Why i Want to be in National Honor Society

Introduction

The National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that has been recognizing high school students for their academic achievements and the strength of their character since 1921. Throughout the years, NHS has maintained its presence in schools across the United States and other countries. Currently, there are over 8,000 chapters across all 50 states, U.S. territories, and from other countries where students are eligible to apply to become a member. To be a member of NHS, students must possess certain qualities. Students must be or have been in the second semester of their freshman or junior year, have a 90% or higher cumulative grade point average, have shown leadership ability in school or community activities, and have been or are involved in service in their local community.

Scholarship, leadership, service, and character are the four core values of the National Honor Society. These values represent what is central to an NHS chapter. Students who possess these traits are sought out by various committees for the selection process to join NHS. The typical membership process is as follows: students are invited by the chapter advisors to join NHS based on their scholarship information available. Students reply to indicate if they accept the invitation. Next, these same students must complete an information form. Following this, a faculty council reviews the information form to determine if the student meets the additional criteria: leadership, service, and character. We use a rubric to score each candidate and determine who becomes a part of NHS. The responsibility of its members does not stop at the point of entry; this is only the beginning! Currently, in our chapter and across the nation, members must complete service projects and perform community service activities. In the end, they must have a combined total of 30 documented service hours. They must continue to see and develop additional ways to use the talents they possess to better their community and the world they live in. Through this process, students express their reasons for wanting to join the organization. In this essay, we explore some of the different reasons our students have given to join NHS.

Benefits of Membership

Membership in the National Honor Society comes with a plethora of benefits, beyond the mere recognition of academic excellence. Considered an honor, membership in the NHS is something to be looked upon favorably in college applications. Involvement in the NHS is seen as a major advantage. Members not only demonstrate an aptitude for scholarship, but also for service, leadership, and character, in addition to maintaining the requirements of membership. Members have access to exclusive scholarship opportunities and can apply for scholarships that are only open to NHS members all across the country. Involvement in the National Honor Society can boost a student’s resume and prepare them for a future in college. It looks good to colleges and universities alike, as it demonstrates that a student is committed to a rigorous program of study but is also involved in community service activities, all while adhering to high standards of leadership and character. There is also the opportunity to network with NHS, as it is not just formed in high schools, but in middle and elementary schools as well as on the national level for professionals. Leadership experience, as well as service, can open the door to activities, conferences, and meetings around the world for those involved in the NHS. The NHS is one of several organizations that recognize the value of leadership in the development of high school students in conjunction with academic and community involvement. Participation not only provides leadership opportunities but also satisfies students with higher self-esteem, comfort in mentoring their younger peers, and a more positive school connection as well as greater feelings of hope. Joining the NHS is more than just recognition of grades. Membership is an active involvement that works both ways. By serving, members are growing and gaining hands-on experience in society. They develop leadership and citizenship through their service and set a good example for others. Many students, parents, and even entire cultures place an important value on being a member of the NHS. It signifies that the person has set a goal higher than just being academically talented. They have also set out to be of service to their school and community at large. This is one reason why becoming involved in a school’s NHS can often be socially appealing.

Motivations for Joining

When considering whether to join the National Honor Society (NHS), students are motivated by a wide array of personal and academic reasons. Many students are incentivized to join NHS by a desire for academic recognition, as they believe membership to be a reflection of their dedication and a positive signal for potential colleges or jobs. It is the aspirational aspect of aspiration for which pre-college and pre-career young adults desire to belong. To create a clear path towards membership, NHS provides direction. Membership requirements are designed to be rigorous and personal, focusing on the qualities that contribute to success.

A student who joins NHS in a sincere, understanding, and responsible way creates an aspirational space in which to appeal to rigorous standards of membership. Student members are often positioned in such a way as to effectively leverage the aspirational support provided by peers. Prospective members are influenced by active friends in school – students enrolled in AP/Honors, students who value leadership, students who are involved in clubs and activities, and students who want to attend college. They are advocating for the organization and demonstrating their commitment to NHS by influencing friends who are both academically qualified and have an interest in becoming a member. There is an alignment with who high-achieving students are and who NHS members tend to be. For example, one student wrote that being an NHS member motivates him to be a better person and holds himself more accountable to do the right thing, helping others internally and externally. These opportunities for personal growth are often referenced by members of NHS as a primary reason why they join and maintain membership. For such individuals, being part of NHS is about who they are as an individual and being held to higher exceptional standards directly related to their ethical characteristics. For these students, alongside the commitment to service, the moral or virtuous component of serving is parallel to their identity.

Impact on College and Career Opportunities

Colleges want students who are committed to academics, leadership, and community service – three pillars of National Honor Society membership. So they often pepper applications with essay questions that elicit the type of examples students use to demonstrate these key qualities. Being a member garners a recommendation letter from a seasoned educator who knows the student well. There are anecdotal reports of members being admitted to the college of their choice over the many more students who have higher grades and standardized test scores. There are also numerous accounts of current members leveraging their connections to obtain top-tier internships, running start, and dual-credit placements. When they’re ready to start post-graduate internships and job searching, those internships and part-time roles go on their resumes as professional experience. By their senior year of college, they have a leg up in the job market; a post-graduate role might not be that far afield.

About 20% of U.S. high schools host a chapter of National Honor Society. Members gain access to an exclusive network of like-minded peers. Alumni with jobs and companies that are looking to hire can post them for the members who come after them. When students apply to college, a prospective employer can check the application box below that explains that NHS is a selective membership organization associated with a school. At the start of an interview, the employer takes a look at the resume, and the student shares the many more details that reflect NHS ideals. At its core, membership is an honors program. All eligible students have the capacity to state that they’ve maintained a certain grade point average. Their willingness to make the commitment is tied directly to their affinity for and connection to the four pillars. The four main benefits are: scholarships, leadership development, connecting young people with local organizations, and identification as a college and/or prospective employer.

Conclusion and Reflections

While students can spend four years as members of the National Honor Society, the benefits of such engagement can be reaped for much longer. Students in the NHS have many opportunities to grow as scholars and leaders, giving them skills and letting their sense of self develop further before they go out into the world. Membership in the National Honor Society gives students who are heavily involved in academic and other school careers guidance to navigate and perfect their aforementioned skills and outlook. From the encouragement to engage with the community to opportunities with select tutors, the members of the National Honor Society can find success with NHS and beyond. When members were asked about their motivations, whether or not the above-mentioned benefits impacted their choice to join, most agreed that the potential benefits were not the "why" behind their membership. While they all certainly feel they can and have used their experiences in NHS to their advantage, they stand by the personal implications that the four pillars have made on their lives. One senior had wanted to join since junior high and was motivated by the "chance to serve and be a servant leader." Now an NHS president, she sees how her membership and leadership in the society, along with other service clubs, "have assisted in my growth as a person and allowed me to be a positive and well-rounded influence on others in many ways, including prospective career paths." Another senior joined NHS as a sophomore. As a military child, she had witnessed her father, and she knew NHS was the place to combine those talents. "Joining NHS was because I am passionate about serving my community," she said. "I have lived by those moral teachings and naturally helped develop my love for raising money through community service and becoming the co-president. The classes offered for officers in NHS have prepared me for leading people, which is the future job I hope to have."

Did you like this example?

244

10