The New NHS Kids on the Block

On April 15, 81 juniors and three seniors were inducted into the Hillcrest Chapter of the National Honor Society at Jamesville-Dewitt High School. The ceremony was held at 7 p.m. in the Osbourne Auditorium. NHS is an organization for teenagers who participate in community service and demonstrate academic strength, leadership skills, and character.

According to NHS advisors Simone Pacilio and Maria Passage, students are selected for NHS based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Students must submit paperwork and an essay that show how they demonstrate the four criteria, according to Sra. Passage. Students must also have a weighted grade point average of 90 in order to meet the academic requirement.

Most students who are eligible for NHS are contacted during their junior year. They submit application information to NHS advisors, but the advisors don't decide who will be admitted. "We have a faculty council that makes the decision," Sra. Passage explains. The council includes one member from each department in the building. In the admissions process NHS advisors are "the mediators," Sra. Pacilio says.

Once students are admitted into NHS, they must fulfill specific requirements as members. NHS members are required to complete 30 hours of service: 15 in-school hours and 15 out-of-school hours. Students in NHS are also expected to maintain a 90 average throughout the year. NHS members are required to "keep the nose clean" and stay out of trouble, says Sra. Pacilio. Most NHS members are inducted at the end of their junior year, but the work and membership duties essentially begin in their senior year, says Sra. Passage.

The NHS advisors have advice for students who want to become NHS members in the future. "The people who are interested need to become interested in ninth grade," says Sra. Passage, but Sra. Pacilio adds that it's not too late for older students. The advisors suggest that students look for volunteer opportunities in the community. There are tutoring opportunities, charity walks, and other events that always need volunteers. Sra. Pacilio recommends that students visit their school counselors to see what community service opportunities are available to them. Both advisors agree that students need to work hard to keep their grades up if they'd like to join NHS in the future.

Photo courtesy of nhs.us.