National Honors Society Inducts 21 New Members

Sam Greaves, Journalist

National Honors Society (NHS) recognizes the hard work of students who excel in four areas of excellence. This year’s induction into the NHS took place on November 12 in the auditorium.

National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students.  More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character.

In order to be inducted into NHS, a faculty council reviews applications. The faculty council this year consisted of: history teacher Jennifer Adams, music teacher Samantha Baldwin, support teacher Shawn Feltenberger, English teacher Jenna Ritter, and science teacher Bev Whiteford.

The council reviews each anonymous application, and then makes final decisions on whom should be inducted based on their careful reading of teacher recommendations and student involvement in community and school.

A total of 21 new members were chosen by the council to be inducted, raising the total number of members to 49.

This years new inductees are: Brooke Ashenfelter, James Devereux, Eliot DeVita, Axel Georgieff, Daniela Gesla, Daniel Gibney, Sam Greaves, Caroline Henning, Mikayla Hostler, Gabriel Hulslander, Lillian Kriess, Cross Lawrence, Marleigh MIller, Kayla Pijanowski, Pierce Ragland, Julie Rublemann, Maggie Scarborough, Corinne Sharnetzka, Jenna Soukaseum, Rosella Stike, and Collin Wolf.

The ceremony started with the Pledge of Allegiance and then the NHS president Seth Thompson gave his opening remarks. He Spoke about the importance of being a good student and supporting the surrounding community.

Along with Thompson, this year’s NHS officers are: Vice President Maria Schneider, Secretary Grace Anne Shaw, Treasurer Lily Ambrose, Historian Garrett Kilgore.

After Thompson message, the rest of the officers talked about the standards of NHS. They brought up the four areas of excellence and explained what each one meant and how they applied to the inductees.

Then all of the new members rose and said the pledge.

Thompson read the pledge: “I pledge to maintain high scholastic standing, to endeavor intelligently and courageously to be a leader, to give of myself freely in service to others, and to hold as fundamental and worthy and untarnished character. In so doing, I shall prove myself worthy of a place in the National Honor Society.”

NHS advisor Timothy Johanning saidin his own words, that the NHS is “academically strong leaders in the school providing service to our community.” NHS goes out to local places such as saubels in stewartstown to collect cans for canned food drive.

After following the induction, the students get called one by one to sign the registry and then officers, Johanning, and Principal Heather Venne present them with their certificates. Thompson made the closing statements, which were followed by a ceremony in the lobby. The ceremony consisted of cookies and lemonade and was the place where parents could go see their child after induction.

This years induction was a great success for all the juniors and seniors that had a 3.7 Grade Point Average (GPA) and were able to apply to NHS.

Looking forward, Johanning said: “There is a canned food drive happening now. We also help volunteer in the Rams Share food pantry and clothing closet. Ideas for a Spring Service Project are in the works.”

So while new members are being inducted they are already started to plan for ways to help their community.