Bigger is better; at least for the National Honor Society it is.
On Monday, February 17th, 208 new members were inducted into the National Honor Society (NHS). 178 of these new members were juniors and 30 were seniors. This year, the NHS inducted more people than it had before. With the junior class having around 620 students, 100 more than the average class size; it was inevitable that the NHS would grow.
“I anticipated we would have more members this year because the Class of 2015 is one of the biggest classes in general. We had a lot of good candidates,” said NHS sponsor and guidance counselor Jeff Stahl.
Being accepted into the National Honor Society is a huge accomplishment. Even though there is no cap number on the number of members, new members are selected based on four characteristics: Service, Leadership, Scholarship, and Character. Before they can be inducted, members with a 3.5 GPA or higher are invited to apply. The process includes filling out a rigorous and time-consuming application.
“[The application process] was a lot of work but at least it shows that you are committed. It is such a great honor to be inducted to such a prestigious group,” said junior Catherine Pendry.
Lastly, the students are chosen to become members. A committee of five teachers looks at each application anonymously and selects the qualified candidates who represent the four characteristics of the National Honor Society.
“It’s great [how big the society is] and it shows that people are willing to take the time to join a society that focuses on helping the community and inside or outside of school,” said senior and NHS president Jei-Si Ang.
The induction ceremony took place in the auditorium, and a reception for inductees was held afterwards in Spartan Hall. Math teacher Duke Baird, a WS alum, was selected as the speaker by the current NHS officers. He gave an inspirational speech to all of the new inductees.
“We thought Mr. Baird would be an interesting speaker and everybody loves Mr. Baird,” said senior and NHS officer Andrew Han.
The NHS induction ceremony emphasized and explained the characteristics of the society to the family members and friends in the audience. As each of the 208 names was called, each member was congratulated as they walked across the stage, shook hands with administrators, and received a certificate. With over 200 new members, the NHS will be able to offer more service to the school and community this year and the following year to come.
“[The size] is a good thing since we do so much stuff. The more members we have the better because we are able to honor all the commitments and help out more,” said Stahl.
The National Honor Society is the biggest society here at WS. Holding meetings will be difficult, but the NHS has six great officers and a president. Speaking to current members is hard enough as is, let alone speaking with over 200 new members present.
“I think I’m going to need a microphone,” said Ang.