California Scholarship Federation
Western Christian High School is a proud member of the California Scholarship Federation (CSF). CSF emphasizes high standards of scholarship and community service for California high school students. Founded in 1921, the California Scholarship Federation is the oldest scholarship institution in the state of California.
How does a student become a member of CSF?
Each year, our CSF adviser holds a membership meeting that is promoted to the student body. Students are advised by our school registrar and assisted in the application process. Applications may only be submitted with the CSF adviser at the school. No applications are accepted in the state office.
Membership is based on the previous semester’s grades. Western Christian has a specific application used to compute student points. The completed application along with a copy of the student’s transcript or report card is submitted by the registrar to CSF.
Who is eligible to apply for CSF membership?
Upon completion of the first semester of the sophomore year, students may apply for membership. This is the first semester that counts towards CSF honor graduation.
What about 9th grade students?
Associate members are those students who are applying based on grades they earned as a freshman (applying in the spring after first semester freshman grades and the following September based on second semester freshman grades). These semesters of membership do not count towards graduating with honors.
An incoming 9th grader who was a CJSF Honor graduate from his/her middle school is granted immediate membership in CSF. The student must provide proof of the honor to the CSF adviser during the first membership drive. No other incoming 9th grader may be a member of CSF.
What is required to be a member?
Courses offered at WCHS are assigned a certain level of point (1,2, or3). Students need a total of ten points to qualify for CSF membership each semester. Our registrar, Nance Spencer (nspencer@westernchristian.org) will advise students of their eligibility. A minimum of seven of the ten points must be from Lists I and II courses, with four of these points from List I. The additional three points may be from List III. Students may use up to five courses (25 credits) to apply for membership. However, a D or an F in any subject, even if not being used for CSF points, disqualifies the student for that semester.
List I are the academic, college prep courses that are within the state framework. List II are also academic courses that are not on List I, and List III are almost all other courses offered at the school with a few exceptions. For more specific information on the Lists, please refer to the CSF Bylaws, Article IV, Section 6.
Good citizenship is also a membership requirement.
Who maintains the membership information for my student?
Our registrar, Nance Spencer (nspencer@westernchristian.org) serves as the school’s CSF adviser. The state organization never receives the names of the members. There are over 150,000 students in CSF and CJSF each semester so the organization must rely on the chapters to keep track.
What is a CSF Life Member and how is this earned?
A Life Member is a student who has earned at least four semesters of membership based on grades earned in 10th through 12th, with one of the semesters based on senior grades. This is not automatic and is only granted to those who have submitted their applications and qualified for membership.
What recognition does a Life Member receive?
Students who are Life Members are to receive a CSF lamp pin, a gold seal on their diploma, and notation of the honor on the transcript. There are optional items available if the CSF chapter so chooses. In some schools these optional items are used to distinguish between active and inactive members or 100% members (students who have earned membership all six semesters 10th through 12th).
“By attending Western, I have become more dedicated to following my dreams. I have had so many people encourage me to keep doing what I love and to pursue music. The teachers have also helped me become more dedicated to my work ethic. They have prepared me for college and have helped me to get into a great school. The chapels and Bible classes have helped me grow in my relationship with God in ways that are unimaginable.”