Honors Academy

The Honors Academy at Houston challenges students to pursue excellence both in academic coursework and in leadership roles. Members of the Academy have chosen to distinguish themselves academically and to actively participate in service to HHS and the local community.

Through the Honors Academy experience, students cultivate life skills such as leadership, cooperation, organization, and responsibility. During their senior year, these students will complete a capstone project that is a culminating experience that will carry them beyond their high school years and prepare them for the next step in their academic and professional path.

Each student that is a part of the Honors Academy must complete the online application process, take an entrance exam or provide alternative testing results, and be interviewed by a panel of Houston High School Faculty members. Students in the Honors Academy must maintain high academic achievement in challenging courses, complete annual service and meeting requirements, as well as maintain satisfactory conduct and attendance.

Applications for HHS Academies are now open!

Apply for the HHS Academies!

Contact for More Information

Honors Academy Service Sheet

HHS Honors Academy Application Checklist

Academic Background

The application will ask for general academic information, additionally some documentation will be required:

Knowledge of the applicant's Fall 2025 Semester Grade Averages in English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and Foreign Language
PDF document or image of the applicant's most recent report card (or transcript if applicant is a current high school student)
TCAP ELA and Math Score Reports from the 2024-2025 School Year; Click here for information on accessing this report
Knowledge of applicant's current levels of English, Mathematics, and Science (honors, APEX, standard, etc.)
Score report from a nationally-normed achievement data (Pre-ACT, ISEE, ERB, PSAT, ACT, SAT, IOWA)
- *If applicant does not have documentation listed above, HHS will provide them an opportunity to take the ACT Explore as a part of their application process.

Personal Information Section

Responses to short essay questions about classes, activities, community service, leadership, and integrity.

What class(es) outside of your core classes do you enjoy? What do you enjoy most about it?
What activities are you involved in outside of the school day?
One important aspect of the academy experience is community service. Describe a community service project you have been involved in at school or in the community. What did you learn from that experience?
Describe a time when you have exhibited leadership at school or in the community.
Integrity means being true to ourselves and being honest, upright, and decent in our dealings with others. Describe a time when you have exhibited integrity even when it might have been unpopular. What did you learn from that experience?

Writing Prompt

Cellphone Use and Its Impact on Learning and Well-Being

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the impact of cellphones on students' learning, social interactions, and mental health. The articles you have read explore different perspectives on this issue, including the effects of banning cellphones in schools, the relationship between cellphone use and boredom, and the challenges of managing digital distractions.

Using evidence from the three articles provided, respond to the following questions in a single essay:

Should schools implement strict cellphone bans during the school day? Why or why not?
What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of such policies for students' academic performance, social skills, and emotional well-being?

Sources:

1. How a Connecticut middle school won the battle against cellphones

2. Students scoff at a school cellphone ban, until they really begin to think about it

3.Scientists say mindless scrolling through online videos makes boredom worse

In your response, make sure to:

Clearly state your position on the issue.
Use specific examples and quotes from at least two of the articles to support your argument. Be sure to identify your sources by the name of the publication. If you use outside sources, please identify them in your essay and include a list of sources at the end of your essay in MLA format.
You may incorporate specific examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Explain how the evidence supports your reasoning.

Your essay should be well-organized and demonstrate critical thinking. This is an opportunity to showcase your ability to analyze multiple sources and present a thoughtful, evidence-based argument that is your original work. Your response will be evaluated on your understanding of the articles and on the quality of your writing.

Your essay should be between 500-600 words in length. Please upload the document as a .pdf or .doc attachment with the naming convention specified in the application.

ACT Explore Testing

The ACT Explore, an 8th grade version of the ACT, will be given at Houston High School. Testing lasts approximately 2.5 hours. You DO NOT need to register for the ACT. The test consists of four 30 minute sections of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science, and you can view sample questions here.

Available Dates- Click the date to register: