Open Forum

9th grade is usually considered freshman year in the US. So until the first day of school, they're often referred to as the 'incoming freshman.' This might change a tad between individual schools. 

We do a musical that happens during the last 3 weeks of summer. Our incoming freshman are awarded points toward induction.

Another way to look at it, we offer many opportunities for middle schoolers to perform with us and induct quite a few as junior thespians. One of these students who was just inducted at the end of their 8th grade year, should be able to earn points this summer. Incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders would earn points in the summer towards junior thespian, so a rising 9th grader shouldn't be excluded.

Since we're supposed to award five points toward high-school Thespian membership to any student who was inducted as a Junior Thespian, which amounts to counting middle-school or junior-high activity toward high-school honors, I think you would be totally justified in awarding Thespian points for activities this summer to your students who are transitioning from eighth to ninth grade within the same school.