In 1921, the National Association of Secondary School Principals officially established the National Honor Society. Though many local and regional honor societies existed prior to 1921, no nationwide organization had been founded. Under the leadership of Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of the Fifth Avenue High School, Pittsburgh, Pa. The organization grew from the original Alpha Chapter at the Fifth Avenue School to more than 1,000 chapters by 1930. Equipped with a constitution, an emblem and a motto, a group of dedicated principals and advisers, the new NHS organization quickly developed into one of the country’s leading educational groups.
Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in activities of the NHS. NHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. Territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but also challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.
Four main purposes have guided chapters of NHS from the beginning: “To create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.” These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.
Today, NHS membership at the Caribou High School stands at 30 students, 19 seniors and 11 juniors. Each fall detailed informational letters are distributed to junior and seniors with an accumulative average of an 88 or better. The letters provide information, which is used by the NHS Faculty Council in its deliberations. The council meets to award the honor of the faculty upon those students who have consistently demonstrated the qualities of Character, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service. Each fall a formal induction ceremony and dinner is held for the new members, their family, faculty, administration and invited guests.
At the regional and state levels, we have contributed to several of the state organization charities and recently to the Care Highway Relief Program, which builds orphanages in the developing world. In the Northern Region for the NHS, the Caribou Chapter has contributed to the Pine Tree Camp for Crippled Children, and the Shrine Burns Centers. The NHS is involved in service to our community through the annual Shamrock Drive for Muscular Dystrophy, our work with the Special Olympics Field Day Program, the Christmas Food Basket Appeal, and our fund-raiser for the Save Darfur Coalition and many other events over the past years.
At Caribou High School, we sponsor the annual Viking Card Program, which rewards the academic achievement of the students with discounts at local participating businesses. The Student of the Month Program, another NHS project, honors one student each month that has demonstrated outstanding service to school or some form of personal growth that has been recognized by one of their teachers. We assist with Freshmen Orientation, the annual Parent Conference Day, by providing free child-care for high school staff members, in their homes.
In March of every year, we host a coffee cart appreciation breakfast for the staff at the high school and also at the bus garage for our many drivers who are not available during the early morning period. The breakfast is made possible by the generous donation of several local businesses.
A number of our members have worked on the recent Accreditation Standards Committee for the visit by the New England Association of School and Colleges. We, the members of the Caribou Chapter of the National Honor Society look forward to the future of the society and the positive influence that it has offered and will continue to offer to the students, faculty, staff and administration of Caribou High School.
We would like to thank Mrs. Wendy Bossie of the Caribou Public Library for her assistance in researching the history of the NHS at Caribou High School and to our own Mrs. Jennifer Rand, a past member of our society for her technical assistance with our historic photos.
On Friday, April 13, we celebrated the past 82 years with a special carrot cake, baked by our current adviser Mr. Kenneth W. Atcheson II. The faculty and staff were invited to attend and anyone who was a past NHS member were asked to wear their keystone pins.
