OPINION – Keep the honor in Honor Society – By Alison Krogman

by Alison Krogman

Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Character: these are the four key values for National Honor Society. They remind me of the values we learned while playing on the YMCA basketball team–caring, honesty, respect, responsibility. In a way, the values are similar, but the National Honor Society involves more integrity than simply refraining from chucking the basketball at a kid who chucked it at you first.

At AHS, National Honor Society is defined differently by each junior and senior. Some students think it is too much work to even apply. Some resent the whole system, feeling that the teachers are biased toward the “smart students.” Some only apply to have a scholarship attention-grabber and a medal to wear at graduation. However, I believe that the majority of the students admitted to NHS are hard-working students who excel in school and extra activities, which is why Atlantic’s NHS has always seen success in blood drives, fundraisers, and improving our school all around.

That being said, what about the minority? The few NHS members who don’t show up to meetings or help with projects? The ones that make decisions that jeopordize their membership as well as the reputation of the whole group? Should they be allowed to stay in the organization?

According to Shiela Hayden, Atlantic’s NHS sponsor, the National Honor Society has no national policy on removing a student from the group or what criteria would be considered as a slip of integrity. The school is in charge of deciding whether to dismiss a member or not, based on its own law. The faculty council that originally picked the students must meet and discuss what steps should be taken with the student or students. The council votes and majority rules.

In learning that, how does our school and faculty decide what behavior is considered dishonest or irresponsible? Just in the two years I have been on National Honor Society, I’ve witnessed students skipping meetings, not helping with any projects, and not showing up to the actual induction ceremony. In past years students have remained on NHS after such infractions as MIPs. More recently, several members were called out for an integrity violation on a semester project. None of these students have been removed from NHS. However, according to Sheila Hayden, the faculty council is currently in discussion about how to handle the situation. But what about other instances of irresponsibility by a member? Where is the line drawn?

First, I believe attendance should be taken seriously into consideration. There is no tolerance for lack of attendance in groups like Student Council and athletic activities. NHS should be held to a much higher standard of leadership as students must meet requirements before even being selected. Second, if a student is unreliable outside as well as inside of school (ISS, OSS, drug or alcohol use, cheating, fights, etc.) he or she should be discussed by the faculty and released from NHS. I understand this lands on the faculty’s shoulders and may be an inconvenience for them as NHS students are expected to demonstrate the four values at all times. However, a council decision is the only way to dismiss a member.

In the end, it comes down to the student’s own scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Right now, the effort of NHS is inconsistent. There are hard workers, there are workers, and then there are the ones that are simply a name on the member list. National Honor Society members are held at a higher standard than most students because the group is centralized around scholarship, leadership, service, and character. It’s important we remember to follow these four values so the honor can be put back in honor society.

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OPINION – Keep the honor in Honor Society – By Alison Krogman

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