National Junior Honor Society
National Junior Honor Society
Welcome to the NJHS Information Center for New Bridge Middle School!
Selection Process for Potential Members:
- Anyone who has at least a 93 cumulative average at New Bridge will be looked at (scholarship)
- Students with the average grade will fill out a school/community activity sheet (service).
- All teachers and coaches are asked to rate all of the eligible students based on citizenship, leadership and character that they have witnessed in class, sports, and clubs/activities throughout the year.
- Results are tabulated and the faculty council meets to discuss each child based on all of the above criteria.
- Letters are sent to the parents of students who are selected.
- An induction ceremony is held for those students and their families.
Rising 8th grade members:
One cornerstone of NJHS is service. You will need to earn 10 hours of service during the summer and first semester of 8th grade. Volunteer hours can be done anywhere from the Soup Kitchen to your neighbor's yard as long as it is not for your household and you are not being compensated for your time.
Please be sure to check your nine-week averages. In addition to service and character, scholarships are another cornerstone of NJHS. If your nine-week average is below 93, you will be given nine weeks to restore your average. After the probation, if you bring up your average to 93, membership is restored. :)
The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
Established in 1929
The National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) are the nation's premier organizations established to recognize outstanding high school and middle level students. More than just an honor roll, NHS and NJHS serve to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character (and Citizenship for NJHS). These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since their beginnings in 1921 and 1929.
Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in activities of the NHS and NJHS. NHS and NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. Territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.
History of the Organization
In 1921, NASSP officially established the National Honor Society. Though many local and regional honor societies existed prior to 1921, no nationwide organization had been founded. Under the leadership of Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of the Fifth Avenue High School, Pittsburgh, Pa., the organization grew from the original Alpha Chapter at the Fifth Avenue School to more than 1,000 chapters by 1930. Equipped with a constitution, an emblem and motto, and a group of dedicated principals as coordinators, the new NHS organization quickly developed into one of the country's leading educational groups.
Four main purposes have guided chapters of NHS from the beginning: "To create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools." (from the NHS Constitution) These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.
In 1929, the NASSP turned its attention to middle level schools and expanded the scope of its concern for recognizing outstanding students by establishing the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). With its own constitution and handbook, NJHS has established criteria that parallel the emphases found in the NHS with an added purpose to encourage citizenship. (Additional information on establishing a chapter of the NJHS is available upon request from the NASSP Department of Student Activities.)
Both the NHS and NJHS are sponsored and supervised by NASSP which appoints a National Council - the controlling body of NHS. In addition, National Council members also serve as the selection committee for the prestigious NHS Scholarship which has been administered annually in schools with NHS chapters since 1946.
The day-to-day administration of NHS national concerns is handled by the NASSP Department of Student Activities, headquartered in Reston, VA.