By Taylor Conley
After a difficult year of volunteer opportunity cancellations and uncertainty with college decisions, Tempe Prep seniors pulled through and had the honor of being inducted into the National Honor Society. On March 19, 34 seniors were inducted, the entire event commemorating the 10-year anniversary of TPA’s NHS chapter.
The National Honor Society is a selective organization for outstanding high school students across the US. TPA’s requirements for NHS induction are to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, spend 15 hours per semester doing community service, and create a service project for the community. Fortunately, seniors and juniors have been able to accomplish these goals by finding new ways to offer volunteer service, such as online teen court sessions and making heartfelt cards for veterans.
Senior Sama Allam, the NHS chapter’s Peer Tutor Coordinator, explains that, “It’s actually a lot easier to get in than you think, you just have to stay on top of all the opportunities that are provided.” She also suggests that underclassmen involve themselves in the TPA community by joining extracurricular activities, like clubs and sports. Taking up leadership positions in clubs you’re passionate about can be very beneficial, too. Additionally, being a member of the NHS is included on your college and scholarship applications as well as NHS service projects.
During the induction ceremony, members gave speeches for each of the four pillars of the National Honor Society’s values: Service, Scholarship, Leadership, and Character. According to Mrs. Moffitt, “The National Honor Society’s pillars align beautifully with TPA’s values of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.” The main purpose of the NHS is to help students grow in these four pillars and better engage with their communities along the way.
Later on in the night, Dr. Wallington was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award for her dedication to teaching mathematics and her patience and optimism with students in the classroom. According to Sama, who gave a tribute for the Distinguished Teacher, “Dr. Wallington truly embodies the NHS pillar of Scholarship.” After the tribute, Dr. Wallington gave some anecdotal advice.
Mr. Schuster, TPA’s Publication Director who attended the event, comments: “I thought Dr. Wallington’s short speech was really inspiring. Everyone could relate to her experiences and benefit from her determination to press on. All the students know her well and I’m sure her remarks will stick with them. As always, I really enjoyed the evening.”
Overall, the NHS Induction Ceremony went significantly well! Congratulations to the new National Honor Society inductees!