NHS Selection Process Description

The National Honor Society chapter of Broadneck High School is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of the prestigious national organization. Membership is open to those students who meet the required standards in four areas of evaluation: scholarship, service, leadership and character. Standards for selection are established by the national office of NHS and have been revised to meet our local chapter needs. Students are selected to be members by a 5-member Faculty Council, appointed by the principal, which bestows this honor upon qualified students on behalf of the faculty of our school each spring (for sophomores and juniors) and fall (for seniors).

Students in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades are eligible for membership (seniors in the fall of senior year only). For the scholarship criterion, a student must have a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5 or better. Those students who meet this criterion are invited to complete a Student Activity Information Form that provides the Faculty Council with information regarding the candidate’s leadership, service and character. A history of leadership experiences and participation in school and community service is also required with confirmation from sponsoring adults.

To evaluate a candidate’s character, the candidate answers a series of questions regarding their school disciplinary record, responds to a writing prompt dealing with character, and the faculty are solicited for input regarding their professional reflections on a candidate’s service activities, character, and leadership. These forms and the Student Activity Information Forms are carefully reviewed by the Faculty Council to determine membership. The review sessions are facilitated by the Chapter Adviser. A majority vote of the Council (Faculty Adviser is non-voting) is necessary for selection. Candidates are notified regarding selection or non-selection according to a predetermined schedule.

Following notification, a formal induction ceremony is held at the school to recognize all the newly selected members. Membership is bestowed only after the candidate participates in the induction ceremony. Once inducted, new members are required to maintain the same level of performance (or better) in all four criteria that led to their selection. This obligation includes regular attendance at chapter meetings held monthly during the school year, and participation in the chapter tutoring and recycling projects, completion of independent service hours and service group projects. Students of parents who have questions regarding the selection process or membership obligations can visit the chapter NHS website, http://www.broadneck.org/nhs/, or contact the chapter adviser, Linda Link, at llink@aacps.org.