• nhs

    National Honor Society

    Advisor: Ms. Erica King

    The National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginnings in 1921. The Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy chapter of the National Honor Society was established in 1998, and its members have been serving our school and greater community ever since.

    Each year in early October, rising juniors who have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (unweighted) are invited to apply for membership via mail. The application process is completed online and includes demonstrating 50 hours of community service, obtaining two teacher recommendations and one coach/advisor/community leader recommendation, and writing an essay. A selection committee reviews applications and makes decisions about acceptance. The induction ceremony for juniors selected to be members takes place in early November.

    After juniors are initiated members of the National Honor Society, they are expected to uphold the values of the organization. Students will attend one General Membership Meeting every month, complete two hours of service offered by their chosen committee, and remain in good academic standing. Following induction in the spring, juniors will complete an additional 25 generalized service hours. These hours may be completed anywhere in or outside of the school. Members will be notified of community service opportunities via Remind and/or email.  Students wishing to participate in the activities of multiple committees may earn generalized membership hours after they have completed their two committee-specific hours. 

    Senior members of the National Honor Society are responsible to complete two committee hours each month and 20 hours of generalized service hours each semester. These hours will be submitted via our iOs app or by paper forms. General membership hours will be submitted in December and May. 

    General membership meetings will take place on the first Tuesday of every month at either 8:00 a.m. or 3:40 p.m. — members can select the meeting time that is most convenient for them. (Attendance at ONE of these meetings is required. Students do not need to attend both sessions).

    The executive board officers will meet every Wednesday at 3:40 pm. Committee chairs will meet whenever a meeting is necessitated during the school year (students will be contacted via Remind and/or email notifications of any meetings).

    The organization sponsors a monthly cleanup at the school, usually on the first Thursday of each month, two days after the general membership meeting.

    *Please be cautious of mail that you may receive from NHS or NHSS.  These are national organizations that are not Northwest PA Collegiate Academy specific. The membership fees are significantly higher than those of our chapter and do not offer membership to our organization, meetings, volunteer opportunities, etc. Correspondence from the Collegiate Academy chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) will always include our school name, logo, adviser, or student leader names.