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national honor society
The National Honor Society was founded in 1921. J.G. Masters proposed a national organization whose "objectives were to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership and to encourage the development of character in the nation’s secondary school students." Supported by Principal Edward Rynearson, often considered to be the founder of the National Honor Society, Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., was the first high school to be awarded a charter.
Membership
Membership in local chapters is an honor bestowed upon a student. Membership is also a responsibility. Selection for membership is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
A NHS member who transfers from another school and brings a letter from the former principal or chapter adviser to the new school adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school’s chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Members can be dismissed for failure to maintain the four qualities as listed above or violation of said qualities. Once dismissed, they are no longer eligible for membership.
Eligibility
Candidates must be a member of the sophomore, junior or senior class. Candidates must have been in attendance at the school for the equivalent of one semester. Candidates must have a cumulative scholastic average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership and character. Selection of candidates is by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. Members who fall below the standards which were the basis for their selection, shall be warned in writing and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency. In the case of flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned.
Activities
Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year. All members shall regularly participate in these projects (designated Group Projects). Group Project hours should total a minimum of 10 (ten) hours per semester. Each member shall also have the responsibility for choosing and participating in a service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute (designated Individual Projects). The Individual Project hours should total a minimum of 10 (ten) hours for sophomores, 20 (twenty) hours for juniors and 30 (thirty) hours for seniors per semester. All Projects must have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and the faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; and be well planned, organized, and executed.
Calvary Christian School Chapter
of the
National Honor Society
Calvary Christian School has maintained membership in the National Honor Society for many years. Over 70 students have accepted the invitation to join the Calvary chapter of the NHS. Members enjoy the opportunity to participate in numerous and varied group projects throughout the year such as Family Fun Fest, Walk for Life, Auction, Winfield House, New Hope Center, Hosea House, Teacher Appreciation Week, Elementary Academic Team, and the Tutoring Program. Individual projects allow the students the freedom to choose a project or activity in their school or community and serve where they have a special interest or talent. Students have chosen to participate in activities such as Habitat for Humanity, lawn mowing and raking leaves for elderly neighbors, the Tower Program, church projects, soup kitchens, and many more.
Group projects are approved by Dr. Bill Dickens, but are chosen and voted on by the National Honor Society members themselves who are encouraged to look for and suggest possible projects to be considered. Some new projects this year have been the addition of Winfield House, where students have the opportunity to plan and participate in worship activities with the children as well as plan and participate in a game time/craft time with the students, both activities on a weekly basis. Another project added this year has been the opportunity to participate in packing clothes at a local church to send to needy people in Romania.
Students at Calvary Christian School have the opportunity, through their participation in the National Honor Society, to step forward in their school and community and actively make a difference. At the same time, they develop leadership qualities and experiences that help to equip them to achieve not only academically, but in life as well. Student membership in the National Honor Society is not a right but rather a privilege and is to be considered both an honor and a commitment on the part of the members and their families. School membership in the National Honor Society is an honor and commitment on the part of the principal, adviser and teachers to help guide and direct the students in their development in all four areas of leadership, character, service and scholarship.
