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National Honor Society

The Warren Hills Regional High School Chapter of the National Honor Society

History of the National Honor Society
Since its inception in 1921, the National Honor Society has been regarded as a concrete way to promote high academic standards, a means of ensuring the continuation of democracy,  as well as an instrument to be used for the betterment of the individual and the school.  The fundamental virtues or "pillars" are Character, Leadership, Scholarship and Service.  The society has flourished, with more than 15,000 chapters being chartered.  The National Honor Society functions as an organization under the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).  For more than 80 years the National Honor Society has been the leading organization for recognizing and involving outstanding students in secondary schools across the nation.

Each local chapter of the National Honor Society is required to adopt the national constitution. The original committee which set up the NHS strongly encourages each local chapter to set up its own bylaws which are designed to provide for the local needs of the chapter and still conform to the national constitution. Chapters are urged to exercise initiative, resourcefulness, and ingenuity when promoting Society standards.

The Warren Hills Regional High School Chapter of the National Honor Society is established in full compliance with the national constitution. The purpose of this chapter is to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Warren Hills Regional High School.  

Membership Process and Selection @ Warren Hills Regional High School
All junior and senior students who have a 3.5 weighted, cumulative GPA or higher and who have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester, are eligible for membership in the WHRHS Chapter of the NHS. 

Selection to NHS is a privilege, not a right.  NHS membership is not automatically conveyed simply because a student has achieved a specified level of academic performance. Instead, eligible students complete an Application Packet to be used by the local selection committee to support their candidacy for membership. Within the Application Packet, a candidate is to outline their accomplishments in the areas of service, leadership, character, and scholarship.

Membership is granted only to those students selected by the five-member Faculty Council of WHRHS. The Faculty Council of the chapter selects students who demonstrate outstanding performance in all four criteria of the NHS: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. This is done by a majority vote of the Faculty Council, not by election. 

Selection of new Junior and Senior members will occur each year in the Fall. If students are not selected for NHS in the Fall of their Junior year, they have another opportunity to be selected in the Fall of their Senior year. After candidates are selected for membership, they will officially become members through a formal induction ceremony.

The leadership criterion is considered highly important for membership selection. Students who exercise leadership demonstrate reliability, dependability, and academic initiative. Student leaders are resourceful in proposing new problems and making suggestions for solutions. Student leaders exercise a positive influence on their peers in upholding school and community ideals and spirit.  Leadership is defined as, but not limited to, any position in which you were directly responsible for directing or motivating others. Some examples of leadership are:

  • Elected officer or committee chairs
  • Summer Counselor
  • Athletic Leadership
  • Project Organization
  • Leadership in the workplace also considered

The service criterion is considered highly important in the selection process.  The Faculty Council looks for a minimum of 15 hours of service for students entering NHS. Only service hours logged during the high school years are considered in this area. Service is generally considered to be those actions undertaken by the student which are done with or on behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation.  Service is defined as, but not limited to, volunteering time to community or school organizations or groups, etc. for which you are not paid. Some examples of community service are:

  • Volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc.
  • Religious group activities (e.g. teaching Sunday School, helping with VBS, etc.)
  • Helping at food kitchens, Meals on Wheels
  • Helping clean up the environment
  • Service clubs and classes within Warren Hills: Key Club, SAVE, Peer Leadership, etc.
  • Scouting service projects
  • Tutoring (unpaid)

It is important to show an ongoing commitment to all leadership and service activities. Students who hope to be selected as a member of the National Honor Society should take care to do their best in all their academic subjects, to volunteer with service organizations, to take on leadership opportunities, and to maintain unquestionable integrity and respect for students and teachers.

Character is a major criterion for consideration and is based on written recommendations from teachers and community members. A person of character demonstrates the following six qualities: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Each candidate is asked to submit character references with their Application Packet. 

Contact Information
If interested students or their parents/guardians have any questions or concerns, please contact the National Honor Society advisor: Mr. Carmello Chiara at chiarac@warrenhills.org.