What is the National Honor Society?

National Honor Society is a membership across the world that marks students’ achievements. The National Honor Society empowers children by using its four pillars which include scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

What is the history of the National Honor Society?

The National Honor Society was originally founded by the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1921. Along with the National Honor Society, the National Association of Secondary School Principals also founded the National Junior Honor Society, National Student Council and National Elementary Honor Society.

What does the National Honor Society do?

National Honor Society members on average contribute 1,000 hours of school/community services, $26,000 for charitable donations, 1,000 pounds of food to local, state, and sometimes even national causes and 100 pints of blood.

What does the National Honor Society teach me?

The National Honor Society was designed to empower and equip the future generation. National Honor Society teaches students lessons and skills to transform them from your average student into a leader.

What do the four pillars represent?

The first pillar is scholarship; scholarship is the commitment to learn.

The second pillar is character. Character is the principle of morality and ethics. This includes but is not limited to honesty, reliability, courtesy, concern, respect for others, trustworthiness, punctuality, fairness, caring and making the right choices and decisions.

The third pillar is leadership. Leadership is taking initiative both in and outside of the classroom. Leaders keep moving forward even when they are being held back. Leaders strive to guide and help others when reaching a common goal.

The last pillar is service. Service is giving back to your school or community without any compensation.

What’s the application process?

The application process is quite extensive due to the fact that it is very hard to embody what these students may look like. There are four steps to the application process to help collect data and make cut-offs.

Step 1) Scholarship: You have to have a 3.8 GPA. The reason why ADM sets the GPA requirement so high is because according to Mrs. Miller, we are such a high-achieving school. “For example, this year, 265 students qualified just on GPA,” she shared.

Step 2) Application: After meeting the GPA requirement, students are sent an application form to fill out asking them questions about the activities they are involved in, different positions they hold in and outside of school, as well as different services they take part in.

Step 3) Essay: If students have decided to fill out the application, the next step in the process is to write the essay. The essay asks students how they are humble, hungry or smart, and if they do not feel like they are, how will they work to become humble, hungry or smart.

Step 4) Interviews: After Mrs. Miller collects the data from the application and the essays, students who have met the cut-off, the cut-off being set by a committee of five teachers, will begin the interview process. Students will interview with a different committee of five teachers of Mr. Griebel’s choosing. The committee of five will then come together again and begin selecting students to be inducted into The National Honor Society.

What happens if I don’t make the cut-off?

A committee of five teachers of Mr. Griebel’s choosing comes together to discuss where they believe the cut-off should be on the list that Mrs. Miller has created from the data she has gathered. Students who do not make the cut will receive a formal letter letting them know they were not chosen and the areas they should work on so they can re-apply the following school year.

What does the induction process look like?

After the committee has chosen the new members, a ceremony is held at ADM High School. The ceremony consists of a guest speaker and a speech by the president of the society (this year’s president is Tom Hook). The new members will also deliver the pledge that comes from the national headquarters. New members will be recognized by their names, parents, activities, a favorite quote or hero if they are a sophomore or junior and their plans for next year if they are a senior.

What are the requirements to become a National Honor Society member?

The only set requirement is the GPA requirement, but The National Honor Society is looking for a well-rounded student. They are looking for someone who falls under each pillar. The National Honor Society wants someone who participates in service work, someone who has held some leadership position or has shown leadership and someone who is involved in their school and community.