National Honor Society

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EXPLANATION OF SERVICE HOURS FOR NHS

Edited October 2018

• Returning members need fifteen hours of service each semester. Newly inducted members need five hours of service the first semester and fifteen second semester.
• One service event a semester is considered “required.” That means that participation is mandatory. There will be various levels of participation offered to members to account for conflicts in scheduling. The required event each semester will offer at least five hours of service. Additionally, induction is considered mandatory for returning members and represents a minimum of two hours of service.
• Service events not sponsored by Harrison’s NHS itself requires that members turn in a signed “white form,” which notes service hours and participation. The white forms can be printed from the HHS website, will be provided as an attachment to members by email, and are located (already printed) on the NHS cart right inside the door of K105. Occasionally, the sponsor will designate an event that does not need white forms such as an in-house blood drive where hours are automatically added to the spreadsheet, but this will be rare.
• White forms must be turned in by members in the appropriate plastic bin on the cart just inside K105.
• A spreadsheet tracking hours will be shared to all members and should be checked regularly to insure that the records are accurate. If a member has a concern about that spreadsheet, that member should contact the sponsor or the Sergeant at Arms.
• Up to five service hours beyond the required number for first semester can be carried over to second semester. For example, if a returning member earned twenty hours first semester, those five extra hours above fifteen would be applied to second semester. As another example, if a new member earned twelve hours first semester, five of the seven extra hours would be applied to second semester.
• If a member wishes to participate in service not advertised by Harrison’s NHS, that member needs to clear the service opportunity with the sponsor prior to undertaking the service. Members are strongly encouraged to find such service opportunities on their own as much as they wish through churches, community organizations, local charities, or other areas of personal interest.
• If you sign up for an event, you are expected to take part in that event. If a pattern of defaulting on your commitments emerges, you can expect inquiry about the reason for the defaults; persistent issues may lead to dismissal as noted in the NHS rules.
• All members must complete service hours before the designated date each semester or receive extended time through arrangements with the sponsor. Seniors must have all hours in prior to the Senior Cord Ceremony in May.
• It is possible that service tied to another Harrison organization can double-count for Harrison’s NHS as well. Check with the sponsor if you have a situation that you want approved for this.
• If you are working toward the Honors Diploma with Distinction, the service hours that apply to the diploma cannot double-count for NHS or any other service club at Harrison. However, if you have achieved your minimum number of hours for Harrison’s NHS for a semester, you can use NHS events for the diploma requirements and not count them for NHS. Contact the sponsor if you have questions about this.
• Service events will be advertised through two primary platforms: TSC student email and GroupMe. You should make a habit of checking student email regularly; you can link it to your phone and receive notice for incoming emails. The GroupMe texts will often notify members that a critical update is available on email; it also will serve as a reminder for important events.