National Honor Society facts for kids
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| Formation | 1921 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Parent organization
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National Association of Secondary School Principals |
The National Honor Society (NHS) is a very important group for high school students in the United States. It's one of the oldest and biggest student organizations, with over 1.4 million members!
The main goal of NHS is to encourage students to be great in four key areas. These are: learning (scholarship), helping others (service), being a good leader, and building strong character.
Being invited to join NHS is a big honor! Teachers and school staff decide who gets in, based on these four important qualities. Once you're a member, you're expected to keep showing these great traits.
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History of the National Honor Society
The National Honor Society started on March 1, 1921. It was created by Dr. Edward Rynearson. He was a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). This group is the main organization that oversees NHS.
Dr. Rynearson was a principal at Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He wanted to create a group that would celebrate both academics and sports. He also believed high schools were key to a strong democracy. Before NHS, there were smaller honor societies. But NHS was the first one to be national, meaning it covered the whole country.
Since it began, NHS has grown a lot. Today, there are over 17,000 active chapters. These chapters are in schools all across the United States and even in other countries.
In 1929, NHS expanded its reach. It created the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) for middle school students. Later, in 2008, the National Elementary Honor Society was formed. This group is for elementary school students. It was a team effort between NASSP and another group called NAESP.
NHS chapters in different schools have a lot of freedom. They can try new ideas and adapt to their local needs. However, they must still follow the main rules of the NHS National Constitution. This way, each chapter can help its students in the best way possible.
The NASSP manages how NHS works every day. The NASSP Board of Directors gives important advice and direction. This helps make sure Dr. Rynearson's original ideas continue to help students.
NHS Membership and Impact
National Honor Society chapters are active in all 50 U.S. states and territories. They also operate in many schools around the world. Over 1.4 million students are involved in NHS.
Each year, the average NHS chapter makes a big difference. Here's what they typically contribute:
- 1,000 hours of service to their school and community
- $26,000 in donations to charities
- 1,000 pounds of food for local and national causes
Scholarship Opportunities
Since 1946, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has given out a lot of money for scholarships. They have awarded over $23 million to amazing NHS high school seniors.
Every year, NASSP gives $2 million in scholarships to 600 students. This includes:
- 1 National Winner who receives $25,000
- 4 NHS Pillar Winners who each get $10,625
- 20 national finalists who receive $5,625 each
- 575 national semifinalists who get $3,200 each
Students are chosen for these scholarships based on the four main pillars of NHS. These are: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.
Related Student Organizations
The National Honor Society is part of a larger family of student groups. Here are some of its parent and sister organizations:
- National Association of Secondary School Principals
- National Junior Honor Society
- National Elementary Honor Society
- National Student Council
Famous NHS Members
Many well-known people were once members of the National Honor Society. Here are just a few examples:
| Name | Chapter | State |
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| Aikman, Troy | Henryetta High School | OK |
| Alda, Alan | St. Thomas More High School | NY |
| Cohen, William | Bangor High School | ME |
| Couric, Katie | Yorktown High School | VA |
| Crawford, Cindy | DeKalb High School | IL |
| Dole, Elizabeth | Salisbury High School | NC |
| Estefan, Gloria | Our Lady of Lourdes Academy | FL |
| Fey, Tina | Upper Darby High School | PA |
| Phillips, Stone | Parkway West High School | MO |
| Rogers, Fred | Latrobe High School | PA |
| Stewart, Jon | Lawrence High School | NJ |
| Streep, Meryl | Bernards High School | NJ |
| Underwood, Carrie | Checotah High School | OK |
| Burke, Eden | Traverse City West Senior High | MI |
| Young, Estelle | Traverse City West Senior High | MI |
Other Honor Societies
There are many other honor societies that recognize student achievements in different areas. Some of these include:
- Arista – National Honor Society
- German National Honor Society
- French National Honor Society
- Spanish National Honor Society
- Mu Alpha Theta (for math)
- International Thespian Society (for theatre arts)
- National Art Honor Society
- National Beta Club
- National Technical Honor Society
- Quill and Scroll (for journalism)
- Tri-M (for music)
