Membership  

The National Honor Society was established to create an organization that would recognize and foster academic achievement while developing other characteristics essential to citizens in a democracy. Membership in the local chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. It is a privilege; no student has a right to be selected for membership in a chapter of the National Honor Society. The final selection for membership is by a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Selected members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate the qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. At Northern, students are inducted into the National Honor Society after the third marking period of their junior year and after the first marking period of their senior year. The induction process begins when the guidance office gives the advisor a list of students who have a weighted scholastic average of 97% (beginning January 1, 2011) or higher. The students on the list are given a form to complete and return if they are interested in being considered for membership. (According to the national constitution, students may not apply for membership.) Then the National Honor Society Faculty Advisory Council selects students for induction into the society. Members are elected by majority vote. The list of those elected to membership is then submitted to the principal for approval. Finally, the students selected participate in a formal induction ceremony.