Attired in their best and looking very scholarly, 54 students take a seat to the sound of their name being announced in the NUHS auditorium: an 82-year-old tradition lives to see another year.

Since 1941, NUHS has gathered a group of students from the Junior and Senior classes to be a part of the National Honor Society (NHS). These students are chosen due to their representation of four main pillars: Leadership, Scholarship, Service, and Character.

Overall through the years, there has been an average of around 20 students from the junior and senior classes chosen for NHS, but this varies depending on class size. This year there are 54 students due to the substantial size of the junior class, the 16 rejoining seniors, and new senior members.

To be an honor student is to not only achieve academically but to also be a student improving our school and community as a leader.“The biggest responsibility or expectation would be that you’re being a leader within our school. As well as providing a positive impact to the school or community,” said school counselor and Honor Society advisor Mrs. Gloege.

There are two main steps in being admitted into the NHS. First, a student must have an accumulated GPA of at least 3.5 to even receive an offer. Once admission essays and service hours have been submitted, students are evaluated by their teachers to decide if they are deemed a “pillar” of our school, and then only if they pass the final requirement are they offered a spot in the society.

Usually, first-year members of NHS are Juniors but there are many times that seniors are new members as well.

First-year members must have a start of 15 hours, and returning members of NHS have to put in 30 hours of volunteer service. This can include such things as helping at church, volunteering at places like an animal shelter, the food shelf, day of caring, and anything that students are doing voluntarily without means of payment.

The special thing about the hours of returning members is that they can still use the 15 hours of service that they used in their first year of acceptance.

As an NHS member, it is their role or duty to be the representation of Leadership, Scholarship, Service, and Character not only in the school but in the community as well.

One of the biggest “jobs” taken on in the school by NHS members is tutoring students. It opens a path for students to learn and grow from fellow peers, instead of by an adult figure. Another common and highly enjoyable activity run by NHS in the school is the lunch DJ which happens on Fridays over the winter months.

Outside of the school, NHS will participate in at least one service project throughout the year, but this can vary depending on whether businesses or community members are interested in interest with working or collaborating with the group.

Many students believe NHS is the pinnacle decider for college admissions to look at; however, that is simply untrue. “National Honors Society is an indicator for a scholarship and builds on a student’s activity portfolio,” said New Ulm Principal Mark Bergmann.

Though there are not many direct benefits of NHS, students who finish high school as an NHS member receive one of the two cords students are permitted to wear while walking the graduation stage.