Horizon Honors’ National Honor Society is an incredibly helpful experience for students. However, some are not sure what exactly the club is, what it does, or how to get in. This club gives students an opportunity to build their resume and develop their leadership skills.

The Horizon Sun: What do you do in NHS?

Cameron Vega, senior: In NHS we provide community service to not only outside organizations but also to our school, as we are chosen as leaders amongst our peers for the club.

Giuliana Castronova, senior: I am the Vice President of NHS! This means I assist the President, run meetings and other events when the President is absent, take on community service/volunteer projects and set them up so the club can participate, and I attend No Place For Hate meetings, which I report to the club about at our meetings.

Rachel Hogan, senior: I am the secretary of NHS. This means that I write down the minutes [of community service] and keep track of anything that needs to be written down.

The Sun: How has NHS affected your high school experience?

CV: NHS has affected my high school experience by providing an organized way of helping not only the school but our community. 

GC: NHS has allowed me the opportunity to participate in many different events I otherwise would never experience. For example, NHS led a water station at the Rock n’ Roll Marathon where we passed out water and Gatorade to marathon runners starting at 6 am. Additionally, last year NHS volunteered at the Race for the Cure in downtown Phoenix where we held signs, cheered, organized the runners, and led the start line. There was great music, guest speakers, and a lot of energy that was exhilarating to be a part of! 

RH: NHS has allowed me to grow in leadership and volunteer in my community.

The Sun: What have you learned from NHS?

CV: I have learned from the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, character, and leadership. These have provided me with guidelines on how to best improve myself as a leader and a member of the community.

GC: I have learned how to make community service a fun time so people enjoy volunteering. As an example, Mrs. Bradley, the NHS advisor, brings donuts to early volunteer events and everybody comes excited to help out. I have also learned just how easy it is to set aside a morning, act selflessly, get involved in local events, and make a difference. It was really easy to organize the volunteering at the races and all it required was for us to wake up early and give a few hours of our time to helping others in our community. The runners were extremely appreciative and felt good to help make their day a little better!

RH: I have learned more about the four pillars of NHS, which are scholarship, leadership, community, and service.

The Sun: Do you think NHS has prepared you for college? How?

CV: I don’t believe that NHS prepares you for college specifically, as I believe that the lessons learned and knowledge gained is to be applied to living life overall, not just in college.

GC: I definitely think NHS has prepared me for college! Philanthropy and volunteering is a huge part of greek life (something I plan on participating in) as well as extracurriculars in general. I expect I’ll be very involved in college and having a handle on how to organize community service events and lead others in getting involved is certainly an advantage!

RH: Yes, filling out the paperwork to get into NHS was similar to college applications and helped prepare me for the process. Also, it has helped me do more community service, which colleges are always looking for in applicants.

The Sun: What is your favorite part about NHS?

CV: My favorite part about NHS has to be the drive that we had at the beginning of the year to be more involved with not only the school but with the community as a whole.

GC: My favorite part about NHS is building relationships with some of my peers I otherwise would not have an opportunity in which to connect with. Every member of this club is passionate about leadership and service- that’s why we were admitted. We are all fortunate to have a club that allows us to express these passions and collectively take part in experiences we all enjoy and, most importantly, make a difference with.

RH: My favorite part of NHS is volunteering at the annual breast cancer walk and selling snow cones at Spring Fling.

Jessica Bradley is the sponsor of the club this year. She teaches Algebra 3-4, College Algebra Honors, and Financial Algebra at Horizon Honors.

The Horizon Sun: What do students do in NHS?

Jessica Bradley: The purpose of NHS is “to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools” (from the NHS constitution). Our students focus mainly on the aspect of service. We do several service projects throughout the year and are always looking to get involved with others in the community and at Horizon. It’s important for prospective members to know that there is a level of commitment required if one is accepted and chooses to be inducted into our chapter. Students are expected to attend meetings every other week and to be available for the service projects.

The Sun: What are the requirements to be in NHS?

JB: To be eligible to apply to our chapter of National Honor Society, students must be in 10th, 11th or 12th grade, have (at a minimum) a 3.5 GPA, and have been a Horizon student for at least one semester. Once they are invited to apply, they have to secure a letter of recommendation and write an essay. The faculty council will then evaluate each student on his or her character, leadership, scholarship and commitment to service.

The Sun: How does a student get into NHS?

JB: The faculty council will read each application carefully and decide if the particular student meets the qualifications for membership, which are based on the four pillars of NHS – scholarship, leadership, service and character. We’re not just looking for students who have excellent grades, but also students who have demonstrated a commitment to service, who are resourceful problem solvers, leaders, and who show courtesy, concern, and respect for others.

The Sun: How does NHS help students?

JB: NHS helps students with college admissions and financial planning for college, and also helps them develop leadership and problem-solving skills, [as well as] enhance their ability to work as a team member.

The Sun: What is your favorite part about NHS?

JB: My favorite part is volunteering at our big events. They’re early mornings and on weekends and our students show up with positive attitudes, ready to help. At these events, you really get to see our members shine!

National Honor Society is a wonderful experience, so if you are eligible, you should apply to help make your community a better place through volunteering while learning crucial life skills.