VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2
NOVEMBER 2022
Welcoming a New Generation of NHS
By Izzy List
The National Honor Society (NHS) has been a longstanding, integral part of high schools throughout the nation and around the world. Founded over a century ago in 1921, NHS encourages students to continue to strive for excellence through its four main pillars: leadership, character, scholarship, and service.
With over 200 current students in the junior and senior classes alone, NHS has become an integral part of Maggie Walker’s own community. According to senior counselor and NHS sponsor Dr. Rachel Loving, the National Honor Society at MLWGS has been molded into an organization primarily of service, one whose main purpose is to “empower students to lead service initiatives” and turn “their service ideas a reality.” Loving stressed that while acting as a generator of opportunities itself, NHS also acts as a vessel for students’ ideas, which then gives rise to the community service and leadership positions NHS is most often associated with. For example, long-established enterprises of NHS include on-campus landscaping work and a teacher card drive that occurs during teacher appreciation week, in which students hand-make cards to thank the MLWGS staff.
As the NHS members of the senior class of 2022 graduated last spring, a new generation of NHS members filled their place in order to continue this legacy of leadership and service. On October 17, 2022, 135 new members were welcomed in the official National Honor Society induction ceremony, in what was the most traditional ceremony since the pandemic. Guest speaker Mr. Mike Maruca, founder of Sacred Heart Center and Head of Anna Julia Cooper School, made a highlight appearance at the ceremony and discussed the process of constructing a nonprofit organization starting solely with an idea to aid the community. His remarks brought attention to the core values of the NHS and provided inspiration to the NHS members for the application of these values in future initiatives.
The induction ceremony was not without hiccups, however, as the result of a high number of student conflicts, difficulty scheduling due to other school events, and event stage setup troubles, according to Loving. However, despite these challenges, the induction ceremony ran smoothly and was without the COVID-19 modifications of past years. Ultimately, the ceremony accomplished its goal of introducing the new generation of NHS members to a community that would guide them into a more well-rounded pursuit of education and character, while simultaneously providing the opportunities needed to better the surrounding community.
Loving also noted her gratitude for the help of MLWGS Assistant Director Dr. Lisa Williams, who made wonderful introductory remarks at the ceremony, as well as the PTSA, for organizing the event, and the NHS officers, whose teamwork made the ceremony possible.