The junior’s deadline for National Honors Society (NHS) applications was April 28, and the status for applicants has been recently announced. NHS is a prestigious school club, where students are eligible to apply toward the end of their junior year in order to participate in their senior year. NHS members do community service to better the community and school, and they have to fulfill many requirements in order to stay in the club.
“What NHS looks for first off is academic integrity, which is their first pathway in. Then, we look for things such as leadership and skills and community service,” NHS adviser Paul Bell said.
NHS showcases academic excellence, meaning that the members have to maintain a weighted GPA of 3.70 or higher.
“I wanted to join because of the recognition we get because of our grades. I feel like if everyone puts in enough effort, that we should be able to be on that (NHS club),” junior Aubrey Kurczek said.
Not every student who applies is let in, as the standards for the club are rigorous. Applicants are held accountable for getting in their community service hours, keeping their grades up, and participating within the community and school.
“A student may be declined due to lack of any involvement anywhere in the school, or not having any community service hours, because NHS is a service organization with some volunteering,” NHS selection committee member Jennifer Leahy said.
Within the application process, students are asked to recall past service, leadership roles, and any school wide engagement. The procedure can be lengthy for some, but it is good preparation for future resume building.
“It’s good practice to be ready to brag about yourself, to also be thinking about things you’ve done prior, because moving forward you’re going to want to pay attention to how that plays into ‘this is me, this is what I do’,” Bell said.
