FAQ

What is NHS?

“The National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor those students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character” (nationalhonorsociety.org).   

Eligibility

The initial screening process for the Northwest High School NHS identifies all junior and senior students who have earned and maintained at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA throughout their high school careers. To arrive at this point in the selection process, you have had to work very hard throughout all of your courses to demonstrate such outstanding scholarship!

So, what’s next?

As noted above, NHS is about much more than simply academics.  Service, leadership, and character are also important elements that will be involved as the NWHS Faculty Council makes decisions about those who will be chosen to be a part of our school’s next class of NHS students.  

Because these characteristics are much more subjective than a grade-point average, we need you to fill us in on what you have been up to.  If you are interested in NHS and think you may fit the requirements, fill out an application on the online Canvas site (provided to eligible students via Parent/StudentSquare after the Fall semester).  Fill out this application as completely as you possibly can—no need to be modest here, because the committee may not be aware of all of your involvements.  Tell us anything you think may qualify—we can sort it out from there.  The application asks you to especially emphasize your service and leadership activities. 

When you speak of service/leadership/character, what exactly do you mean?

These are the definitions of the other three characteristics that are a part of the selection process (excluding scholarship), as they appear on the national NHS website and from the National Association of Secondary Principals. All of these are given equal weight and consideration by the selection committee. It is the applicant's job to make the selection committee aware of these things. 

Service: This quality is defined as the voluntary contributions made by a student to the school or community, without direct financial, academic, or material compensation to the individual performing the service. 

Leadership: Student leaders are often viewed as those students who are resourceful, good problem solvers, involved in and promoters of school activities, idea contributors, dependable, and who are both organized and organizers. Experiences to be considered under the leadership criterion can include activities that originate in the school, the community, or both, as determined by the local chapter. Participation and giving back to the students’ school is held in high regard

Character: The student of good character can be said to be one who upholds principles of morality and ethics; is cooperative and responsible; demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability; shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others; and is a good citizen. Local chapters consider the values and traditions of both the local school and community when defining the character criterion. 

What else is considered in the selection process?

In addition to the packet of information you will be filing out for the committee to consider, you will be in charge of seeking three individuals as references. Two of these must be teachers whom you have had in class (not staff). These should be teachers who have had you in grades 10 and above. You may select one additional person for reference as well, who is not a teacher (coach, boss, etc.). All three of your references can be from teachers, but at least two must be. 

These individuals will fill out reference forms to give our selection committee a better understanding of you as a person, specifically in the areas of character, service, and leadership.  The people who have worked most closely with you have a great idea as to what you are capable of and can provide the selection committee with some additional information that will be of great assistance in the selection process. 

Consider who is best qualified to speak on your behalf. 

Please note, each year teachers comment that they receive reference forms from students whom they do not know that well or have only had in class for a short time. Consider this when you select your reference. 

Selection is determined by a faculty committee. This includes a variety of teachers from different content areas. They will examine each student application individually, as well as the student’s references, and other information that has been provided by staff. Acceptance is based on a majority vote. The NHS advisors and no individual committee member has the ability to deny or accept students alone; it is a full committee decision. 

What is the timeline for all of this?

--Early February, eligible students (juniors and seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher) will receive information about how to apply.

--Applications are due in early March (specific date noted on application). No exceptions will be made for this deadline. Please work ahead to avoid any potential problems with submission. 

--The selection committee will meet in mid-March to discuss the packets provided by the students and the information provided via the recommendations and to make decisions based on the information gathered. The members of the selection committee are made up of staff members and are kept confidential. Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Bechtum will then inform the students of their selections; this generally happens around the end of third term. Please refrain from seeking out a response on your own; all students are notified at the same time. 

--The decisions of the selection committee will be communicated shortly after the committee finishes deliberating.  Students will then be asked to accept or decline admission into the organization, and to RSVP as to their availability to attend the induction ceremony (date and time TBD).  

--The induction ceremony will be held at the beginning of April. 

Once we are in, what do we do?

As members of NHS, you will be asked to involve yourself in various service and leadership opportunities throughout the course of the next academic year.  We will have several of these activities scheduled throughout the year, and there will be expectations for minimum participation in order to be recognized at graduation.  Since this is a student leadership group, we rely heavily on the members to organize and set up these events. Students should not rely on the chapter advisors to organize opportunities for them; this is a leadership group, and they are expected to lead in it. 

Once selected for the NHS, you have a duty to maintain the four pillars upon which you were selected for membership—scholarship, service, character, and leadership.  Significant faltering in any of these areas could potentially lead to your membership being revoked.  You will sign a code of conduct agreement upon your selection to the group, and you may be dismissed from the group if you are in violation of this code of conduct. All students are expected to uphold the NWHS Code of Conduct. This information is available in the NWHS bylaws, which would be made available upon request. 

What if I don’t make it?

Often, a student interested in being selected for NHS may not be viewed by the selection committee as meeting the criteria for selection due to a lack of experience in either the leadership or service category; these students are encouraged to work on these areas over the next year and re-submit their information during their senior year, given that they also maintain the minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA.