The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

s. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achievement),

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets v ...

, service, and

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. The National Honor Society requires some sort of service to the community, school, or other organizations. The time spent working on these projects contributes towards the monthly service hour requirement. The National Honor Society was founded in 1921 by the

National Association of Secondary School Principals The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is a national organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 ...

. The Alpha chapter of NHS was founded at Fifth Avenue High School by Principal Edward S. Rynearson in

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. National Honor Society groups are commonly active in community service activities both in the community and at the school. Many chapters maintain a requirement for participation in such service activities. In addition, NHS chapters typically elect officers, who, under the supervision of the chapter adviser, coordinate and manage the chapter as a student organization.

Membership

Over one million students are estimated to participate in the National Honor Society. NHS and NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. territories, and Canada. They can also be found in areas of Asia; Pakistan has three schools, each maintaining an active chapter. Furthermore, they can be found in international and American schools throughout the globe.

Motto

The NHS motto is '' noblesse oblige'' (French: "nobility obligates"). The '' Dictionnaire de l'Académie française'' defines it thus:

# Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly. # (Figuratively) One must act in a fashion that conforms to one's position, and with the reputation that one has earned.

Scholarship

Since 1946, the National Honor Society has given out more than US$15 million in scholarship awards. In the 2018-19 school year, 600 awards were to be distributed, including 1 National Winner ($25,000), 24 national finalists ($5,625 each), and 575 national semifinalists ($3,200 each).

Parent and sister organizations

* National Junior Honor Society * National Elementary Honor Society * National Student Council

References

{{Reflist

External links