Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What is the minimum or maximum number of community service hours required for me to submit in the application process?

   • The minimum number of hours is 15, but students may submit more than that. The NHS Faculty Council loves to see more than the minimum!! We suggest 60 hours submitted

2. How far back does my Community Service Count when applying for NHS?  

   • You are allowed to submit hours that you have earned from the day after 8th Grade Graduation up until the day before the deadline of your application. 

3. If I am accepted into NHS, how many hours must I submit each Marking Period? 

   • Those students induction during the 2025-2026 school year will need to complete a total 50 hours prior to June 1, 2026. Current NHS Members will submit 25 hours semester 1 & 25 hours semester 2 to equal the 50 hour community service in addition to attending all HHS NHS events*. Five Hours (5) must be through peer tutoring for the duration of your NHS Membership. Members must submit documentation in the form of Letters of Participation or Certificates of Participation. Please refer to the Bylaws about Probation and Dismissal if a member fails to complete the hours or grade requirements. 

4. What is a Letter of Participation? 

   • A  Letter of Participation is a certified letter for a non-profit organization validating the NHS Member/Prospective Members' hours outside the building. The letter must have official letter head, explanation with dates and times the hours were completed, contact information with a phone number and email and a original signature. This is how hours are submitted/validated for both when applying for NHS and when NHS Members submit hours.

5. What is a Certificate of Participation? 

   • A Certificate of Participation is a certified certificate from one of the many Howell High School volunteer programs (Volunteer Page for info) validating the NHS Member/Prospective Members hours inside the building. The certificate is from an Howell High School Staff member, which explains the service, the hours earns and the dates with a signature from the staff member. This is how hours are submitted/ validated for both when applying for NHS and when NHS Members submit hours.

6. How do I know my Community Service is valid?

   • The FRHSD has created a List of Valid Community Service Organization, which is located in the Volunteer Opportunities Page on our website. These are subject to change from year to year. Please review and make sure your hours are valid. 

7. When applying for NHS, how many recommendations do I need? 

   • You need a total of 7 recommendations which are from Howell High School Teachers/ Guidance/Advisors/Coaches. Any HHS Staff member completing a recommendation must  be provide a Resume with signatures at each achievement listed. The Teacher will complete an online survey sent to their FRHSD Email and will fill out the recommendation. 

8.  When applying for NHS, the two essays must be in what format? 

   • Students applying for NHS must write two essays and are required to meet or exceed the required word count. Students must write in MLA format, submit via  google classroom.  Any paper plagiarized or copied in any way will result in immediate removal from consideration for the candidate AND removal from NHS of the current member, if applicable.

9. Can I Peer Tutor if I am NOT an NHS Member? 

   • Only Current NHS Members can Peer Tutor and earn official hours.

10. If I participate for Relay for Life can I earn NHS Hours? 

    • Attending our Relay for Life event at school does NOT count towards your NHS service hours, as this is simply a school event. However, if you are on the committee, these hours would count as you are helping to plan/run the event.

    • Certain hours in preparation of the event MAY count towards service hours, if you were running an event at a non-profit organization (must be documented properly by the organization) where all of the proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.

12. If I apply as a senior, can I put that I am an NHS member on my college application?

• •  If you apply to NHS during your senior year and are accepted into the program, you are not officially inducted until February/ March.  For any college applications submitted prior to the induction ceremony, you may only indicate that you are a "NHS Candidate".  

13. Do Performances count as community service if it is for a non-profit organization? 

• The NHS Faculty Council does not accept any performances as community service even if it is for a non-profit organization.  Please review the valid hour section of our website. 

14. Does being a Manager of a Sports Team Count as community service? 

• The NHS Faculty Council does not consider managing a team as community service.  Please review the valid hour section of our website.

15. Does donating items count as hours? 

• No donation for hours does not count - in any form (monetary or items). If you run a drive for collection, preparing, organizing, and executing the drive would be considered as service, but #items for hours does not count. Please review the valid hour section of our website.