National Honor Society Washington Township High School Chapter Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Honor Society? NHS is an organization for well-rounded, intelligent high school student leaders who demonstrate integrity and commitment to the betterment of their community and school. The four cornerstones of the organization are Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. Membership is a responsibility as well as an honor; it is a privilege, not a right.

What makes NHS membership a “responsibility”? Requires community service to continue each year of membership 4 hours of a designated chapter service project 20 hours of community service per year (prorated to 10 for all newly inducted members) Check WTHS->Students-> Clubs & Activities-> National Honor Society page for details

What are the necessary qualifications for induction? 90.0 weighted, non-rounded, overall GPA Upstanding character Continuous, verifiable, pattern of evidence of service and leadership during high school Membership in at least 2 School-sponsored extra-curricular activities per year for grades 10, 11, and 12

What are the steps toward induction? Notification to candidates who meet the scholarship requirement Accurate and thorough completion of Service and Leadership Resume, including signatures of verification for service and activities Passing the Faculty Council’s close examination of Service and Leadership Resume in conjunction with discipline records and faculty surveys, on which staff members evaluate candidates in the areas of leadership and character.

How do I know the Process is Fair? Resumes are coded by randomly assigned documentation numbers found on your paperwork this evening Summaries of faculty surveys are also coded for anonymity National policy forbids the principal and the NHS Advisor(s) from having a vote in the process. They are facilitators.

Resumes and Admission Late resumes will not be accepted, nor forwarded to the Faculty Council. Resumes are discarded after the process. Please keep a copy for yourself. There are no limits on number of students admitted to NHS. Resume Assistance Days will be held on October 1st, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, & 23rd in room B-25, 2:15-3:15pm Resumes are DUE to room B25 NO LATER THAN 3:00pm on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Decision Notification Senior students will be notified of their acceptance or denial into NHS by the end of October or early November via an official letter Junior students will be notified of their acceptance or denial into NHS by the end of November via an official letter

Induction INDUCTION CEREMONY is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8, 2020 in the IBPAC at 7:00pm (weather permitting).

Resume – Front Cover

Resume – Co/Extra Curricular PART II – CO-CURRICULAR/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Complete the table below as accurately and fully as possible. Include all school-sponsored activities as well as outside of school activities (travel or rec teams, clubs, etc.) in which you are currently participating or have participated in during your high school years. These activities may include sports, music activities, plays, language clubs, etc. Indicate any leadership position you held, if any, for each listed activity. Any activities, service, and/or fundraisers you participated in for the co-curricular activity should be included under “activities participated in”. Any awards or championships won by the organization as a group should be included under group accomplishments. Do not include in the space below any of the following: church activities, community organizations such as scouting or any individual awards or recognition that you received while participating in these activities. The two entries below are examples of typical activities that might be included. Please erase these examples prior to filling out your own activity information AND erase any extra rows you do not use in completion of this part of your resume.

Resume –Co/Extra Curricular

Resume – Co/Extra Curricular Example

Resume – Community Service PART III – VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES In the table below, list all volunteer community service-based activities (OUTSIDE OF YOUR CO-CURRICULAR/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES) in which you are currently participating or have participated in during your high school years. These activities may include, for example, church organizations, volunteer groups, charity runs/walks, or any community service outside of your co-curricular/extra-curricular activity. Diversity and consistency in service to the community at large is being evaluated in this section of the resume. If you held a leadership position in the organization, please indicate it. You should also list in this section any service(s) you have rendered as part of a community or church organization and identify in the designated column any specific significant accomplishment(s) attained through each service activity, as applicable. Please also indicate how many hours of service or commitment your community activity details, if the activity is an ongoing service or one-time event, and which years in high school you participated in these events. Please include any letters of recommendation, accommodations, or other documentation of service with the resume. Do not include your paid job here, even if it is of a nature that involves service to others (i.e. childcare, working at a church office, employment by the school). Your entries should follow the format of the example provided on the first line of the table below. Please erase these examples prior to filling out your own activity information AND erase any extra rows you do not use in completion of this part of your resume.

Resume – Community Service

Resume – Community Service Example

Resume – Community Service Example

Resume – Work Experience PART IV – WORK EXPERIENCE In the table below, list all employment positions, if any, you have held during your high school years. These may include summer jobs, as well as regular part-time jobs. If included in this section, it will be assumed that you were paid for any service rendered. Be sure to include any jobs you held previously, but no longer hold. Also, give an estimate of the number of hours you work (or worked) at each job. A sample entry is given below. Please note that paid employment is not one of the criteria for NHS; however, in some cases, a paid position may indicate leadership qualities or demonstrate other qualities indicative of strong character. Please erase these examples prior to filling out your own activity information AND erase any extra rows you do not use in completion of this part of your resume.

Resume – Work Experience

Resume – Awards & Recogition PART V – AWARDS AND RECOGNITION In the table below, list any awards or special recognition(s) you have received during your years in high school. These awards may have been as a result of your work in school or a church or community-sponsored organization. You should include Student of the Month honors (month and year(s)) but do not need to include Principal’s List or Honor Roll. Please include a concise but detailed explanation of why you received the award(s) as well. Follow the sample entry on the first line below as a guide. Please erase these examples prior to filling out your own activity information AND erase any extra rows you do not use in completion of this part of your resume.

Resume – Awards & Recognition

Resume – Personal Statement PART VI – PERSONAL STATEMENT Please write a personal statement which is double-spaced (Times New Roman, 12pt font) and does NOT exceed two-pages in which you express any other pertinent information that will help the Faculty Council during their review of your application. It is not necessary to repeat information that has already been accounted for in the last five (5) sections of this application. However, if you feel you need to explain in more depth any activities listed above you may do so. Include any personal experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the ideals of scholarship, leadership, service, and character, especially those that may help to understand extenuating circumstances. Also, include any co-curricular/extra-curricular or community service activities you are planning to participate in but are not already reflected on the resume because they have not occurred at the time of submission. This statement should reflect your own voice and personality and not just be a citation of the general meaning of the four pillars. Remember, do not include your name at any point in the essay or anywhere else within the pages of this application. You can erase the above directions before writing your statement.

Questions? Please let us know if you have any questions during the process! We encourage the applicants to come to the resume assistance days! Feel free to reach out to us at kscardino-welch@wtps.org AND abacher@wtps.org with questions! (We ask you include both of us on ALL emails and we promise to reply back as soon as we can!)