The National Honor Society has chosen its new members for the 2018-2019 school year

The National Honor Society is a nationwide organization for high achieving students who want to help others and support their school through tutoring and organizing events.  In October, interested juniors and seniors submitted their applications, and Nov. 29 marked the day they learned the results.

The process started with letters being sent to every junior and senior who had a GPA at or above 3.5.  If they were interested in joining, they completed a multi-part application including listing high school volunteer hours, getting signatures, writing essays, and attaching a high school grade transcript.

This application process is a demanding task for considering members.  However, sponsor Jennifer Bridges believes that it is a fair assessment of students’ potential.

“It gives them several ways to illustrate their abilities and the things that they’ve accomplished,” said Bridges.  “While you might not be proficient in all the areas, you have the opportunity to make up for it in the areas in which you do excel.”

Bridges enjoys her responsibilities as the NHS sponsor, and enjoys working alongside students involved in the society.

“I love working with kids, especially kids who are determined to or want to help others,” said Bridges.  “That’s one of the reasons why I became a teacher, is to help others, so I like working with kids who have that same philosophy.”

Participation in the esteemed society can seem overwhelming at first, but junior Molly Lum is excited to have been accepted.

“It’s a good way for high achieving students to spread their wings by… going above and beyond,” said Lum.

Lum has been volunteering in the community throughout middle and high school, and she enjoys the work she does.

“It’s nice to help people,” said Lum. “[They] are so appreciative of what we do.”

Although freshmen and sophomores are not invited to join NHS, there are still ways they can make themselves better candidates for the future.  According to Bridges, the best things they can do are volunteer work, maintaining their grades, and becoming involved in the Potomac Falls community.

“Get involved in your community, get some volunteer hours,” said Bridges. “Really go out and understand what you would be doing if you became a part of this organization.”

Although it is certainly not easy to be accepted, the National Honor Society can be a staple of a student’s high school career.  Between volunteer experience, leadership in the community, and helping other students, membership in the society is an honor for all accepted students.