NHS Guide - Laurel Springs School Family Center

National Honor Society
Eligibility and Membership Guide
Eligibility Requirements
Only eligible students will be considered for the Laurel Springs Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS).
1. Students must be in their freshman year or later to apply for membership that is maintained during students’
sophomore, junior, and/or senior years.
2. Students must be enrolled full-time with Laurel Springs School and must have completed a minimum of one
semester (18 lessons) in all Laurel Springs courses prior to applying.
3. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (unweighted) and be in good standing (eg. no Honor
Code violations) in order to be considered for membership in the chapter. This GPA must be maintained in
order to continue as a member of the chapter.
4. Laurel Springs School must be the “school of record” for applying students at all times during the selection
process. Students must remain with Laurel Springs in order to maintain membership in the chapter. Any students who change their “school of record” will be transferred to their new schools’ chapters and be subject to
their membership requirements.
Steps to Becoming a Member
All membership application materials are due by April 1, 2015.
1. All full-time high school students will receive an email with information about how to become a member of NHS
in the spring of each year.
2. Each student who would like to be considered must submit a completed Candidate Form (including a resume
and essay), and two Character Reference Forms (letters of recommendation) from non-family members.
3. Forms are available on the Laurel Springs Family Center website.
4. All paperwork is due by April 1, 2015 in order to be considered for membership. Late or incomplete entries will
not be considered.
5. Students will be notified by letter of their acceptance or denial to the NHS on or by May 1, 2015. Acceptance
decisions will be based on all materials and documents submitted.
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National Honor Society
Membership Requirements
Once a student has been accepted to the NHS, all membership requirements must be completed by the end of their
enrollment the following year after being accepted, or the student’s graduation date, whichever is sooner.
1. Students are required to enroll yearly in the appropriate School Project and Personal Service Project at the
cost of $100 each (excluding tax and shipping).
2. Students must also pay $10 for NHS chapter dues.
3. Students must attend the NHS meetings that take place each month throughout the year. These meetings will
be conducted online. The NHS Instructor will notify students of meeting times.
4. Part of the membership requirement is taking responsibility for submitting coursework on time. Students are
given until the end of their enrollment or until their graduation date (whichever is sooner) to complete the
obligations of membership. There will be no exceptions, as this would undermine the rigor, and therefore the
prestige of the Laurel Springs chapter’s membership.
5. Students may retain their membership and participation in the NHS throughout their high school career with
Laurel Springs, provided that they maintain the GPA standard, complete and return a commitment letter for the
following year, and participate in chapter meetings and service projects. There is no need to reapply after the
first year.
Course Requirements
NHS requires students to participate in and complete both a School Project and a Personal Service Project
each year.
1. For the first year of membership, a student will enroll in and complete the Community Service Year 1 course
and the Leaders4Earth course.
2. For the second year of membership, a student will enroll in and complete the Community Service Year 2 course
and the Character Reflections course.
3. For the third year of membership, a student will enroll in and complete the Community Service Year 3 course
and the Leadership Portfolio course.
4. Each of these courses will show on students’ transcripts as an Elective course and be given 2.5 credits (each)
and a Pass upon completion.
5. Each year of the community service courses, members will be required to document 28 hours of service or
leadership made up solely of volunteer activities.
6. For students who continue with NHS for multiple years, the School Project will change yearly, while the
community service component may vary or remain the same as it will be part of the fulfillment of the Personal
Service Project.
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