Welcome to National Elementary Honor Society

The National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) was established in 2008 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals in cooperation with the National Association of Elementary School Principals to recognize elementary students in both public and non-public elementary schools for their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated personal responsibility, to provide meaningful service to the school and community, and to develop essential leadership skills in the students of elementary schools.

Service Hour Requirement

Selection Criteria and Process

These procedures reflect the guidelines outlined in the NEHS National Constitution

1. Getting Started. The selection process used at your school has been developed and approved by members of the Faculty (teachers) and your principal. The steps in the process are written and published for students, parents, and others to read and understand.

2. Candidacy. As the first step in the process, the grades you have earned in recent years are reviewed to determine who is eligible for membership. The grades from at least your last two semesters are averaged together. Those students whose grade averages meet the criteria are known as Candidates.

3. Collecting Candidate Information. Once you have been identified as a Candidate for membership, you will be asked to complete the NEHS Candidate’s Form. This form outlines your accomplishments in the areas of Responsibility, Service, and Leadership. Please pay attention to the deadline on the form indicating when the form is due back to the chapter adviser. You and your parents will be asked to sign these forms, indicating that the content is complete and accurate.

4. Faculty/Teacher Input. With some schools, the teachers who have taught you will be asked to provide information about you to the selection committee (known as the NEHS Faculty Council). They may be asked to evaluate how responsible you have been in class and in other school activities.

5. Candidate Review. Once the Faculty Council (the selection committee) has received all of the Candidate Forms and input from the faculty, they will review each Candidate’s information carefully.

6. Principal’s Review. Your school principal also plays a part in this selection process, and will review the results of the Faculty Council’s voting. As a result, your selection is an indication that the faculty and the principal believe you are qualified for this honor.

7. Notification. Once the decisions have been made and approved by the principal, you will be notified of the results either in person or with a letter delivered to you and your parents at school or at home. Remember: There is a chance that you will not be selected this year, but with time and extra effort on your part, you can be considered again in the future as long as your grades remain strong.

8. Induction. All new members of the NEHS chapter are recognized at a special event known as the Induction Ceremony. In the letter notifying you of your selection, you will be asked to respond and confirm that you will be able to attend this important ceremony at the time and date listed. Once you have been recognized at the Induction Ceremony, you will be a new member of the National Elementary Honor Society!

Selection and Induction are just the first stages for becoming a member of NEHS. Your chapter will plan meetings and other special activities throughout the coming year. You will learn new leadership skills and participate in service projects to improve your school and community. Membership in NEHS provides many new experiences to add value to your education. We hope you will make the most of this opportunity.

Student Membership

Maintaining standards: Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected. The implication here is that members are well informed concerning what those selection standards were as published in the description of the local selection process. Annual reminders for students and parents delivered through the script of the chapter’s Induction Ceremony are also helpful.

St. Laurence standards: Students must have a cumulative average of 93 in all core classes.  

Dues: Members may be asked to pay annual chapter dues. The constitution limits this amount to $20 per student per year. For this amount and any other obligatory expenses incurred by members, the school should be able to provide alternative sources of funding for those students who may be incapable of paying. The authentic inability of a member or his/her family to pay such financial obligations should not be the reason for the disciplining of any member. Note: Dues are not a required function for any chapter, but if established by the chapter in accordance with all local school policies, can become an obligation of all members.

Meetings : A schedule of chapter meetings should be developed and well publicized. Chapter officers should work closely with the adviser to see that the agendas for all meetings are well thought out and planned for. Chapters may require members to attend these meetings. Develop fair policies for ‘excused’ and ‘unexcused’ absences using local school attendance guidelines as a model.

Chapter projects: All chapters are required to sponsor chapter projects in which all members participate, assuming that the projects meet the criteria as outlined in the constitution. Chapters often offer multiple projects during the year for members to choose from in order to fulfill this obligation.

Additional obligations : If additional obligations exist for members of the chapter, such obligations should be included on a separate list of Member Obligations shared regularly with members and their parents, or should be spelled out in the Chapter Bylaws for all members to see. It is recommended that chapter bylaws be presented to each member annually or included in the chapter’s Member Handbook as a reminder of these and all member obligations.