The National Honor Society, (NHS), and National Junior Honor Society, (NJHS), are two arms of an organization dedicated to recognizing excellence in middle and high school students. The purpose of NHS is to honor students who have excelled in scholarship, leadership, service and character. According to the NHS, as of today, it is estimated that more than 1 million students participate in NHS activities. National Honor Society chapters can be located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Participating students are recognized for their work and challenged to develop their character through civil service.
The Purpose of the National Honor Society
Four purposes have guided NHS and NJHS since its inception: to create excitement for academia; to stimulate a desire for citizen service; to build leadership skills; and to develop character in students. NHS and NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and Canada.
To be eligible for membership, students must exhibit exemplary performance in four categories: scholarship, service, leadership and character to be considered for membership, which are based on the four pillars of NHS . Additionally, our school must have a chapter and a chapter advisor.
Scholarship
To be considered for membership admittance, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, or a B average. Once a student has met this requirement, he or she can be considered based on the other three qualifications.
Service
This characteristic is defined through a student's activities. This requirement examines a candidate's citizen or community service experience. For example, some students help at soup kitchens or read to the elderly. Candidates must prove that they've done a certain amount of community service, showing compassion, positivity and courteousness to the people they assist.
Leadership
As a part of NHS, student leadership is a sought-after quality. Student leaders are good problem-solvers, involved in school activities, such as student government or sports, and are resourceful and inventive. They contribute to class and school discussions and genuinely care about the welfare of their classmates. They work well with others and respect their elders. Prospective members should draw on both school and community activities that illustrate their leadership strengths.
Character
Good student character is an important quality for determining eligibility into a NHS chapter. A student's character is assessed by how she responds to adversity and challenge, always taking the high moral ground and displaying appropriate behavior. Students with good character are responsible, respectful, honest and courteous. These students also live relatively good and clean lifestyles, they do not use illegal drugs or use profane language.
Other information
It is important for students to be aware of the responsibilities associated with membership. It is expected for members to be active, participate in meetings and uphold the four pillars of the NHS. Members are expected to also participate in both chapter and individual service projects that benefit both the school and community.
The NHS provides members with awards and opportunities to recognize excellence in service. The organization has several scholarship programs that send underprivileged students to college each year. Additionally, there are opportunities to earn awards within the association. Students win them for working in their communities or inventing things that aid the community. Each year, NHS gives out five Outstanding Service Project awards to chapters that make significant contributions to their communities in the form of construction or beautification projects.
