National Honor Society
The Aitkin High School Chapter of the National Honor Society is comprised of individuals who are the pillars of scholarship, leadership, service and good character. These students show enthusiasm in the classes they take, have a positive influence on their school and community through leadership and service, and demonstrate the quality of honesty to everyone they meet. National Honor Society members must maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or above, attend chapter meetings, and participate in various service activities throughout the school year, all while upholding the 4 pillars of the society.
NHS Adviser: Meredith Sander [email protected] 218-927-7108
Selection Process
Aitkin High School National Honor Society
1. Students in grades eleven and twelve are sent letters informing them of their academic eligibility for membership to NHS: a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA.
2. Students who have been invited to consider membership to NHS are required to attend an informational meeting that will explain the selection process, the requirements for membership, activities of the organization, and responsibilities of being a member.
3. Students are asked to fill out a student information form that will provide a detailed description of their school activities, leadership positions, community service activities, and volunteer service. All students will also be required to write an essay related to a provided scenario. Students must also ask 3 current high school teachers to fill out a provided Faculty Recommendation Form.
4. The Faculty Council, made up of five current members of the teaching staff who are appointed by the building Principal, is responsible for the final selection. The Faculty Council understands the importance of exercising their professional judgment in the most objective manner possible.
5. The student information forms and faculty recommendations are presented to the Faculty Council by the NHS adviser. A discussion follows each presentation. The members of the faculty council vote on each individual candidate, voting to accept or deny their application for membership.
6. Prior to the notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser should review with the principal the results of the faculty council's deliberations. The principal can fully utilize the authority granted in Article V, Section 1 of the NHS Constitution wherein the principal is given final authority on all actions and decisions of the chapter including those relating to selection.
7. Parents and students must understand that NHS membership is an earned privilege, not a right. Not all candidates who complete the application process are offered membership. The faculty council of the chapter selects students who demonstrate outstanding performance in all four criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Membership is never considered on the basis of grades alone.
8. Reconsiderations of a Faculty Council’s decision must be a rare occurrence if the Council is to be expected to take its assignment seriously. Chapters are not obligated to share with parents and students information concerning those who are not selected for membership in the Society. The Principal may listen to complaints from students not selected or from the parents of such students. Following such discussions, if the Principal believes that some kind of technical mistake has been made, the Principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the situation. Technical errors might include the inadvertent omission of a student’s name from the list of those qualified for induction, the erroneous averaging of points, or the like. In the absence of specific evidence to the contrary, however, the Principal must assume that the members of the Council are exercising their discretion in a legitimate manner and with good faith expected of them.
9. The selection process will be public information; it will be fair, non-discriminatory, and consistently applied.
10. Any student or parent/guardian with questions about the National Honor Society are welcome to contact the chapter adviser or the high school principal.
Member Obligations
Aitkin High School National Honor Society
All students inducted into the Aitkin National Honor Society must
-Maintain or exceed a cumulative GPA of 3.5
-Attend scheduled NHS meetings
-Complete 10 hours of volunteer service learning throughout the school year. Volunteer opportunities are provided through NHS, but volunteer hours from other organizations are accepted as determined by the chapter adviser.
Member Application
Click the following link to access the member application for Fall, 2023. NHS APPLICATION (Google doc) NHS APPLICATION (PDF)
Click the following link to access the faculty recommendation form for Fall, 2023. TEACHER RECOMMENDATION
NHS Adviser: Meredith Sander [email protected] 218-927-7108
Selection Process
Aitkin High School National Honor Society
1. Students in grades eleven and twelve are sent letters informing them of their academic eligibility for membership to NHS: a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA.
2. Students who have been invited to consider membership to NHS are required to attend an informational meeting that will explain the selection process, the requirements for membership, activities of the organization, and responsibilities of being a member.
3. Students are asked to fill out a student information form that will provide a detailed description of their school activities, leadership positions, community service activities, and volunteer service. All students will also be required to write an essay related to a provided scenario. Students must also ask 3 current high school teachers to fill out a provided Faculty Recommendation Form.
4. The Faculty Council, made up of five current members of the teaching staff who are appointed by the building Principal, is responsible for the final selection. The Faculty Council understands the importance of exercising their professional judgment in the most objective manner possible.
5. The student information forms and faculty recommendations are presented to the Faculty Council by the NHS adviser. A discussion follows each presentation. The members of the faculty council vote on each individual candidate, voting to accept or deny their application for membership.
6. Prior to the notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser should review with the principal the results of the faculty council's deliberations. The principal can fully utilize the authority granted in Article V, Section 1 of the NHS Constitution wherein the principal is given final authority on all actions and decisions of the chapter including those relating to selection.
7. Parents and students must understand that NHS membership is an earned privilege, not a right. Not all candidates who complete the application process are offered membership. The faculty council of the chapter selects students who demonstrate outstanding performance in all four criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Membership is never considered on the basis of grades alone.
8. Reconsiderations of a Faculty Council’s decision must be a rare occurrence if the Council is to be expected to take its assignment seriously. Chapters are not obligated to share with parents and students information concerning those who are not selected for membership in the Society. The Principal may listen to complaints from students not selected or from the parents of such students. Following such discussions, if the Principal believes that some kind of technical mistake has been made, the Principal may ask the Faculty Council to reconvene to review the situation. Technical errors might include the inadvertent omission of a student’s name from the list of those qualified for induction, the erroneous averaging of points, or the like. In the absence of specific evidence to the contrary, however, the Principal must assume that the members of the Council are exercising their discretion in a legitimate manner and with good faith expected of them.
9. The selection process will be public information; it will be fair, non-discriminatory, and consistently applied.
10. Any student or parent/guardian with questions about the National Honor Society are welcome to contact the chapter adviser or the high school principal.
Member Obligations
Aitkin High School National Honor Society
All students inducted into the Aitkin National Honor Society must
-Maintain or exceed a cumulative GPA of 3.5
-Attend scheduled NHS meetings
-Complete 10 hours of volunteer service learning throughout the school year. Volunteer opportunities are provided through NHS, but volunteer hours from other organizations are accepted as determined by the chapter adviser.
Member Application
Click the following link to access the member application for Fall, 2023. NHS APPLICATION (Google doc) NHS APPLICATION (PDF)
Click the following link to access the faculty recommendation form for Fall, 2023. TEACHER RECOMMENDATION