The National Honor Society is the front-runner of organizations and societies that promote appropriate recognition for students who reflect outstanding accomplishments in the areas of academics, character, leadership, and service.  College admissions officers often look for Honor Society membership as a valid indicator that the applicant will succeed at the collegiate level of post-secondary education.

 

Membership carries with it a responsibility to the chapter.  In order to be considered for membership, each student must enter his or her junior year with a minimum 3.500 GPA, and have a history of employment and/or volunteer work.  If accepted into the chapter, each member must complete a minimum of twenty hours per year of community service and participate in at least four NHS group service acts.

 

Serving one another and the community is at the forefront of the Wayne Valley chapter.  Members of the National Honor Society are obligated to fulfill this requirement with behavior that is honorable, responsible, and generous to others.  The Wayne Valley chapter provides individual members the opportunity to share their talents with other students, their school, and their community.

Elections for president and vice president are held in May. Elections for secretary, treasurer, and historian are held the following October. In addition, two additional student board members are selected from the membership by the advisor with the advice of the elected officers and the approval of the principal.  

 

The Wayne Valley Chapter offers 20 hours of free tutoring for most subjects. Tutoring is done on a first come, first serve basis. Please understand that some subjects are more difficult than others when trying to place tutors. Also, most tutors complete their community service by the end of March-early April.  

 

 

-From the NHS Website

In 1921, the NASSP officially established the National Honor Society. Though many local and regional honor societies existed prior to 1921, no nationwide organization had been founded. Under the leadership of Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of the Fifth Avenue High School, Pittsburgh, Pa., the organization grew from the original Alpha Chapter at the Fifth Avenue School to more than 1,000 chapters by 1930. Equipped with a constitution, an emblem and motto, and a group of dedicated principals as coordinators, the new NHS organization quickly developed into one of the country's leading educational groups.

Four main purposes have guided chapters of NHS from the beginning: "To create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools." (from the NHS Constitution) These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.

In 1929, the NASSP turned its attention to middle level schools and expanded the scope of its concern for recognizing outstanding students by establishing the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). With its own constitution and handbook, NJHS has established criteria that parallel the emphases found in the NHS with an added purpose to encourage citizenship. (Additional information on establishing a chapter of the NJHS is available upon request from the NASSP Department of Student Activities.)

Both the NHS and NJHS are sponsored and supervised by NASSP which appoints a National Council - the controlling body of NHS. In addition, National Council members also serve as the selection committee for the prestigious NHS Scholarship which has been administered annually in schools with NHS chapters since 1946.

The day-to-day administration of NHS national concerns is handled by the NASSP Department of Student Activities, headquartered in Reston, VA.