The National Junior Honor Society recognizes and encourages academic achievement while celebrating other characteristics essential to citizenship in a democracy. Membership is both an honor and a commitment. The NJHSmember is one who exhibits scholarship, leadership (either overtly or silently), character and service, and demonstrates that he/she is willing to use those talents and skills to improve society.

This organization promotes the celebration of academic excellence. Students in grades 7 and 8 must demonstrate a consistent level of academic performance. Criteria includes: students need to have achieved a cumulative average of 92 for all four quarters of grade 6 and first two quarters of grade 7. In order to gain membership, students must also demonstrate qualities of leadership, service, character and citizenship. Opportunities are provided through NJHS to aid the members in developing these qualities. As leaders, members must exert a wholesome influence on the school community. As servers, they are committed to the idea of volunteering their time and talents to create a better tomorrow. By demonstrating such qualities as reliability, honesty, and sincerity, members hope to prove, by example, that they value character. Finally, through willingness to participate responsibly in the affairs of the school and community, our NJHS members develop citizenship.

A faculty committee identifies each seventh grade student who meets the academic standard and assesses each student’s accomplishments in other categories before membership is awarded. Students are inducted in the spring of each school year. Seventh-graders are expected to keep their grades at this level for their remaining years at the South Orangetown Middle School.