The National Honor Society (NHS) is an association founded on developing leadership in students. It helps students contribute to society, as well as creates a way for the children to participate in various acts of service.
“It is a prestigious organization representing the pillars of scholarship, leadership, service and character,” West’s NHS co-sponsor Alexa Huseman said. “Students are held to a high academic character while giving back to the community.”
What is NHS?
The National Honor Society is an American organization that operates in all fifty states. They report having more than 1.4 million student members, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
NHS is widely known for their scholarship opportunities. Through proving dedication to the four pillars of NHS, senior NHS members can receive a scholarship and be given a chance to go to Washington, D.C. with all expenses paid, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
The usual NHS chapter, which is what NHS calls the schools in the association, has 1,000 hours of community service, gives $26,000 for charity, offers 1,000 pounds of food for causes and donates 100 pints of blood, with all of these statistics being annual, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
The National Honor Society came to be on March 1, 1921. It was founded by Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of a school in Pittsburgh, Pa, with the help of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Rynearson knew that the youth would shape the future, so he wanted to foster proper mindsets in students. That is how he came up with the idea of the National Honor Society, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
In 1929, the National Honor Society established the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), which allowed middle school students to participate in NHS activities. Then, in 2008, the National Elementary Honor Society was made. This meant that students in elementary school could help out in these areas, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
Joining NHS
To be considered eligible for joining NHS, the student must be of grades 10-12, and they must follow the four pillars of NHS. They must be scholarly, open to servitude, exude leadership and exhibit good character, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
The first pillar, scholarship, means maintaining an excellent grade point average (GPA), generally involving having a GPA of around 3.0 or higher. A GPA of 3.0 is the minimum set by NHS, but that does not mean it cannot be increased by individual schools. For example, at West, it is required that the student has a GPA of 3.7 to show that they present a commitment to learning, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
Service, which is the second pillar, involves participation in volunteering, meaning the student may have shown a willingness to help out others without any promised compensation. This criteria for eligibility is set by the school that the student is in.
The third pillar is leadership. Students have to be leaders that exhibit creativity, problem solving and ingenuity. They should be able to inspire their classmates, grow and be an example of positivity for others. Leadership can be learned and developed through working with others at school or in extracurricular activities, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
The final pillar, character, revolves around being a good person. Cooperativeness, dependability, empathy and truthfulness are all important traits for a good show of character. One’s academic record should not be the only thing considered when it comes to who the person is–their overall behavior is thought about, too. Another thing to be aware of is that the student must have a clean disciplinary record, according to nationalhonorsociety.org.
Specific qualifications to join NHS at West
In order to join the National Honor Society at West High School, there are a few more qualifications a student must have. For example, the student must have a minimum attendance rate of 92%, which means they cannot miss more than fourteen days per year. Furthermore, by the end of May, members must achieve 100 points each school year.
“It is expected that students maintain a 3.7+ GPA, 92%+ attendance and good character,” Huseman said. “They are also required to participate in a variety of volunteer events in the community.”
Who to talk to about NHS
The sponsors of West High School’s chapter of NHS are Spanish teacher Kimberly Gryseels and algebra teacher Alexa Huseman. Students could also contact their counselor if they are curious about NHS, although the counselor may simply direct them to one of the NHS sponsors.
“This is my 8th year as [an] NHS sponsor,” Huseman said. “I am a sponsor of NHS because I like what the club represents. From a young age, I was involved in volunteering in my community and it is great to help students also find their passion for serving others.”
