Chapter Bylaws

Minimum Requirements for Service:  The student must complete 5 hours from the BPS Faculty Council Approved List with an additional 10 hours from First-Tier Community Service or Second-Tier Community Service (the majority of those 10 hours, should be First-Tier hours to receive a "2" on the Selection Rubric.)

BPS Faculty Council Approved Organization LIST (these hours are also considered First-Tier Community Service Hours)

The Faculty Council requires 5 hours of Service from this approved list.  This is seen as a strong dedication to community service. 

These are the organizations approved by the National Honor Society Faculty Councils of BHS, CHS, & LHS  from which five service hours are mandatory in order to apply for membership.  The additional ten of the total fifteen required hours (the majority of these 10 hours, should be First-Tier hours) may be from this list and/or any other verifiable Tier 1 or Tier 2 hours “defined through the voluntary contributions made by a student to the school or community, done without compensation."

• 1. Abused Adult Resource Center (Seeds of Hope)    701-222-8370

  2. American Cancer Society    701-226-0756 or heidi.herrington@cancer.org

  3. American Legion  / Open Your Hearts  701-751-4096 

  4. American Red Cross    701-223-6700

  5. Amvets of Bismarck 701-258-8324

  6. Bis-Man Mentor Squad 701-222-0797

  7. Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library 701-355-1480

  8. Brave The Shave  701-258-2797

  9. Burleigh County Senior Center 701-255-4648

  10. Carrie's Kids  https://carrieskids.com/volunteer

  11. Central Dakota Humane Society 701-667-2020 (may require a minimum of 10 hours minimum)

  12. Closet (701)  701-751-1468

  13. Dakota Zoo    701- 222-1758

  14. Dakota Children's Advocacy Center   701-323-5626

  15. Dream Center (The Banquet) 701-955-2150 

  16. Elk's Lodge 701-255-1199

  17. Fraternal Order of the Eagles 701-223-2045

  18. Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue  https://furryfriendsrockinrescue.org/  (need to click on Volunteer Button) 

  19. God’s Child Project    701-255-7596

  20. Good Samaritan    701- 232-1428

  21. Great Plains Food Bank https://www.greatplainsfoodbank.org/take-action/volunteer/  (*** need to take this before you can volunteer) 701-476-9130 

  22. Heart River Bridges of Hope 701-595-3962

  23. Heaven’s Helpers Soup Café    701-226-2325

  24.  I Can Shine “Swim, Bike, Dance” (Designer Genes) – https://icanshine.org  - search Bismarck, ND

  25. Kiwanis Club of Bismarck bismarckkiwanis.org

  26. Lincoln Community Cupboard 701-391-4652 or Miranda.petc@gmail.com

  27. Meals on Wheels    701- 222-4181

  28. Ministry on the Margins 701-400-7887

  29. Moose Lodge #302 (701) 224-8326 

  30. Northland Pace Senior Center 701-751-3050

  31. Rotary Club of Bismarck bismarckrotary@gmail.com

  32. RSVP 701-258-5449

  33. Ruth Meier’s Hospitality    701-222-2108

  34. Salvation Army    701-223-1889

  35. Sanford Health Junior Volunteer   701-323-6000 (volunteer orientation mandatory-10 hours minimum requirement)

  36. Shriners International www.elzagaldusters.com

  37. Special Olympics    701-746-0331 (Grand Forks is the main office, however, events happen in Bismarck-Mandan)

  38. St. Alexius    701-530-7000  (volunteer orientation mandatory-10 hours minimum requirement)

  39. TR 4 Heart and Soul  701- 367-6136

  40. Tutoring Program at a BPS middle or elementary school, or verified through the Campus Volunteer Program at any of the High Schools (not connected with a class)  refer to the Counseling Office at your school

  41. United Way    701- 255-3601

*If you are employed by any of the above organizations, you may not receive volunteer hours from that organization.

**Hours may not be signed by any relative.

***This list is non-negotiable and will be revisited annually by the Bismarck Public School’s NHS Faculty Councils. 

First-Tier Community Service

The Faculty Council will give the most weight to First-Tier Community Service. This is seen as the most dedicated form of community service.

• • Involvement with local and national non-profit organizations such as March of Dimes, Relay for Life, Open Your Heart, Heritage Center, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, Seeds of Hope Thrift Store, Tracy’s Sanctuary House, Ronald McDonald House, etc.

  • Tutoring through a tutoring program at a middle or elementary school, or verified through the Campus Volunteer Program at any of the High Schools

  • Volunteering with Bismarck, Century, or Legacy High School’s National Honor Society Club

  • Serving through a mission trip

  • Serving through a club whose purpose is to serve the community (For example, working with Key Club or another group to put together food baskets for the Open Your Heart Campaign)

  • Working as a candy striper, singing or playing in a nursing home

  • Working as an unpaid coach with a youth league through Bismarck Parks and Recreation or the YMCA. (However, if the student is employed with Bismarck Parks and Rec or the YMCA, then this will not count for service hours. A student cannot earn hours through an organization with which he or she is regularly compensated.

Second-Tier Community Service

The Faculty Council will give more weight First-Tier Community Service than to Second-Tier Community Service.  Nevertheless, this sort of service is still seen as valuable and will count towards one's 15 minimum service hours.

• • Volunteering with one's high school sports team/music groups (line judges, score-keepers, etc.)

  • Volunteering for the school boosters or for your sports team (concessions stands, Papa's Pumpkin Patch, Camps, etc)

  • Serving a church, such as teaching classes or playing music, or serving the community through a church

Third-Tier Community Service ~ THESE DO NOT COUNT, and could result in a zero on the Selection Rubric (below.)

The Faculty Council will not consider Third-Tier Community Service as valid service for induction into the National Honor Society.  Although Third-Tier Community Service is still important, Third-Tier service cannot count toward one's 15 minimum hours. THESE are hours that just makes you all round a good person and neighbor.

• • Helping a teacher or coach with tasks they need completed.

  • Helping a parent, family member,  friend or neighbor with chores or job-related tasks, e.g., shoveling snow or raking leaves.

  • Babysitting for family members or friends

  • Fulfilling court-mandated community service

  • Any hours that could be paid hours but you choose not to be paid

  • Ayny hours that are completed in order to NOT have to pay a required participation fee, e.g., BHB Hockey Dibs.

  • Student managing for a sports team

  • Volunteering for a class.  Example:  Volunteering for Medical Related Careers, or earning points for Teen Court.

  • Performing or participating in school, community, church musicals or plays (ex. Sleepy Hollow) and sports activities (ex. football, basketball, etc), this would be considered as the Leadership/Involvement on the Selection Rubric.

  • Attending club meetings, unless one is performing service for a community non-profit organization

  • Working at one’s job or a profit-making business for free

  • Campaign efforts for candidates

  • Any type of musical performances required for a GRADE or a part of the Leadership/Involvement Pillar

The Chapter Adviser and Faculty Council

Bismarck/Century/Legacy High School Faculty Councils

As per national requirements, the Bismarck/Century/Legacy High Schools’ Faculty Councils shall consist of five voting faculty members appointed each year by the high school principal. Faculty Council members may serve more than one term if they continue to be chosen by the principal. The chapter adviser(s) shall be ex-officio, non-voting member(s) of the Faculty Council, will provide information from the prospective members, and strive to keep the process fair and consistent. No principal or assistant principal may serve as a member of the Faculty Council or attend the selection meeting as per the National Constitution. Decisions of the Faculty Council, once approved by the principal, become final.

The Faculty Council is responsible for the final decisions regarding selection and non-selection of students for membership into the National Honor Society. They shall meet at least once per year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members, and to consider non-selection, dismissal, and other disciplinary actions that may occur due to students falling below the standards required to maintain membership. The Bismarck, Century, and Legacy High Schools’ Faculty Councils will review the bylaws, make changes as needed, and vote to accept the bylaws each year.

The Chapter Adviser

According to national requirements, advisers do not and cannot have a vote in the meeting at which new members are selected. Therefore, they have no part in the final selection or non-selection of new members. As mentioned by the previous section and in national guidelines, the sole role of the adviser is to collect and present the information submitted by students to the Faculty Council and to ensure a fair and consistent process. The Bismarck/Century/Legacy High Schools adviser collects the forms submitted online, compiles the information, and presents it to the Faculty Council for consideration of membership.

For current members, the Bismarck/Century/Legacy High School Faculty Councils will rely on the adviser to review the documentation and online forms of students who wish to maintain membership. The chapter adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with NHS standards and obligations. If students are found to no longer meet the requirements, the adviser notifies the Faculty Council for possible dismissal. (See dismissal section.)

Chapter advisers may also act as liaison between faculty, administration, members, and community. They serve as advisers of the school-based NHS club and work to help students get involved in their community through service work. They hold regular meetings, with the assistance of the elected NHS officers, to plan volunteer projects and the induction ceremony.

Continuing to Retain Membership in National Honor Society (Once Inducted)

Once students are awarded membership, their membership comes with the obligation to continue to meet and/or exceed minimum requirements and challenge themselves to continue to grow in all four criteria. They were initially chosen based on their outstanding accomplishments in all four criteria and are expected to maintain that exemplary status in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character and service. Since the main focus of National Honor Society is to provide service to the school and community, students are expected to continue and to expand their service work within the community.

Bismarck/Century/Legacy High School National Honor Society members are responsible for the following requirements in order to maintain good standing:

• Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5, verified at the end of the semester

• Make good decisions in and out of school to demonstrate outstanding character and leadership.

• Take on leadership roles in their activities, when possible

• Continuing to perform and document 15 hours of service to their community from March 1st to the deadline on the last day in February.

To maintain active membership, students are required to submit an online form, again noting their continued involvement in activities as well as continued service to the community. The service log must have at least 15 hours of documented and acceptable service as per the bylaw description. It should again be uploaded digitally and linked to their online submission. The submission for continued membership will be reviewed by the adviser and does not need approval from the Faculty Council. If a student should fail to meet the minimum requirements for membership under which they were initially selected, the student may be considered for dismissal from National Honor Society. See the Discipline and Dismissal section of this document for details regarding this process.

Resignation, Dismissal, or Transfer of Membership

NHS Member Resignation

Members may choose to resign from NHS, however, by doing so, they will never again be eligible for membership or its benefits. To resign, the student must submit to a written statement to the chapter adviser that is dated and signed by both the student and his or her parents or guardians. Verbal resignations are insufficient.

Discipline and Dismissal of Members

The Faculty Council is responsible for creating a procedure for the discipline and dismissal of members once they have been selected. The Bismarck/Century/Legacy High School Faculty Council will rely on the adviser to review the documentation and online forms of students who wish to maintain membership. If student documentation is insufficient or information shows that the student did not continue to maintain the criteria used for selection, then the Faculty Council may begin the Dismissal Process. If the Faculty Council decides by a majority vote that dismissal is warranted, the adviser will notify the member, his or her parents, and the principal in writing of the violation, and then the student will dismissed from membership. If a student is dismissed or resigns from membership, he or she is never again eligible for membership. Decisions regarding dismissal are made by the Faculty Council and the student shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council.

The possible reasons for dismissal include:

• Failure to Meet the 3.5 Scholarship Criteria: If a member's GPA drops below a 3.5 cumulative average, the student will be notified in writing and placed on probation. The student will have one semester to bring his/her grades up to the National Honor Society standards or face dismissal.

• Incomplete or Insufficient Evidence of Meeting Leadership/Involvement and Service Criteria: If a student’s submission does not show that the student has maintained their involvement and service to his or her school and community as described in our four requirements for continued membership (15 hours of service, continued involvement in school and outside activities, and leadership within those activities), he or she will be warned in writing and given two weeks to re-submit information.

• Character Violations: In the case of flagrant violations of school and activity rules, the school’s Code of Conduct, or civil laws, a member will be dismissed without necessarily being warned. A warning in such instances is not required by the National Constitution. Students will automatically be dismissed if an NHS member is arrested and convicted or found to engage in a major violation of school policy.

Transfer of Membership

According to the national guidelines, if a National Honor Society member transfers to another school and wishes to continue their membership, he or she needs to obtain a letter from the principal or adviser verifying that he or she is a member in good standing. In doing so, he or she shall automatically be accepted as a member of the new school's chapter. However, if the new school has different requirements for its members, “transfer members must meet the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership” (Article VIII, section 6). Students who transfer to Bismarck, Century, and Legacy High School and fail to meet the chapter's standards by the end of one semester may be eligible to be considered for new membership the following year, but must complete the selection process like any other new member.

NHS Club Chapter Officers and the Election Procedure

At the end of the school year, the National Honor Society members are given the opportunity to vote for next year’s officers for the chapter. Potential officers must submit their name for consideration as an officer candidate at a meeting called by the adviser. Each potential candidate will complete an Officer Application, stating their intention to run for office as well as obtaining the required letters of reference. An election meeting will be called and eligible voters include sophomore and junior current members as well as current officers, regardless of grade level. To vote, eligible voters must be present at the election meeting. During the election meeting, potential candidates will present a 2-3 minute speech about their qualifications and ideas for community service and student involvement. In an effort to maintain fairness, other candidates should not be present in the room during another’s speech. A vote will then take place and the student that obtains the majority of votes will be awarded the officer position. In the case of three or more candidates, the candidate with the lowest vote total will be thrown out and a re-vote is cast. In the case of a tie, the adviser may ask a prepared question of each candidate and then a re-vote is cast. If a person is not elected at their chosen position, he or she has the option of running for another position.

Not all officer positions need to be filled. If a student volunteers to fill a position that is not filled during the election meeting in the spring, another election need not be held. The officers may vote to accept the student’s interest in the position and vote him or her into the officer board. In the case where several students come forward to volunteer, then an election will need to be held.

The following is a list of each officer's duties. Duties may slightly change, as directed by the adviser.

Elected Officers:

1) President

• Presides over all meetings

• Formulates an agenda prior to meetings (if necessary)

• Appoints chair people and serves on all committees

• Organizes a year-long calendar available to all members of the board

2) Vice-President

• Distributes the minutes to all absent officers

• Acts as President in the absence of the President

• Acts as the liaison between committees and the President

3) Secretary

• Takes attendance at meetings

• Takes minutes of meetings and decisions

• Passes the minutes to the Vice-President

4) Public Relations

• Is responsible for the club’s advertising which may include making arrangements with the student publications and daily announcements or creating posters to advertise events.

5) Historian

• keeps the minutes, pictures, and logs of the club’s activities

Non-Elected Officers, Active Members at Large:

• Participate and assume leadership with committees in activities and meetings