Last year, I wrote about why participation the National Honor Society (NHS) is an important element of a healthy school culture; that each student is more than the sum of his or her component parts (The National Honor Society Student: A Mighty and Noble Force of Nature, December 2016). I still believe this to be true and admire the commitment that each of our NHS students makes towards something that is greater than themselves.
On Monday, December 11, 2017, we celebrated the success of this year’s inductees into the Tappan Zee High School National Honor Society (NHS). The new inductees are:
At the induction ceremony, we honored the accomplishments of these students in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Community Service, and Character. The school and community recognized and expressed its gratitude for the choices, and oftentimes the sacrifices, that each of these students has made.
The four requirements for membership in which each excelled: scholarship, leadership, community service, and character were not chosen randomly. These “Four Pillars” are the basis for a meaningful and purpose-driven life.
SCHOLARSHIP is a person’s ability to find meaning in the world around them. This pursuit goes far beyond the grades each receives in school. Our NHS students are curious and strive to see how the world outside of school connects to the work they do in the classroom.
LEADERSHIP isn’t just getting people to do something that they would otherwise be reluctant to do. In order to be a leader of others, our NHS students have demonstrated that they are capable of leading themselves. It takes hard work to succeed, and the NHS students have shown the strength and persistence to do what is required.
As part of the National Honor Society application, community SERVICE hours were counted – outside of this context; there is rarely any need to count the hours that are volunteered serving others. The satisfaction of volunteering is not found in accumulating hours to satisfy a graduation requirement or for scholarships – it is because our NHS students realize that service builds character, it is a learning opportunity, and it really does make the world a better place.
Lastly, and most importantly, character.
CHARACTER is the most elemental quality that a National Honor Society member possesses. A person’s character isn’t measured at one instant in time but along the continuum of one’s life.
The right decision is rarely the easy choice one must make. Our ability to make difficult choices is the truest measure of ourselves. Character is something that we must practice with utmost fidelity. True character is being able to accept responsibility when we fail and, in doing so; pave the way for future successes. Former Head UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said:
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. The true test of a person’s character is what he or she does when no one is watching.”
I would like to thank our NHS students and their advisors, Ms. Nicole Farish and Ms. Nicole Lai for their service to this community – their commitments to Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Character are shining beacons for the rest of us to follow.