Honor Societies at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
High school honor societies are prestigious organizations that recognize and celebrate academic excellence and dedication among students. These societies have specific criteria for membership, such as maintaining a high GPA, demonstrating leadership skills, and actively participating in community service. Being a member of a high school honor society not only adds to a student's academic portfolio but also provides opportunities for personal and professional development, encourages a sense of responsibility, promotes networking with like-minded individuals, and provides access to exclusive resources and scholarships. Additionally, honor societies foster a culture of excellence and inspire students to strive for academic success, while also instilling important values such as integrity, service, and leadership.
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achievement), leadership, service, and character. St. Thomas Aquinas High School maintains strict requirements for students who wish to be accepted into NHS, including a 3.9 GPA, annual service hours, outstanding character, and strong leadership.
Requirements
At the end of the 1st semester of the junior year those students who have a minimum of a 3.9 cumulative grade point average will be invited to participate in the National Honor Society selection process. Students are expected to demonstrate service by volunteering a minimum of 50 hours each school year. Service that is not recorded with Religion Service person in adherence to the specific dates, i.e., summer hours submitted in September, will not be honored at selection time. It is noted that meeting deadlines is the responsibility of the student. The requisite junior hours must be completed in the first semester and submitted prior to mid-term exams for the selection process which takes place early in the second semester. Not meeting deadlines will eliminate the student from the selection process. Students transferring to STA must have service documented through the chairperson of the Theology Department.
The Society honors those students who have demonstrated throughout their high school years, superiority in Leadership, Service, Scholarship, and Character. As an honor society, issues of academic integrity and non adherence to school policy will negatively impact candidacy. Examples of superiority in these areas must be evident and verifiable for each of the three years before induction and must be maintained throughout the senior year. Periodic review of members’ Leadership, Service, Character and Scholarship is taken to ensure good standing. Students falling below the required GPA will be placed on probation with the Society and be reviewed after one marking period.
The following list should be of help to students and their parents in understanding what is meant by Leadership, Service, and Character.
Leadership: The student who exercises leadership:
- Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions
- Demonstrates leadership in promoting school activities
- Exercises influence on peers in upholding school ideas
- Contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school
- Is able to delegate responsibilities
- Exemplifies positive attitudes
- Inspires positive behavior in others - Demonstrates academic initiative
- Successfully holds school offices or positions of responsibility, conducting business effectively, and without prodding, demonstrates reliability and dependability
- Demonstrates leadership in the classroom, at work, and in school or community activities
- Is thoroughly dependable in any responsibility accepted
N. B. Students are expected to demonstrate leadership through school clubs, sports and activities.
Service: The student who serves:
- Is willing to uphold scholarship and maintain a loyal school attitude
- Participates in some outside activity: Girl Scouts; Boy Scouts; church groups; volunteer services for the aged, poor, or disadvantaged; family duties
- Volunteers dependable, well-organized assistance, is gladly available, and is willing to sacrifice to offer assistance
- Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities
- Cheerfully and enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school
- Is willing to represent the class or school in interclass and interscholastic competition
- Performs committee and staff work without complaint
- Demonstrates courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students
N.B. Students are expected to demonstrate service by volunteering a minimum of 50 hours of service each school year. The requisite junior hours must be completed and submitted prior to mid-term exams. Students transferring to STA must have service documented from the previous school. All service hours must be documented through the Service Coordinator
of the Theology Department.
Character: Students are expected to uphold the rules of the school and the laws of society. Members, as leaders, are expected to be role models for their peers and the underclassmen of STA. Academic integrity issues will be viewed as serious violations of the Society resulting in elimination from the selection process or dismissal if occurring after induction.
The student of character:
- Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously
- Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, stability)
- Upholds principles of morality and ethics
- Cooperates by complying with school regulations concerning property, programs, office, halls, etc.
- Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability
- Shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others
- Observes instructions and rules, punctuality and faithfulness both inside and outside of the classroom
- Has powers of concentration and sustained attention as shown by perseverance and application to studies
- Manifests truthfulness in acknowledging obedience to rules, avoiding cheating in written work, and showing unwillingness to profit by the mistakes of others
- Actively helps to rid the school of bad influences or environment
N. B. Students are expected to demonstrate character by acting maturely, morally and ethically in all situations.
National Honor Society Service Requirements Update
Due to COVID-19 the NHS Service Requirements have been updated for the Class of 2024, 2025, and 2026 for the 2022-2023 school year.
Freshmen – Class of 2026
Minimum of 40 hours during your freshman year (2022-23)
Sophomores – Class of 2025
Minimum of 25 hours during your freshman year (2021-22)
Minimum of 40 hours during your sophomore year (2022-23)
Juniors – Class of 2024
Minimum of 50 cumulative hours during your freshman year (2020-2021) and sophomore year (2021-2022)
Minimum of 25 hours during the first semester of junior year (2022-2023)
**Invitation for admission will be sent out to eligible juniors in February 2023**
Any questions or concerns, please speak to Mrs. Veni, NHS Adviser, in counseling or by email [email protected].
Language Honor Societies
The Language Honor Societies for Spanish, Italian, French, and Latin are nationwide organizations for high school students in the United States. Students who are invited into these honor societies have shown and proven a deep interest and attachment to their respective languages of study. They have excelled in all aspects of the language and have shown an utmost appreciation for the culture of the its native speakers.
Requirements
To be inducted, students must be in the third level of the language and must take the Avant 4S language assessment and earn proficiency of Intermediate-Low or higher on all four sections–reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students must also maintain an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher.
As potential inductees into an Honor Society, students will not be inducted if there are violations to the Academic Integrity Code, serious discipline issues requiring suspension, or a pattern of teacher or administrative detentions.
Science Honor Society
The objective of the Science National Honor Society is to encourage and recognize scientific and intellectual thought, to advance the student’s knowledge of classical and modern science, to aid the community in its understanding and comprehension of science, to encourage students to participate in community service, and to inspire dedication to the pursuit of scientific knowledge and original for the betterment of mankind.
The motto inscribed in Latin on the Science N.H.S. shield translates: “Fortunate is one who understands the causes of things.” Each member of the St. Albert the Great Chapter is indeed fortunate to have the fortitude, determination, and ability to understand both the biological and physical sciences.
Requirements
Students may be inducted in the junior year.
An overall GPA of no less than 3.75 is required and must be maintained for continuing membership.
Students under consideration must be currently enrolled in an Honors or AP Level science course and will have completed at least two science courses at the Honors or AP Level by the end of junior year. The Science GPA (the credit weighted average of the quality points earned in the required courses of Biology, Chemistry and Physics) must be no less than 4.40.
To remain a member, students must complete the junior year to this qualifying standard. Members taking additional science courses shall demonstrate exemplary performance maintaining no less than a 3.75 average in any such endeavor.
Issues of academic integrity and non-adherence to school policy will negatively impact candidacy and membership. A member may be dismissed from the chapter for violation of the standards, obligations or ideals of the Science Honor Society. This includes violation of grade or behavioral requirements and academic integrity.
Mathematics Honor Society: Mia Alpha Theta
The objective of the Science National Honor Society is to encourage and recognize scientific and intellectual thought, to advance the student’s knowledge of classical and modern science, to aid the community in its understanding and comprehension of science, to encourage students to participate in community service, and to inspire dedication to the pursuit of scientific knowledge and original for the betterment of mankind.
The motto inscribed in Latin on the Science N.H.S. shield translates: “Fortunate is one who understands the causes of things.” Each member of the St. Albert the Great Chapter is indeed fortunate to have the fortitude, determination, and ability to understand both the biological and physical sciences.
Requirements
Students can be inducted in grades 10 through 12 who have completed Honor level courses in Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry with distinction and are currently enrolled in the next Honor/AP level of mathematics. With distinction shall mean at least a 90 average in all mathematics coursework and a minimum 3.75 overall GPA.
Academic integrity issues will be viewed as serious violations of the society, resulting in elimination from the selection process or dismissal if occurring after induction.
Social Students Honor Society: Rho Kappa
The principle purpose of Rho Kappa is to stimulate a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of all the academic disciplines comprising the social studies curriculum. It is an honor to be selected for membership into this organization. The name, RHO KAPPA, is taken from two words of Semitic origin. RHO is derived from “resh” meaning “head” and KAPPA is derived from “kapf ” which means “palm of the hand.” Both of these terms symbolize our firm belief that “knowledge without service is useless.”
Requirements
Students under consideration must have completed two years of Social Studies with an "A" average, maintain a B+ overall grade point average, obtain a recommendation from a teacher, actively participate in extra-curricular civic activity, and submit a membership essay.