The National Junior Honor Society™

The National Junior Honor Society¹ recognizes and fosters academic achievement while cultivating leadership, character, service and citizenship, qualities essential to successfully navigating this ever-changing world and living the Gospel message of Christ. Students of Saint Agnes School are invited to apply for membership to the National Junior Honor Society at the conclusion of the first semester of their seventh grade year. Potential applicants will receive an invitation to the Saint Agnes School Chapter of The National Junior Honor Society if their cumulative scholastic average from sixth grade and the first semester of seventh grade is 90% or above. In order to be eligible, candidates must have been enrolled for at least one full semester at Saint Agnes School.

Areas of qualification for membership include scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship. In order to be considered by the Faculty Council for membership, the academically qualified students will receive a letter of invitation to apply, and must complete and submit all of the components included in the Candidate Information Packet.

When the Faculty Council reviews students’ submitted materials, they consider the following criteria. These criteria should not be thought of as a checklist, but rather as guidelines for consideration.

Leadership

The student who shows leadership:

• Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions.
• Demonstrates initiative in promoting and/or participating in school activities.
• Has a positive influence amongst peers in upholding school ideals and spirit.
• Demonstrates academic initiative and is a leader in the classroom.
• Is dependable in any responsibility accepted.
• Is willing to speak and act for what is right and just, both for self and others.

Service

In the area of service, the student who serves:

• Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, and is willing to make sacrifices to offer assistance without complaint
• Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities
• Cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school
• Participates in some volunteer activity outside of school (e.g., Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, religious groups, volunteer services for the elderly, poor, or marginalized)
• Shows strong mentorship skills when interacting with younger students
• Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students.

Character

A student of character:

• Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (e.g., hospitality, friendliness, poise, positivity, maturity)
• Cooperates by complying with school policies and codes of student conduct
• Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously
• Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and reliability
• Regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others
• Observes instructions and rules and is punctual
• Speaks and acts virtuously both inside and outside the classroom

Citizenship

The student who demonstrates citizenship:

• Understands the importance of civic engagement
• Has a high regard for freedom and justice
• Shows concern for neighbor, especially the poor and marginalized
• Demonstrates mature participation and responsibility through involvement in activities both in and out of school

NJHS™ Membership

Students are selected for membership based on a majority vote of an anonymous faculty council. Upon selection, the students must maintain all the NJHS standards, must complete at least two service hours in their seventh grade year, and complete at least ten service hours in their eighth grade year, five of which must be completed by the end of the first semester. All service hours MUST be completed by May 1st for eighth graders and June 1st for seventh graders. Students who do not maintain and/or comply with the standards may be given a probationary period to improve their status prior to dismissal from NJHS. A student who is dismissed or who resigns from the National Junior Honor Society will not be allowed to rejoin or reapply.

The dismissal procedure is as follows: Members who fail to maintain the standards, which were the basis for their acceptance, shall be warned in writing and given a probationary period to correct the deficiency. The faculty advisor will inform the member and his/her parents in writing of the nature of the deficiency, the length of the probationary period, and the consequences for lack of improvement. This notice must be signed by the parent(s) of the student, and returned to the advisor. In the case of flagrant violation of school rules (ex. cheating, stealing, etc.) or the law, a warning is not required for dismissal, but a hearing will still be held. If a member is dismissed, the member and his/her parents will be informed in writing and the student has the right to appeal to the principal.

Membership in the National Junior Honor Society is an honor bestowed upon an individual, and thus a privilege. It is not a position to which you apply without a qualifying invitation, nor to which one is elected, nor a right of any individual. Those selected for membership are expected to uphold the integrity of NJHS standards of academics, leadership, service, character, and citizenship, both in and out of school, and comply with all requirements of membership.

[1] National Junior Honor Society and NJHS are duly registered trademarks of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Unauthorized copying or use of said trademarks is strictly prohibited.