On Wednesday, Sept. 17, over 100 HSHS juniors and seniors were inducted into National Honor Society (NHS). Each was invited to join after submitting an application to be reviewed based on academic standing and character—two aspects that NHS takes very seriously.

“I don’t really know [most of] them yet, but I’m certainly excited by the number of quality students that we have, and the number of things that we can accomplish with these kids,” NHS co-sponsor Amy Shipley said.

During the ceremony, the inductees were announced one by one, along with a teacher they indicated had an impact on their life. The NHS officers each spoke about the defining pillars of the society, and president Drew Notar Donato gave a speech about his views on service.

“Whether you do one hour at a time [or] two hours at a time, it truly does make a tremendous impact,” Notar Donato said. “When you come to NHS, it’s not supposed to be something that you have to do—you get to be here. You get do have the opportunity to help people and become selfless.”

Though she did not share them during the ceremony, Shipley also has a few words of wisdom for the new and current NHS members.

“Don’t settle for the bare minimum,” Shipley said. “We have a lot of power at our fingertips—let’s do something positive in the world.”