By Sharon Alms
National Honor Society Advisor

The National Honor Society was established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character and service. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1921.

Students considered for entrance into the Austin High School Chapter must have a grade point average of 3.6 or higher in order to submit an application. The application process includes an essay as well as documentation of demonstration of scholarship, leadership, character and service. A committee of educators reviews the applications and selects students who demonstrate excellence in the four criteria.

1. Scholarship — Scholarship is about maintaining excellent grades but it is also characterized by creativity and openness to new information, debate and criticism.

2. Leadership — Student leaders are those who are resourceful, good problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, dependable and persons who exemplify positive attitudes about life.

3. Character — A student of good character is cooperative, demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others.

4. Service — The requirement of service is recognizing that you should give back to the school and community that support you.

Activities include a large variety of service projects such as Salvation Army bell ringing, coordinating food drives, helping at school carnivals, tutoring, providing childcare for parent meetings, organizing a Relay for Life team, and coordinating an annual camp out in the school parking lot to raise money for local organizations including Habitat for Humanity. Each member is required to submit documentation of a minimum of 20 service hours per year but many students far exceed that number. Austin High School is proud of their NHS members and looks forward to their continued leadership in the school and community.

•The following students were inducted into the AHS Chapter of the National Honor Society on Oct. 24:
Alexander Burroughs, Kirsten DeGear, Benjamin Kubesh, Alan Rice, Emily Thompson, Annissa Zynda, Thomas Aase, Janna Akkerman, Kathryn Alan, Jenna Anderson, Jessica Bakke, Christine Barinka, Mckenzie Besel, Courtney Bogle, Nicholas Brehmer, Megan Brown, Sean Coffey, John Fleiner, Brooke Flugum, Paige Goetz, Kallie Hart, Helen Heimark, Jasmin Hultgren, Zach Huntley, Stephanie Justice, Nicole Lipari, Cassidy Meyer, Mollie Mickelson, Melissa Navoa, Sydney Ogilvie, Tommy Olmsted, Karyn Potach, Bob Sherman, Laura Siegfreid, Lisa Stundahl and Alex Thorson.
•These students are joined by our returning members:
Britta Anderson, Emily Bachmeier, Jenna Baker, Marissa Bartels, Jordan Bentley, Breonna Bergstrom, Jaclyn Bird, Kathleen Collier, Dylan Diekmann, Lauren Edwards, David Erdahl, Neil Erdahl, Olivia Grev, Taylor Hackensmith, Lindsey Halsey, Dylan Hardy, Alexandra Holten, Jacob Jasmin, Lauren Jensen, Lila Johnson, Amanda Majerus, Samir Masood, Laura Merten, Garrison Meyer, Logan Mithuen, Calvin Munger, Rachel Needham, Shelby Oldenkamp, Marwa Omot, Taylor Pedersen, Gabriel Ramirez-Hernandez, Sydney Reuter, Nathaniel Schwab and Haley Underwood.