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Welcome to the
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
Club members are required to perform 6 hours of service per semester, in addition to class service projects or participating in the class Mass. Altar serving on weekends or Holy Days, service projects in scouts or other organizations, or family service projects can all count, as well as participation in parish projects such as the Bazaar or “Share God’s Bounty.” Helping out with NEHS projects outside of our scheduled meeting times can count as well. Hours earned over the summer can count toward the coming year's fall service hour requirement. Copies of the service log can be found on the NEHS bulletin board. We discuss service opportunities at our monthly meetings, so be sure to check with your child.
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. Please see the Family Handbook.
2. Candidacy. As the first step in the process, the grades you have earned in recent years, as well as scores on Achievement Tests, 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, who earned the minimum Achievement Test score during the previous school year's achievement tests, and who maintain Conduct grades of E or S 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 our Induction Ceremony, which takes place during the regular NEHS meeting time. In the letter notifying you of your selection, we will provide information as to when the Induction Ceremony will take place. 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
The NEHS National Constitution delineates several formal obligations of membership:Maintaining Standards: Once selected and inducted, all members are expected to maintain the standards by which they were selected.
St. Laurence standards: Please see Family Handbook.
Dues: Members will be asked to pay annual chapter dues equalling $7 per semester.
Meetings: Meetings are typically held on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00-7:40 am in the Dining Hall. Please see the school calendar for variations.
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.