1. 2019 NHS Candidate Informational Meeting
Wednesday, February 27th
Von Steuben MSC
2019 NHS Candidate Informational Meeting

2. Congratulations!
You have been invited to attend this meeting because you have already met these NHS membership requirements:
SCHOLARSHIP by maintaining an unweighted, cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 as of February 2019, and
SERVICE commitments have extended beyond those required as part of your Service Project course work
20 service learning activities for rising juniors; 30 for rising seniors

3. The National Honor Society
History
Founded in 1921, The National Honor Society is an elite group of students who have proven themselves as outstanding models of scholarship, service, leadership and character.

4. National Honor Society Eligibility Criteria
Candidates are exemplars in each of the four tenets of the organization
Scholarship
Service
Leadership
Character

5. SCHOLARSHIP
Members of the National Honor Society are committed to the pursuit of knowledge.
As lifelong learners, they see every experience as one to learn from.
Scholars are perseverant amid challenges and routinely self-advocate to clarify their understanding.

6. SERVICE
NHS members routinely perform voluntary service within the school and community "with a positive, courteous and enthusiastic spirit.”
Members embody a sense of genuine altruism.

7. LEADERSHIP
Participation in a variety of engaging extracurricular activities in which you have demonstrated your ability to display positive leadership qualities in your school or community
Leadership roles DO NOT have to be formally appointed. Your ability to act as a leader will be evaluated based on the evidence you provide using examples when you have...
positively promoted a service learning activity, campaign, club or organization,
remained focused on finding creative solutions when challenges arise,
dedicated yourself to seeing your projects through to completion

8. CHARACTER
NHS members consistently display good character traits, including altruism, cooperation, honesty, reliability and courtesy.
NHS Members are model students
Any student involved in code of conduct violations resulting in suspension will be immediately dismissed from NHS
Failure to attend general meetings, or maintain service commitments may result in a member’s probation and potential by dismissal from NHS

9. Benefits of Membership
You’ve worked hard to get where you are today; be recognized for your accomplishments!
NHS students are regarded as an elite group of young people due to the rigorous requirements for membership.
NHS members represent Von Steuben at school and community events.
You will serve as a role model for younger students.

10. NHS Membership Requirements
If invited to join NHS, you must meet these requirements each year:
Maintain an unweighted 3.5 GPA or higher  for the duration of your membership
Provide a minimum of 15 hours of documented peer tutoring at Von Steuben
Complete a minimum of 20 hours of service learning through NHS-approved service projects and lead at least 1 activity
Attend all monthly general NHS meetings
Volunteer a certain school events, including the Open House and the biannual Blood Drive
Be an excellent school citizen and role model

11. NHS Membership Handbook
Follow this link or access a copy on the Von Steuben website:
VSMC NHS Handbook
Although changes are made annually with input from members and the school administration, this document will give you a clear idea of the principles and procedures of Von Steuben’s chapter of the National Honor Society

12. The Selection Process
To ensure a fair selection process, a faculty council, selected by the school principal, meets for a blind review of candidates’ submissions.
A norming practice to calibrate scores begins the day-long session, after which each application is evaluated by two separate faculty members.
If deemed necessary, an additional safeguard is that a third read may be required in the case of incongruent scores.
The process concludes by averaging the scores, at which point the faculty council makes the final determination in selecting new members.

13. Candidate Submissions
The candidate forms are a downloadable document which can be modified to include your personal information, available on the NHS page of the Von Steuben website.
Be sure to follow all directions carefully.
Review the rubric.
It is strongly recommended that completed work should be read by another person and spell checked before submitting.

14. Cover Sheet & Narrative Guidelines
Be sure to complete the COVER SHEET and include it as the first page of your submission.
Your name must not appear anywhere else in your application. This ensures your anonymity during the selection process.
In your personal narrative, include ONLY your STUDENT ID # in the upper right corner of EACH page of your narrative.

15. Personal Narrative
Craft a thoughtful response exemplifying your scholarship, leadership, service or character using relevant and recent experiences to illustrate your claim.
While humility is a noble trait, this is a time for an honest and reflective appraisal of your work as a scholar, volunteer, and leader.
Make sure to review the rubric so you can see how your narrative will be scored.

16. Narrative Scoring Rubric

17. Recommendations
FOUR (4) total recommendations from four different individuals are required to support your application
TWO (2) Von Steuben Faculty Recommenders
Teachers who you have developed a positive working relationship with over the last one or two years
TWO (2) Extra-Curricular Recommenders
Non-family members who can vouch for your participation and character in extra- curricular activities, such as coaches, tutors, religious leaders, employment supervisors, etc.
Can be teachers who you know as a coach or club sponsor
All recommendations are due no later than Wednesday, March 20, 2019 by 11:59 PM

18. Recommendations
Must share your STUDENT ID # when requesting a recommendation
Recommenders need ONLY to complete this form: NHS Candidate Recommendation Form accessible by following this link or on the Von Steuben website
No letter required

19. The Selection Process
Candidate forms are to be submitted no later than Wednesday, March 20th, 2018 by 3:00 PM.
Place TWO (2) printed copies of your completed forms in the sealed envelope you’ve received this afternoon. Place envelope in the collection box in Ms. Albers’s office (room 111).
Candidates will be notified in writing of his or her membership status on Friday, April 26th, 2019.

20. Save the Dates!
The 2019 NHS Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 6:00 PM
Light refreshments will be served beforehand.
Rehearsal for induction is mandatory for all members and will take place after school on Tuesday, May 28th from 3-5:30 in the auditorium.

21. QUESTIONS or CONCERNS?
Please direct any questions you have to either of the faculty sponsors or any of the NHS Officers:
Eram Fatima, President
Vivian Almarez, Vice President
Sanah Ahmed, Secretary
Jenny Banh, Activities Director

22. Thank You and Good Luck!