The Harold Julian Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) envelopes the high standards set forth by society that the common student may not strive to achieve. Contrary to popular belief, NHS is not simply a ‘smart kid’ club;  it’s more than that. It’s a group of high achieving individuals who have a desire to make a difference in their local town or on a larger scale. With 103 old members and 99 new inductees, NHS has grown to a large level in the Lemont community.

Partaking in many activities throughout the year, NHS members have brought a surplus of enthusiasm to the table in regards to not only community service events but fundraisers as well. One of the sponsors of NHS, Mrs. Heinz, had some kind words for the members of the chapter: “This year’s membership has been a group of doers. We’ve added more fundraisers and added more community service outreaches along with tutoring.”

Of course, NHS has a heavy emphasis on giving back to the community, but not all of that comes from simply spending hours at a time working events; in fact, much of it is economic.

So far in the 2015 – 2016 school year, there has been two significant NHS sponsored fundraisers: a student run concert in the school courtyard and a movie showing of the feature film Elf.

“I like the Courtyard Concert because of the time of the year and because the students are the performers. A Jolly Good Show, the difference between that is the fact that this one is a bigger production and the fact that it gets more NHS members and others involved.”

Certainly, some fundraisers hosted by the club benefit the group’s cost to maintain an active chapter. However, the most recent fundraiser, A Jolly Good Show, went to the Red Stocking Project, an organization that aims to provide hospitalized children with gifts for the upcoming holidays.

To reach this point, however, NHS had to find a group of innovative students to further enhance the already excelling club. The admissions process is characterized by maintaining a 3.5 GPA and showing elements of scholarship, leadership, character, and service.

It’s often assumed that only high school juniors apply – this notion is false. In fact, a fair amount of the new inductees were seniors who either weren’t accepted as a junior or simply did not apply.

Not all the credit can go to the membership, though. Sponsors Mrs. Heinz and Mr. Dron both have worked tirelessly to bring the initiatives of NHS to the forefront. Many of the chapter’s  characteristics are the result of the dedication of these two individuals.

Although the club is largely student run, the dedication of the sponsors should not be forgotten as they are the ones who lead the behind-the-scenes work that is often overlooked.

Nevertheless, Heinz once again praises the commitment of the membership and their capabilities: “You guys came in with a mission to get out to the community more and you guys have accomplished it this semester so I look forward to next semester as well.”

With this semester coming to a close, a few more Christmas based events remain. In particular, the Lemont CORE is hosting a New Year’s Eve event among others. Although this is a portion of what NHS members work on, the chapter is most certainly looking forward to next semester projects as well.