National Honor Society

Last updated
National Honor Society
Formation1921;103 years ago (1921)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Location
  • United States
Parent organization
 National Association of Secondary School Principals
Website www.nationalhonorsociety.org

The National Honor Society (NHS) is one of the oldest, largest, and most widely recognized co-curricular student organizations in American high schools. [1] More than 1.4 million students are members of the NHS. [2]

Contents

The purpose of the NHS is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. [3] [4]

Membership in local NHS chapters is an honor bestowed upon a student by a Faculty Council and is based on the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities. [5]

History

The National Honor Society was established on March 1, 1921 by Dr. Edward Rynearson, a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), which is the parent organization of the NHS. [6] Rynearson, then the principal of Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, PA, envisioned an organization that would balance academics and athletics while emphasizing the role of high schools as a foundation for democracy. Prior to the establishment of the NHS, numerous local and regional honor societies existed, but the NHS was the first organization of its kind with a national scope. [7]

Since its inception, the NHS has expanded significantly, with over 17,000 active chapters across the United States and beyond. [8]

In 1929, the NHS furthered its reach by introducing the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) for middle school students. This expansion was complemented in 2008 with the creation of the National Elementary Honor Society, a collaboration between the NASSP and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), aimed at elementary school students. [9]

The NHS operates through a decentralized model, granting autonomy to local chapters for innovation and adaptation within the framework of the NHS National Constitution. This approach allows chapters to address specific local needs while adhering to the overarching principles of the organization. [10]

The operational management of the NHS is overseen by the NASSP, with strategic guidance provided by the NASSP Board of Directors. This structure ensures the continuity of Rynearson's vision and the organization's impact on students' lives. [11]

Membership

National Honor Society chapters operate in all 50 states, territories, and many schools around the world, engaging and serving more than 1.4 million students. Each year, the average NHS chapter contributes: [12]

Scholarship

Since 1946, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has awarded more than $23 million in scholarships to outstanding NHS seniors. Each year, NASSP awards $2 million in scholarships to 600 students, including 1 National Winner ($25,000), 4 NHS Pillar Winners ($10,625) 20 national finalists ($5,625 each), and 575 national semifinalists ($3,200 each). [13] Scholarship recipients are selected based on their demonstration of the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. [14]

Parent and sister organizations

Notable members

NameChapterState
Aikman, Troy Henryetta High SchoolOK
Alda, Alan St. Thomas More High SchoolNY
Cohen, William Bangor High School ME
Couric, Katie Yorktown High School VA
Crawford, Cindy DeKalb High School IL
Dole, Elizabeth Salisbury High School NC
Estefan, Gloria Our Lady of Lourdes Academy FL
Fey, Tina Upper Darby High School PA
Phillips, Stone Parkway West High School MO
Rogers, Fred Latrobe High SchoolPA
Stewart, Jon Lawrence High School NJ
Streep, Meryl Bernards High School NJ
Underwood, Carrie Checotah High SchoolOK

[16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Harris College</span> Private liberal arts college in Georgia, U.S.

Young Harris College is a private Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college in Young Harris, Georgia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigma Tau Delta</span> Student honor society

Sigma Tau Delta (ΣΤΔ) is a US-based, international honor society for students of English at four-year colleges and universities who are within the top 30% of their class and have a 3.5 GPA or higher. It presently has over 770 chapters in the United States and abroad. The organization inducts over 7500 new members annually, and is the largest honors organization in its field and one of the largest members of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha Chi</span> American collegiate honor society

Alpha Chi National College Honor Society is an American collegiate honor society recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was formed in 1922 by nineteen schools in the state of Texas; however, the first official meeting to discuss the founding of an intercollegiate honor society, held on February 22, 1922, only saw five schools represented. Since then it has expanded to 300 chapters throughout the United States. It is an open society that invites university juniors, seniors, and graduate students who are in the top 10 percent of their class into its ranks.

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is an international student organization that consists of chapters in middle schools. The NJHS was founded by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and today has chapters in the United States, other U.S. territories, and around the world. To be considered for membership, applicants must reach the five standards which include leadership, citizenship, character, service, and scholarship. The National Junior Honor Society recognizes students who exemplify leadership and citizenship, as well as provide educational opportunities. For the scholarship standard, the student scholar must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 from a scale of 4.0. This, however, can vary between schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Village Christian School (California)</span> Private, coeducational school in Sun Valley, California, United States

Village Christian School (VCS) is a private, K-12 Christian school located in Sun Valley, Los Angeles, California.

Southwestern Educational Society ("SESO") is a private, English language school in Mayagüez, a western municipality in Puerto Rico that was founded in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Hope High School</span> Public school in Cary, North Carolina, US

Green Hope High School is a secondary school located at 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road in Cary, North Carolina. It is a part of the Wake County Public School System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrison Central High School (Mississippi)</span> Public school in the United States

Harrison Central High School is a 6A public high school located near Lyman, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020–21 school year, it has a student body of 1,622 students and 144 faculty. The principal is Kelly Fuller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wando High School</span> High school in South Carolina, United States

Wando High School is a public high school within the Charleston County School District, located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, United States. The school serves students living in Mount Pleasant and other suburban portions of eastern Charleston County. Established in 1973, the school was re-built in 2004 to accommodate the town's rapid growth during the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pi Sigma Alpha</span> American honor society

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political and social sciences in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) and adheres to all the standards set by ACHS for an upper-division, specialized honor society. Pi Sigma Alpha is not a social fraternity or club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Society of Collegiate Scholars</span> American student honor society

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a national non-profit academic honor society for college students in the United States. NSCS has active chapters at nearly 300 colleges and universities in the United States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Norwell High School is a public secondary school accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). It is located in Norwell, Massachusetts, United States. The school includes approximately 50 full-time teachers. Its students consistently score above state and national averages on the SAT and other standardized tests, and on average, 97% of students from each graduating class at Norwell High School continue on to post-secondary education.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is a national organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. The association currently serves more than 27,000 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kappa Delta Pi</span> American honor society for education

Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), Honor Society in Education, was founded in 1911. KDP was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. Its membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering the field of education.

Addison Community Schools is a Class D-sized K-12 educational facility in northwest Lenawee County, Michigan.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States' largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. The program was created in 1995 by Prudential in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level.

Brandon High School is a public secondary school located in Ortonville, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kappa Alpha Pi (professional)</span> Gender-inclusive pre-law fraternity

Kappa Alpha Pi (ΚΑΠ) or KAPi is a gender-inclusive pre-law fraternity that started at the University of Michigan.

West Boylston Middle/High School is a public high school located in West Boylston, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2012 rankings of U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools, West Boylston Middle/High School ranked at #41 within Massachusetts. The school serves grades 6-12 with a student to teacher ratio of 13:1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American School Foundation of Guadalajara</span> School in Mexico

The American School Foundation of Guadalajara is a bilingual private school offering academic programs in dual languages English and Spanish from primary to high school. As the only U.S. State Department accredited school in Guadalajara, graduates receive both a Mexican and a U.S. Diploma. The Mexican Diploma is certified by the Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Mexico (UNAM) and the Secretaría de Educación Jalisco (SEJ) as the State’s Federal Institution in charge of Education.

References

  1. ↑ "National Honor Society | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  2. ↑ "About". NHS. 2017-01-17. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  3. ↑ "National Honor Society / History of Organization". www.fortbendisd.com. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  4. ↑ "NHS National Constitution". NHS. 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  5. ↑ "NHS National Constitution". NHS. 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  6. ↑ "National Honor Society | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  7. ↑ "The History of NHS". NHS. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  8. ↑ "The History of NHS". NHS. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  9. ↑ "The History of NHS". NHS. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  10. ↑ "The History of NHS". NHS. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  11. ↑ "The History of NHS". NHS. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  12. ↑ "About". NHS. 2017-01-17. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  13. ↑ "Most Recent Winners". NHS. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  14. ↑ "The NHS Scholarship". NHS. 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  15. ↑ "NHS". www.nhs.us.
  16. ↑ "Famous NHS Members". NHS. 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.