NHS Advisor Barb Maring welcomed the students and guests. “As you can tell, these 55 students deserve to be called the best of our student body. Let us remember that the National Honors Society is more than a cord worn at graduation, more than a certificate, or a line on a resume. These talented students understand this, and they know they're about to make a commitment to use their gifts and talents to better the lives of others in their community through their involvement in the NHS. Let us remember that the NHS is a lesson in how to live a life as an active member of society - a lesson for a lifetime,” said Maring.
NHS members must meet several criteria for membership. Students must have a 3.5 GPA and provide evidence of their leadership and service. Students submit a written essay describing how they portray the four pillars of the NHS - character, service, leadership and scholarship. A five-member faculty council determines which students should be invited to NHS.
High School Principal Tony Petersen said being in the NHS is an honor. “I would like to be among the first to congratulate you. It is an honor to serve as your principal and I’m proud of each of you for the hard work, dedication, leadership service, and the impeccable character that each of you has displayed. You're among the best and the brightest at TKHS and I look forward to seeing the legacy that you continue to build as a member of the National Honor Society,” said Petersen.
Chiya Collantes, the NHS Chapter President, gave a little more insight into NHS and how it was founded.
“In 1921, the National Association of secondary school principals passed a resolution to form the National Honor Society, which created a National Organization whose objectives were to create an enthusiasm for scholarship to stimulate service to promote worthy leadership and to encourage the development of character in the nation's secondary school students,” she said.
The TKHS National Honor Society was founded in 1958 by Elizabeth Thurber, a language arts instructor. At the first ceremony, seven students were inducted.
NHS members offered more insight into the four pillars of NHS - scholarship, leadership, character and service.
“Scholarship is measured not only by your academic success, but also by your ability to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you every day for the sake of expanding your intellectual and emotional understanding of the world around you. It is the pursuit of growth as an individual. Those who demonstrate scholarship are not afraid to take the time to learn. Those who demonstrate scholarship will always find the potential to improve from a given situation, whether they succeed at first or happen to fall short. As members of the NHS, you will value scholarship as you discover that it displays humility in individuals for recognizing the academic achievement is not given, is something that must be worked toward through conscientiousness and effort,” said Michael Sage-Wissner.
Cole Novak spoke about leadership. “Leadership often seems like a grand term better suited for people in history books than for those of us here today. You all have led at some point in your lives, whether by doing an act of service as small as picking up trash along the side of the road or as big as supporting a new community initiative. Leadership is rather easy. Really, all it means is deliberately choosing to do what is best for your community, especially when there are easier ways that many others will take.”
Lydia Schilthroat spoke about character. “A big part of the National Honor Society is one's character. Character is how someone carries themselves showing the way they act and how they treat others, demonstrating respect for all of those around, showing kindness and having an understanding of the opinions and beliefs of others,” she said. “Regardless of accomplishments and scholarship, people are remembered by those who remember them for their good heart and kind spirit. It's a person's character that leaves an impact.”
The final pillar of the NHS is service. “Service is to help another by performing an action or work for someone else. Service is required for the NHS, because National Honor Society members are always striving to provide service to surrounding communities to benefit those around them. Service is not just to satisfy a requirement set by the NHS or for college applications, but to help another through reaching out to them, a value that can never afford to be lost within society,” said Isabel Schilthroat.
She said there are many ways NHS members can provide service. “You can join your local Youth Advisory Council or volunteer at numerous organizations like the YMCA or the Paul Henry Trail. You can serve food to the poor or raise money for Habitat for Humanity.”
The roll call of new members was read by Josalyn Cramer, NHS secretary, and Valerie Tamez, NHS treasurer. Petersen greeted each member before they received their certificates from Collantes and Kyle Hoebeke, who serves as the NHS vice president. Collantes then had all new members recite the NHS pledge and formally welcomed them into the NHS.
Students inducted are:
Class of 2026
Shaelyne Bennett, Mark Gielincki, Miller Juarez, Oliver Lietz, Benjamin Postma, Lilian Rubert, Kara Smith, Gracyn Traub.
Class of 2027
Molly Alden, Rian Allen, Avery Bushman, Raegen Chapman, Caleb Chatman, Mason Chivis, Saige Clous, Mark Cuison, Parker Dahley, Jalen DeVore, Madelyn Eitel, Alexander Evans, Elijah Frazer, Grady Galaviz, Mary Gaudreau, Logan Goggins, Austin Hansford, Peyton Hardy, Ellie Harmon, Julia Hart, Adalyn Henry, Alexander Hildabrand, Alexa Hoeksma, Adelaide Holderman, Jacob Koster, Addyson Lambert, Leighton Leslie, Alaina McCrumb, Callie Middleton, Gage Novak, Isabelle Piering, Carmen Reynolds, Reece Ritsema, Marissa Rowley, Katelyn Scobey, Taylor Seif, Paige Sheely, Meghan Skidmore, Lily Stanard, Ethan Strait, Charles VanDuine, Brandan Velting, Alexis Watson, Emma Weeber, Chloe Yates, Alyvia Zolinski, Parker Zube.