National Honors Society

[JaneYoung]

I thought about this for a while and decided to enter a nostalgic reply.

This is what Wikipedia has to say:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Honor_Society

Its purpose was important for many years. I graduated from high school in 1969 during a time of change in the United States. Change had been coming for a while and with that, turbulence in society and in high schools and universities. The NHS was a place of honor. It represented achievement and respect. The members of NHS were looked up to and admired by their peers, their faculty, and their administration.They wore letter sweaters and it was special. During that time, it was not assumed that everyone would go to college or even apply. The students in NHS were that hope. And there wasn't FIRST. There were few places to be recognized for leadership, working hard at achieving academic goals and standing, setting the bar. Today, when I meet young people who are members of NHS, I think about that. It is different now, with so many options in education and in achieving goals, but it will mean what you want it to mean and will garner respect from those who understand and appreciate its value. Not everything has to be cashed in or has to have instant recognition. Sometimes being a part of a program of value and opportunity is enough. And, what you put into the program is what you get out of it.
Jane

[cooker52]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

Sometimes being a part of a program of value and opportunity is enough. And, what you put into the program is what you get out of it.
Jane

So true, so true. That's how most activities work, and most of them are usually fun. It's other things like the NHS that actually awards people who they see. Not everyone needs to see what you do, it's those who it affects that it truly matters to. A simple service project shouldn't be to get attention or inducted into orginizations such as the NHS, but to help others, and do what's right. I am not trying to make NHS sound like it's for those who are snoby, it is a great thing to be a part of and shows that you have done great things, I'm just saying that you don't need it to feel great or noticed. NHS is just to show a FEW things that everyone has done. It shows a small part of something big. Don't ever feel like you need to be in those programs, and don't feel so let down if you don't get inducted in. Keep up helping people, and never feel discouraged.

[efoote868]

I got into NHS this year... and as far as I'm concerned it isn't a big deal. About 10-20% of the kids in my grade get in (and seeing that just the class of '08 has 1039 kids in it...)

The only perk we get is that we get to wear a gold tassle at graduation.

[Andrea's Mom]

At my daughters' school, I don't think there are any special privileges attached to NHS other than the cool blue collar/hood they wear at graduation. However, the service hour requirement is a good one because as the girls got busier and busier with upper class activities and AP's, they had less time to volunteer. With the 50 hr. per year requirement for jr. and sr. year, they did manage to squeeze in a few service projects with MOE 365 and Girl Scouts and drama productions. Their school has a 3.4 GPA requirement which helped slightly with senioritis.

I think NHS is a way of recognizing those kids who work hard at school and in the community and I'm sad for those of you who are told you can't be a part because of the leadership requirement. Leadership comes in so many forms.

[catsylve]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

Not everything has to be cashed in or has to have instant recognition. Sometimes being a part of a program of value and opportunity is enough. And, what you put into the program is what you get out of it.
Jane

For many schools, NHS will be an entirely different organization. It may be highly active at some and simply an honorary society at others. For this reason, I think that each person needs to take a look at what it means to them. I have seen many highly qualified students passed by at our school for silly reasons. We have students who have completed over 500 to 1000 hours of community service and are not selected, simply because they weren't worried about filling out all of the paper work. This doesn't make them less deserving. Take the honor for what it is worth. Keep giving of yourselves to help others and remember that you are the only person who really has the right to judge what you are accomplishing with your efforts.