National Honor Society

The Stoughton Viking Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) is based upon excellence in four areas:  scholarship, leadership, service and character. Membership into the National Honor Society is both an honor and a responsibility. Students selected for membership are expected to continue to uphold excellence in the four areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character during their membership.  Membership is open for all juniors and seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. These students will be invited to complete the candidate selection packet during the spring of their junior year with the induction ceremony occurring in spring.  Juniors who are not admitted will be invited to complete the candidate selection packet during their senior year if they continue to meet the cumulative grade point average requirement of 3.5.  Students will be required to complete the packet and follow the selection process as outlined below.  All questions regarding this process or membership can be directed to Kristin Natzke, advisor at 877-5614.

Selection Process

Juniors and seniors, who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, are now eligible to go through the NHS selection process.  This 4 step process is detailed below:

  1. Your first step is to choose five teachers to complete the confidential Character rating sheets.  These raters can’t be related to you.  These rating sheets must be handed out to your teachers.  Documentation of whom those rating sheets were given to is due in the Counseling office.  All rating sheets are to be completed by raters and returned to Guidance.  Each teacher will be rating you in eight areas.  In order, to remain eligible for membership in NHS, you must receive a total of 32 plusses from five different teachers.  Students are responsible for informing their raters of these deadlines.  

  2. Your second step is to complete the Leadership Statement form given to two different sources to show leadership situations participated in.  These sources cannot be related to you.  The leadership documentation form must be returned to the Guidance office.  Students are responsible for informing their completers of these deadlines.

  3. Your third step is to complete the Community Activity Information form.  This form must be completed to show 15 hours of service that was completed in order to be eligible for consideration.  An adult that is not related to you must verify all hours.  The community activity information form must be returned to the Counseling office.  Students are responsible for informing their advisors of these deadlines.  Service cannot be more than 7 ½ hours of school related activity hours.  For example, a Student Council member can only count 7 ½ hours of food drive hours.  In order for service to be valid students must not receive pay, school, or court-ordered credit for their hours of work.

  4. Your fourth step is to complete the Data Form.

The Faculty Council reviews the character rating sheets, leadership statement forms, community activity sheets, attendance, and discipline records resulting in suspension, and athletic code violations.  The council’s obligation is to select exemplary students for membership.  The five-council members will vote on each eligible student.  Students will be informed in writing whether they were selected into the National Honor Society.  

Once selected, members will be asked to review the Stoughton Viking Chapter bylaws.  If the student feels he/she can live up to the obligations of the chapter, he/she designates agreement with a signature and a parent signature. Any member who does not live up to those obligations is subject to dismissal.  

Members are required to complete 30 hours of community service on their own and to participate in various fundraising activities that will pay for future NHS projects and induction costs.  Students must also participate in one major NHS project.

For a complete candidate selection packet of all NHS materials, please see Kristin Natzke.