National Honor Society

Membership Selection Process

1. Membership in the National Honor Society is an honor bestowed upon a student for outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities (National Constitution, Article VIII, Section 1).
2. Final selection for membership is by a majority vote of the Faculty Council comprised of five faculty members nominated by the Advisors and appointed by the Principal (Article IX, section 1).
3. To be eligible for membership at DCHS, the candidate must be a member of the junior or senior class. Candidates must have been in attendance at DCHS the equivalent of one semester (Article IX, Section 1).
4. The Selection Process:
1. The NHS Advisor(s) reviews grade records to compile a list of all juniors and seniors who have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA.
2. A letter is sent to all academically eligible juniors and seniors, inviting them to an informational meeting to discuss the selection process, the requirements for membership, the activities of the organization, and the responsibilities of the members.
3. At the informational meeting, students receive the necessary selection process paperwork to help the Advisors and the Faculty Council to obtain information about their service and leadership. This paperwork includes the following:
1. Student Activity Information Form
2. Essay Commitment Form
3. Outside Evaluation Form (a recommendation from someone who is not a DC staff person nor a relative)
4. Five Teacher Evaluation Forms
4. Each faculty member is given a list of those students who are academically eligible and who have indicated an interest in becoming a member of the NHS. They are asked to rank the candidates on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) in the area of leadership, service, and character.
5. The Faculty Council convenes and evaluates the eligible students' character, leadership, and service on the basis of their Student Activity Information Forms, their commitment essays, the outside evaluation, the five faculty evaluations, and the faculty surveys. Each eligible student will receive a yes, no, or abstain vote from each Faculty Council Member. In order to be selected, a student must receive a yes vote from the majority of the Faculty Council.
6. Candidates will be notified by mail about the Faculty Council decision. In accordance with NASSP rules and recommendations, all working papers of the selection process will be destroyed after a decision is reached. Only the names of those selected will be presented to the Advisor(s) and Principal. This ends the NHS selection process.
7. New members attend the next scheduled meeting and are apprised of their membership responsibilities. Later, they are formally inducted during a special ceremony.
5. Criteria used for selection:
1. Scholarship: Student has a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 at the time of invitation. This 3.5 GPA must be maintained for active membership.
2. Character: The student upholds high standards of honesty, reliability, respect, and responsibility and the principles of morality and integrity both inside and outside school.
3. Leadership: A positive influence on friends and classmates, the student is a person who initiates and assumes responsibility for tasks and their completion.
4. Service: The needs of others are put above self-interest. Effort and talent are given for the school, parish, and community without expecting recognition or reward.