As slips of paper are handed out, students realize they have been invited to join Perry’s National Honors Society.While some smile with a feeling of accomplishment, others look over shoulders wondering “What is it” and “Why is it so important?”

The most well known and considerably the most prestigious of all high school clubs is the National Honors Society.  Early every year at Perry, select students are invited to join the club. Sophomores, juniors, and senior students with a minimum weighted or unweighted GPA of 3.8 or higher receive a letter. These letters are given to them in their classes inviting them to join. Most students feel privileged to receive the honor, while others feel that it is not important.

However, the invitation does not make these students automatic members. In order to become a member, willing students must complete a packet that requires recommendations from teachers, a writing sample, and information about their extracurricular activities. A committee of teachers and the club sponsors  will then go through the applications and choose members. Teachers can choose to remove students however, if they do not recommend certain students.

Perry’s NHS is looking for students that demonstrate leadership skills and uphold positive, mature character.

“NHS is a service and  leadership organization,” NHS sponsor Jason Myers comments  “we foster leadership traits and responsibility and we give kids an opportunity for service in their communities.”

Serving and participating in the community is also a major part of NHS. When choosing applicants, NHS sponsor’s teachers look for students with involvement in school and their society.

“We want you to be involved in the community whether it’s through school, church, or volunteering at other organizations,” NHS sponsor Angela Gardner says. She continues, “Grades are one part of it but being involved and being a productive citizen is the other half. ”

Students who receive the invitation may feel overwhelmed with the required tasks to apply, yet the benefits of being a member can be helpful for high school students.

“The activities we do are fun; you get to work with people that are like minded with a desire to serve their community and school and looks on a scholarship application” Myers comments.

As NHS students carry on through high school, with the effort of maintaining high grades and serving their community whether through clubs or outside organizations, they continue to bring excellence to Perry.