The National Honors Society nailed the induction ceremony once again.

If you aren’t aware of what NHS is, it is a nationally recognized organization for academically talented students who are engaged in extracurriculars and their community through service and leadership.

Every year, junior and senior students who have a GPA of 3.75 or higher are eligible to apply for the recognition. This year the competition was high with almost 80 eligible students when there are usually about 50-60.

But grades alone aren’t enough. To qualify for NHS students also have to demonstrate both service and leadership experience. Such experience might come through their extracurricular involvement, jobs, outside activities, and/or other participation.

The new inductee class was larger than usual with almost 40 new members joining the 21 current members. On the morning of October 25, there was a welcome breakfast and pinning ceremony in the library where current members give the inductees their NHS membership pins.

At the meeting, high school principal Mr. Sean Snowden, Superintendent Dr. Sean Aiken, NHS sponsor Mrs. Erin Bechdel, and all of the current members showed their congratulations to the new members.

At the breakfast meeting, the members were notified of the induction ceremony held November 6.

The day before the actual ceremony, there was a practice session where all NHS members practiced their respective parts.

The NHS officers were responsible for leading the ceremony, especially the parliamentarian who is the mistress of ceremonies (which is me). The ceremony went smoothly with all inductees crossing the stage and signing the official NHS registry, certifying them as official members.

The guest speaker this year was Mrs. Joey Hagan who has done numerous service projects overseas and in our own community throughout the years.

Although the current members might have seemed calm and collected, there was still some nervousness about one part of the ceremony.

Because the National Honors Society is built on four pillars (i.e., scholarship, service, leadership and character), during the ceremony, the NHS officers are tasked with reading a short description of each pillar and lighting a candle representing the aforementioned pillar.

Vice president Charlotte Schultz said, “I was really scared to light the candle, but I told myself if I light the auditorium on fire, it would make for a memorable ceremony.”

The auditorium survived, and senior NHS member Heath Korcinsky thought it was a “great and engaging ceremony.”

So congratulations to the new inductees, and may this year be successful for all NHS members!