National Honor Society

About the National Honor Society

The National Honor Society of Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of this prestigious national organization. Membership is open to those students who meet the required standards in four areas of evaluation: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Standards for selection are established by the national office of NHS and have been adopted to meet our local chapter needs. Students are selected to be members by a 5-member Faculty Council, appointed by our principal, Mr. Hector Montes, which bestows this honor upon qualified students on behalf of the faculty of our school each year. 

Students in the 11th or 12th grades are eligible for membership. Students who meet the following criterion are eligible to complete a Student Activity Information Form that provides the Faculty Council with information regarding the candidate’s leadership and service. 

• For the scholarship criterion, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or better.
• For the character criterion, a student must follow the SCVTHS Code of Conduct as described in the Student Handbook. Students will not receive a letter of eligibility if they have committed the following infractions:
  • Cutting class – 2nd offense
  • Inappropriate Use of Electronic Devices – 2nd offense
    
  • Academic Dishonesty/Cheating or Plagiarism – 1st offense
  • Other Infractions Levels 1-3 (page 24 of the Student Handbook) – 2nd offense
  • Other Infractions Levels 4-6 (page 24 of the Student Handbook)– 1st offense

Members of the faculty are solicited for input regarding their professional reflections on a candidate’s service activities, character, and leadership. These forms and the Student Activity Information Form are carefully reviewed by the Faculty Council to determine membership. A majority vote of the Council is necessary for selection. Candidates are notified regarding selection or non-selection according to a predetermined schedule.

Following notification, a formal induction ceremony is held at the school to recognize all the newly selected members. Once inducted, new members are required to maintain the same level of performance in all four criteria that led to their selection. This obligation includes regular attendance at chapter meetings held monthly during the school year, and participation in the chapter service project(s).