Everyday Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character
by Nara Lee
Whether or not your school has a chapter of National Honor Society (NHS), I share this note to illustrate the universality of the program’s values and how they can fit into your educational journey, regardless of your membership status with NHS.
No two educational journeys are the same. Some may look similar, but taking certain courses or course loads, participating in specific activities, and achieving coveted honors and prizes do not define values. While we believe in the significance and power of recognition, the pillars of the National Honor Societies are not limited to student members alone. National recognition programs like the National Honor Society strive to place a much-needed emphasis and spotlight on whole-person growth.
National Honor Society membership is invitation-only and a specific honor. But Everyday Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character are shared values of schools, communities, and families.
Everyday Scholarship is a commitment to learning and growing on an educational path. It means making the most of the educational opportunities provided and seeking out learning, not only in school but personally. Everyday Scholarship doesn’t require a minimum GPA—but it does require effort. More importantly, it stems from a desire to contribute to this world in a positive way by building on your own knowledge, skills, and talents through new experiences.
Everyday Service is seeing a need and fulfilling it voluntarily. Sometimes it’s driven by a passion for a specific cause or people in need. Other times, it’s driven by personal or family need, like taking care of siblings or other family members, or maybe even working part-time to help with family finances.
builds on Everyday Service—and leadership and service can often look very similar. Everyday Leadership is carrying yourself with dignity and taking ownership and responsibility for your own actions and participation. Being a public speaker, playing quarterback, or having an official title is not required for Everyday Leadership. Everyday Leadership means being an agent—someone who takes action and responsibility—of your own pathway.
valuing diverse cultures and building relationships that reflect love of self but also concern for others. There are endless attributes to good character: perseverance, respect, integrity, honesty, sacrifice—the list goes on. Good and noble character is a high calling. We don’t often “see” character unless there is a public display of self-sacrifice or, more frequently, a very public mistake. Everyday Character is not about praiseworthy or blameworthy behavior but the personal commitment to ethical and compassionate decision making that affects you and others.
NHS thanks the following organizations and leadership for their input and support in creating the Everyday Pillars: Making Caring Common (Harvard Graduate School of Education); Dr. Jonathan D. Mathis (former director of the National Honor Societies); Dr. Andrea Elzy and Thrive Chicago; and our parent organization, NASSP.