The Sweet Home High School Chapter of the National Honor Society
You should be aware that membership in the National Honor Society is based upon excellence in four areas: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Each category is judged independently of the other. To be considered for membership, a junior must have a weighted, cumulative average of at least 90 percent for grades 9 and 10. A high scholastic average alone does not automatically guarantee selection.
After considering the necessary qualifications, you must make a choice about whether or not you are interested in and qualified for continuing this process. To begin the application process, you must complete the attached Notice of Intent
and turn it into the NHS box in the High School Main Office by the indicated due date. If your response is positive, I will then forward your name to the Faculty Council as a possible candidate for membership, and you will continue in the process.
At the same time that you submit your Notice of Intent
, you will need to pick up a manila folder from the main office, which will be located next to the box. Included in this folder is the candidate's checklist, the student information sheet, and six recommendation forms, which you will need to complete and return to the NHS box in the Main Office by the indicated due date. Completing this form will help you focus on all the activities from which you will want to draw your recommendations. It will also allow the Faculty Council to see the breadth of your involvement in both school and community organizations and to be fairly accurate in its prediction of continued involvement should you eventually be selected for membership.
You are required to submit six letters of reference to support your application. Two letters should support your character both inside and outside of school. Additionally, we must receive two letters of verification of leadership and two letters of service that you are either currently performing or have completed in the two years. This includes summer volunteer service and community involvement. These reference letters must be from at least six different people whom you feel are good judges of your character, leadership and service abilities. In other words, one person may NOT complete a leadership, service, and character form for you. Examples of persons qualified to complete these references are those adults who are directly involved with you in organizations where you hold leadership positions or who are qualified to rate the service you provide to the organizations which they oversee.
We ask that you NOT include references from family members who pay you for providing a service. These are family members for whom you baby-sit indicating that you perform routine chores for a fee or salary or from your parents indicating that you perform routine chores at home such as caring for other family members or organizing family activities.
Reference forms must be received in sealed envelopes with the person's signature that is writing the reference across the flap (see enclosed drawing in your manilla folder). This assures confidentiality and credibility of the reference. No reference forms will be accepted if this is not followed. This is also mandatory for any Sweet Home teacher who is giving a recommendation.
Back to topIf you have received satisfactory character, service and leadership recommendations, you will be invited to become an inductee of our local chapter. The Faculty Council will review your grades periodically and you must continue to maintain high standards of weighted scholastic average of 90 percent. This is done in conjunction with living up to the character, leadership, and service ideals of the National Honor Society as demonstrated by continued involvement in our service activities here at Sweet Home.
A twenty-dollar initiation fee is requested upon the acceptance of your membership. This fee is necessary to help defray the costs of the initiation process. The fee will be used to purchase the inductee's membership pin, membership card, certificate, and materials for the ceremony and reception. This fee allows the chapter to focus its fundraising efforts towards charitable groups rather than recovering the costs from the induction process. The initiation fee also allows the Sweet Home Chapter of the National Honor Society to give a scholarship to an outgoing Senior who has demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to our membership. Please understand that your child will not be denied membership if the family is unable to pay the induction fee. For families that may find the induction fee an undue burden, the option of waiving the fee is available.
If you should decide that you do not have the necessary involvement at this time, please understand that if you are a junior, you may again be considered for membership your senior year.
Although you are to be commended for maintaining a high scholastic average, please understand that membership is NOT guaranteed to anyone. The Faculty Council makes the final decision for membership. If you have any further questions regarding the National Honor Society or membership, please contact me at your convenience.