NHS Information

The Salina High School Central Chapter of the National Honor Society initiates students who demonstrate high standards of scholarship, leadership, character, and service.  Membership in the National Honor Society is not a right, but a privilege earned through outstanding achievement.  Membership to this organization is open to juniors and seniors. An NHS member who transfers in from another school and brings a letter from the principal or chapter adviser to the Central’s adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member in Salina High School Central’s chapter. However, those considered for membership must realize that what they do during each of their high school years will have a bearing upon their eligibility.

                The grade point average requirement for NHS at Central High School is a minimum of a 3.7.  If a senior member falls below the 3.7 weighted gpa minimum during their senior year, the member will have until the completion of the final semester to attain the 3.7 in order to graduate with honors. Grades earned all four years are equally important.

                The other three criteria for membership are leadership, service, and character.  As with scholarship, these standards must be maintained for the entire four years of high school, and behavior, both in and out of school, is considered.

                Students exercising good leadership successfully hold offices or positions of responsibility, conduct business effectively, and demonstrate reliability and dependability.  Such students also lead in the classroom, the community, and the workplace. Good leaders show initiative, delegate responsibility, inspire others, contribute new ideas, and demonstrate positive attitudes. A prospective candidate must show documentation of leadership. One of the following examples is required.

+Elected office

+Committee chair

+Supervision of others

+Organization of an activity

           Service refers to participation in extracurricular activities, as well as in community volunteer work and church groups.  Students who serve well remain loyal to school and community, volunteer assistance, work readily with others, and acts courteously while assisting others.  The following standard should be maintained as a minimum.

                                                +Twenty hours of documented community service*

                Character is the final criterion.  Students with good character consistently demonstrate desirable qualities of behavior.  They uphold moral and ethical principles, obey laws and regulations, practice punctuality and faithfulness, accept criticism willingly, and show respect and concern for others.

                Those who are selected as members should also understand that they are subject to becoming an inactive member if they do not maintain the standards used for selection.  They are allowed limited warnings during their membership, but in the case of a flagrant violation of school rules or civil laws, a warning is not required for inactive status.

 

Juniors and seniors who are eligible must submit their packet of information for potential membership by

1)submitting a typed or computer-generated 400-word essay on a faculty council-chosen topic

2) completing the student information form in the packet. 

3) An evaluation sheet will also be compiled, on which teachers rate the leadership,

service, and character of eligible students on a scale of one to five, with five meaning

“well above typical student,” and one meaning, “well below typical student.”  An average

rating of 3.75 in each of the three areas will be required for admission.  The ratings for

each student are added, compiled and graphed by the adviser.

              

*The five-member faculty council, which makes the final selection, examines the results and reviews all comments from the teacher evaluation forms.  If a student’s rating is above 3.75 in all three categories, he or she will become a member unless a reason was given and was found by a majority vote of the council to merit nonselection.

 

Upon initiation, each member will receive a National Honor Society membership certificate and a National Honor Society pin.  Membership in the National Honor Society is a strong recommendation to colleges and scholarship committees.  Seniors who maintain a 3.7 GPA will graduate with NHS distinction as noted on the diploma and commencement program.  They will also wear honor stoles at commencement exercises.

 

*COMMUNITY SERVICE

               Forms for documenting community service are available from the NHS adviser and the Counseling Office.

  1. Students may provide volunteer services for a school, church/temple, community agency, group, or individual.
  2. A student’s community service may not violate school board policies.
  3. Students may not receive pay or academic credit for voluntary service.
  4. Community service work must be completed in Saline County.
  5. The following activities may not be counted as volunteer service:
    1. Assisting members of immediate family.
    2. Participating in, rehearsing or practicing for a school musical, debate/forensics, drama or athletic program/activity, demonstration, performance or contest, working at concessions or other fundraisers that benefit the club-group-organization the student is involved with in the school or community.
    3. Attendance at a school-sponsored conference/workshop.
    4. Assisting with yearly service projects for the chapter.
    5. Service performed at school as a result of disciplinary action.
    6. Attendance at club meetings, church, scouts, etc., does not constitute voluntary service.  Work done as part of a group, such as scouts, does count as voluntary community service.
    7. Participation in picketing, counter picketing, demonstrations, marches or parades.

 

National Honor Society Faculty Council

                                Maggie C. Corcoran, Adviser    Dr. Matthew Brungardt, Principal