KIHS National Honor Society
Lead Advisor: Barbara Sutherland
Co-advisor: Charlene Wright
The Kent Island High School Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that recognizes approximately 200 members of the school’s student body who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The members demonstrate these qualities by continuously maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50, actively participating in the school recycling and tutoring programs, annually completing two service projects, paying dues, and willingly upholding both school and countywide policies in order to maintain a clean disciplinary record and be a positive role model.
Each year the student membership collectively donates to a nonprofit organization with individual $5.00 voluntary donations made at the beginning of the year. The NHS membership is also the major contributor to a Thanksgiving food basket drive that provides for local families. Beyond these two outreach programs, the membership has also willingly participated in the Adopt-A-Bear program, as well as conducted student-led fundraisers for local organizations. In the past, the NHS has run a candy sales program to benefit the Animal Resource Foundation (ARF), collected items for military troops overseas, organized a talent show for a senior center, and solicited for donations for various outreach groups (officers generally select and run these projects).
The membership meets monthly afterschool in the KIHS auditorium for approximately one hour (schedule is determined by officers during first week of each semester). In addition, officers meet monthly prior to each membership meeting with the advisors in Room 257, and all members are required to stay after school an additional 4 hours/year (minimum) to meet individual recycling and peer tutoring obligations (locations and days vary by subject). The student membership demonstrates their good-standing by upholding the four pillars that they pledged to both at their Induction ceremony and within their contract.
• Peer tutoring (1 hour each semester)
• Empty the school wide recycling bins once/twice a year depending on membership totals
• Participate in a minimum of two NHS sponsored Community Service Projects
• Fall meeting dates 2009: September 2, October 7, November 18, December 15, January 13, 2010
• Spring mandatory meetings April 13 (rehearsal) and April 22 (Induction), other spring semester meeting dates will be announced at the January meeting.
• Mondays and Thursdays after school. Pick up cart from Ms. Wright in Room 201 by 2:40 PM. See the posted calendars (in cafeteria and outside of room 201) for your dates.
• Mondays: Math Room 205 2:40-3:40 PM
• Wednesday: Spanish Room 103 2:40-3:40 PM
• During School: Communication Skills Room 110 (during your lunch shift 2 consecutive days to total one hour of service)
• As tradition, NHS provides food to the local community here on Kent Island. Last year the members provided for ~ 15 families. Your group will be purchasing the food from a menu that makes up a Thanksgiving dinner for a family of about 4 people (MINUS the turkey, which is provided by an outside donor). The food should be brought in a BAG labeled with YOUR NAME to ROOM 257. To remain in Good-Standing, Bring the Food NO LATER than WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18th.
Adopt-a-Bear
• Sign up for the Adopt-A-Bear Community service project at the November meeting. Once you have signed-up we will get the tags from the Adopt-a-bear organization and contact the group leaders. Each tag will contain information about the child you have adopted for Christmas. We are asking that each group have NO MORE THAN 6 members (This includes the leader). Each member is encouraged to donate a minimum of $10 towards the child’s gifts. We ask that you buy both toys and winter clothing items. Wrapped gifts labeled with the student’s code number are to be returned to Mrs. Sutherland’s classroom (Room 257) by December 15, 2009. Please put your name in the transporting bag NOT on the gift. Please make this Holiday Season as joyful as possible for these children by being creative and working together.
• This is our annual BIG event. Members MUST attend both the rehearsal and the induction ceremony. The dates for this year are April 13 (rehearsal) and April 22, (Induction) 2010. The rehearsal will be after school for approximately 1 hour in the auditorium. The Induction event will be in the evening. You are expected to stay to the end of the event. We have made every effort to work with Mr. Cooper in the athletic department and with the performing arts staff to avoid conflicts. You MUST notify one of the advisors well in ADVANCE of any conflicts. Current membership attire is business professional in the colors of black and white. New Inductees are to be dressed in a business professional manner in any color. Detailed expectations regarding attire will be provided in January, well in advance of the ceremony.