At ODA, the faculty awards students for their hard work and achievement, and one of the ways in which they do this is through National Honor Society. NHS is a very important organization not only in the ODA community, but across many high schools across the country. Selection for the society is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

NHS includes a very select group of students from grades 10, 11, and 12. However, the middle school also participates in National Junior Honors Society, which inducts a select group of eighth grade students each year.

NJHS at ODA this year is inducting the top 13 ranked students in the eighth grade glass. An honors society at the middle school level is a positive way to encourage academic excellence in those years of growth and development. Just like NHS, this society focuses on performing service in and out of the Out-of-Door community, as well as strong academic achievement.

Each year, the senior members of NHS induct the eighth graders into NJHS. The ceremony consists of the NHS officers each speaking about the society, and then other members of NHS writing and reading a short speech about one of the students being inducted. It is an exciting night for these eighth grade students, and fun for the older students to learn about the new inductees.

“I’m not exactly sure what we will get to do in NJHS, but I’m really excited I have been given the opportunity to be involved,” says eighth grader Gus Mahler.

Both the NHS and NHJS members can not wait for next week’s ceremony.

Good luck, future NJHS members!