GPA to at least a 3.0. Open season for registration is from September 1 to December 31 during each academic school year.  Students are required to attend a minimum of eight economic development classes and Naval Academy activities.

In order to receive full credit for each session, students must sign an attendance sheet and be present for at least three-quarters of each scheduled session.

When visiting the Naval Academy, students must bring with them the following items:
Paper, pen/pencils, books, calculator, assignment book, homework assignments, and any other materials necessary to complete their school assignments. During the economic development sessions, students must bring paper and pencil/pen. Upon the completion of the tutorial programs, students are required to participate in the BBHMSS spring banquet. During this time, qualified students will receive awards and/or scholarships.

Parents/Guardians Participation

Parents/guardians are required to attend at least fifty percent of the tutorial sessions with their child. They are also encouraged to participate in fund raising and social activities, make monetary contributions, attend the annual banquet and/or participate on a committee. It is highly recommended that they attend the program's monthly parent meetings, which are held at Benjamin Banneker Middle School the first Thursday of each month. At the end of each marking period, parents are asked to submit to the awards/scholarship chairperson their child's report card. Report card grades will be used in ascertaining their eligibility for receiving awards/scholarships. All grades will be kept confidential.

BBHMSS Committees

In order to ensure the success and support of the BBHMSS, parents/guardians are encouraged to participate in one or more of the following committees:

Membership - Responsible for coordinating recruitment, membership participation, membership attendance status, installation and orientation of new members and membership directories.

Communication - Inform students and parents of upcoming events via phone and/or internet, and notify local media/organizations of special events.

Fund Raising - Develop and implement economic strategies for raising funds to cover awards, scholarships, and social activities.

Awards/Scholarships - Collect and record students report card grades for awards/certificates, produce the annual award's booklet, order and distribute awards.

Economic Development - Assist in the planning and implementation of economic lessons, enhance learning skills and promote social interaction.

Special Events - Coordinate and implement special social activities. Examples:
Holiday party, graduation celebration, M.L. King, Jr. Breakfast, NAACP Youth Summit, etc.

Academics - Disseminate educational materials, assist in obtaining guest speakers, and develop black history month activities.

Registration Process

In order for any student to participate in the BBHMSS program, parents/guardians must complete a registration form and a transportation agreement.  All student participants must complete a student registration form.  All required forms must be submitted to the BBHMSS president.  Open season for the registration process is from September 1 to December 31 of each academic school year.  Students who wish to participate in the program after the open season due date, should contact the program's president.