Alex Pomeroy and Connor Ball
Staff Writers
On April 26, 132 Jamesville-DeWitt High School juniors were inducted into National Honor Society (NHS). After saying a pledge and blowing out their candles, the newly inducted juniors joined the NHS community. They were met with loud claps of proud parents and family members.
“It was very much like a cult induction,” said junior Taylor Roadarmel. Roadarmel explains that lighting the candles and saying chants in unison reminded of her just of that. Besides her initial thought, Roadarmel said the ceremony was very nice and appropriate to honor all the students and their hard work.
Other inductees like juniors Meg Hair, Katie Lutz and Kate Foraker said the ceremony was very long but rewarding.
“It feels amazing,” said Hair. Roadarmel says she feels accomplished because it’s what many high schoolers strive for. “I feel it’s a very big accomplishment,” said Foraker. Having a different opinion is junior Maddy Sullivan, who says that the number of students inducted makes getting accepted less special since the number of inductees has grown in recent years.
For this reason, starting next year, the standards to get into NHS are being raised. “The faculty council voted to raise the academic standard to a weighted 93 GPA,” said counselor Diane Ennis who co-runs NHS. Students have differing opinions on whether the newly-raised standards are a good idea.“I feel like it would be bad for the kids who work harder in AP classes but don’t get as good of grades because they are in those classes.” says junior Jessica Spina.
Students must show and excel at the NHS four pillars: scholarship, leadership, character, and service. Three of the four pillars and easily shown in the classroom, but in order to achieve and demonstrate the service aspect of NHS, students are required to do ten hours of volunteer service during the school year. “I think I am going to work at the YMCA and help them with basketball in the city,” said Hair. Foraker is planning to help at Helping Hounds or the Samaritan Center, and Spina said she is going to work at the VA hospital.
Another requirement for NHS acceptance is writing two essays. One of the essays was about character and the other asked if you had a thousand dollars to give to a charity, which one would you donate to.
Also inducted into NHS was Jamesville-DeWitt High School social studies teacher Andrew Cottet, as the honorary inductee. Mr. Cottet was nominated and selected by J-DHS’s 2017 NHS class. “I was extraordinarily honored to be chosen to be the honorary inductee this year,” said Mr. Cottet.
Many students see NHS as a huge advantage to have on your college résumé. “It shows you’ve achieved a certain amount of academic excellence,” says junior Marie Saba. Similar to Saba, Sullivan said, “It shows colleges that you took extra steps in school and it wasn’t just about the grades you got, but what you did to help the community.”
From the J-DHS Rampage staff, congratulations to all of the new inductees!
