Per the National Junior Honor Society’s national website:
“The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) elevates a school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. These five pillars have been associated with membership in the organization since its inception in 1929.
Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in NJHS activities. NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, US Territories, and around the world . Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.
As such, NJHS chapters and students are in schools that care not only about student achievement, but also community engagement.
NJHS students and their peers volunteer in their communities at the highest rates and make connecting with and serving within the community a priority.
Five main purposes have guided chapters of NJHS from the beginning: to create enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership; to encourage responsible citizenship; and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.”
In Keller ISD, students can qualify for NJHS as 7th grade students and become members as 8th graders. After the 3rd nine week grading period, 7th graders who have met the GPA requirement (93 cumulative average in core classes with Honors classes weighted) and have satisfactory or exemplary conduct rating not having been assigned ISS or OSS, will receive an email and a physical letter from a campus administrator or NJHS sponsor inviting them to fill out an electronic application. Parents/Guardians of students will also receive notification of their student’s eligibility through email. In this application they will detail their school activities, community involvement, any awards or accomplishments, character traits, and what it means for them to give back to their community. The application also requires two teacher recommendations. Students will be given approximately two weeks to complete the application. After applications are submitted, the campus Faculty Council, consisting of 5 campus staff members (a mixture of core content and at least one elective teacher) will review the applications and score them using the following categories: Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship/Service, and Character. Campus NJHS sponsors do not participate in the application scoring process.
Students who score at least a 9 on the rubric are recommended as members by the faculty council, and they and their parents/guardians are informed by email and physical letter. They are inducted into NJHS through a ceremony in May of their 7th grade year, with expectation for them to be active members as 8th graders.
Students who transfer/move into Timberview their 8th grade year need to provide signed documentation from their previous sponsor showing that they were inducted into NJHS at their previous school in order to be members of the Timberview NJHS chapter.
There are many benefits to being selected to be in the National Junior Honor Society. Some of the benefits
include:
o Membership in a nationally recognized Honor Society.
o Local recognition for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
o Chapter activities that provide students with opportunities to cultivate those ideals within
themselves, their school, and their community.
o Leadership training opportunities.
o Programs that recognize students for their leadership and scholarship achievements.
o Preparation for National Honor Society at the high school level. (Please note that acceptance
and/or participation in the National Junior Honor Society does not guarantee selection for National Honor Society at the high school level.)
Mrs.Christi Littlefield (christi.littlefield@kellerisd.net) is the sponsor of the Timberview NJHS chapter.