Mt. Ararat High School NHS Selection Procedure Selection to the Mt. Ararat High School Chapter of the National Honor Society are made by the Faculty Council which consists of five voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal. The chapter adviser shall be an ex officio, nonvoting, sixth member of the Faculty Council. In order to be selected, a student must demonstrate outstanding performance in all four criteria of NHS--scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Deliberations of the Faculty Council will be done in a confidential manner. The Faculty Council will first identify students in grades 11 and 12 with the prerequisite GPA of 3.25 or better and then evaluate the candidates' performance in the areas of leadership, service, and character. Although the academic criterion is important and will be considered first, membership will never be considered on the basis of grades alone, even though the Faculty Council may consider scholarship as the most important of the four criteria. The Faculty Council will survey academically eligible students to determine interest in membership and to obtain information regarding service and leadership activities. Students so surveyed should understand that such surveys are not applications for membership, and that the review of information gathered does not guarantee selection. Scholarship The scholarship requirement set by the National Council is based on a student’s cumulative GPA. Cumulative GPA refers to the total academic performance as demonstrated by the grades received by the student while in attendance at the school where the chapter is found. For example, in a high school containing grades 9-12, even when students are selected during their junior year, grades from the ninth grade on should be used to compute the scholastic average. Obtaining grades from a student's middle school would be inappropriate and only complicate the selection process as well as present a problem of verification for the Faculty Council. In all cases, only those students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale) meet the scholarship requirement for membership in the National Honor Society. These students are then eligible for consideration on the basis of service, leadership, and character. A failing grade is not an acceptable reason to automatically eliminate a student’s candidacy (unless such markings have caused the cumulative GPA to fall below the established standard). Leadership The leadership criterion is considered highly important for membership selection. The Faculty Council interprets leadership in various contexts, including but not limited to the number of offices a student has held in school or community organizations. Leadership also exists outside elected positions including effective participation in positions of responsibility activities offered at school such as athletic team captains, section leaders in band and chorus, committee chairs in student groups, etc. The Faculty Council will also consider leadership in less objective terms. Leadership roles in both the school and community will be considered, provided they can be verified. The following descriptors will serve as a basis for the Faculty Council’s definition and standard for leadership. The student who exercises leadership: Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions Demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities Exercises positive influence on peers in upholding school ideals and spirit Contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school Is able to delegate responsibilities Exemplifies positive attitudes Inspires positive behavior in others Demonstrates academic initiative Successfully holds school offices or positions of responsibility Conducts business effectively and efficiently Demonstrates reliability and dependability Is a leader in the classroom, at work, or in other school or community activities Is dependable in any responsibility accepted. Service In order to be eligible for selection a student must show at minimum of ten hours of community service during the current calendar year (since January 1). All such service references by candidates should include verification by an adult supervisor of the activity under consideration. Service is generally considered to be those actions undertaken by the student which are done with or on behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation. In considering service, the contributions a candidate has made to school, classmates, and community as well as the student’s attitude toward service will be considered. The following descriptors serve as a guide to the definition and standard for service. The student who serves: Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, is gladly available, and is willing to sacrifice to offer assistance Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities Cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school Is willing to represent the class or school in interclass and interscholastic competition Does committee and staff work without complaint Participates in some activity outside of school (e.g., Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, religious groups, volunteer services for the elderly, poor, or disadvantaged) Mentors persons in the community or students at other schools Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students. Character The Faculty Council will consider the positive as well as the negative aspects of character. All judgments in this and other selection criteria will be free of speculation and rumor. A person of character demonstrates the following six qualities: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. The following descriptors serve as a guide to the definition and standard for character. This list is for consideration purposes only and is not a checklist for this criterion. The student of character: Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (e.g., cheerfulness, friendliness, poise,stability) Upholds principles of morality and ethics Cooperates by complying with school regulations concerning property, programs, office, halls, etc. Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability Regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others Observes instructions and rules, is punctual, and faithful both inside and outside the classroom Has powers of concentration, self-discipline, and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies Manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating in written work, and showing an unwillingness to profit by the mistakes of others Actively helps rid the school of bad influences or environment. The National Council has approved the following recommendations for use when considering the character of candidates: A candidate will be able to demonstrate an outstanding record of conduct and behavior with regard to school and community rules, guidelines, and policies or be able to demonstrate sufficient growth and improvement to compensate for previous inadequacies. The Faculty Council will document, for purposes of their own decision making or if questioned by the principal, any substandard performance in the area of the character criterion. Such documentation will include such sources as: Administrative records of the school Counseling records from the guidance office Conduct or behavior grades or ratings (including comments) on report cards Professional records of individual faculty members (grade books, etc.) Comments, based on professional evaluation and action, of individual faculty members on candidate evaluation forms. Students who have been arrested and found guilty of civil offenses or who have a chronic record of breaking school rules will not be automatically excluded from consideration for membership. A proper regard for adolescent growth and behavior improvement is essential.