National Junior Honor Society
STA Honor Society
The St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recognizes students who exemplify excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship, and character. Through NJHS, students are encouraged to grow as servant leaders, demonstrate academic achievement, and make a positive impact within our school, parish, and community while living out the values of our Catholic faith.
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Membership
All 7th and 8th grade NJHS members and candidates are expected to demonstrate outstanding character, citizenship, and leadership both in and out of the classroom. Students must maintain satisfactory conduct and effort grades, receiving an "S" in both areas with no negative comments on report cards, progress reports, or RenWeb. Members are also expected to demonstrate honesty, integrity, reliability, a positive attitude, respect for school expectations, and a positive influence on their peers. In addition, students must maintain an acceptable attendance record and uphold the behavioral expectations and Honor Code outlined in the STA Student Handbook.
Eligibility
To be eligible for consideration, students must be in the 7th or 8th gradde an earn a 95.5 or higher average in their core academic subjects for the previous school year. Core subjects include:
- English
- Literature
- Religion
- Math
- Science
- Social Studies
Meeting the academic requirement qualifies a student for consideration, but it does not guarantee membership.
Application & Selection Process
Students who meet the academic eligibility requirement will receive an invitation to complete an NJHS candidate information form. As part of the selection process, the NJHS Faculty Council reviews each candidate's:
- Community service and volunteer involvement
- Leadership experiences
- School behavior and character
- Attendance record
- Teacher recommendations
After reviewing all application materials, the Faculty Council determines membership based on the NJHS standards of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.
Eligibility Timeline
Academic eligibility is reviewed after final grades for the school year have been posted. Students who meet the GPA requirement will receive an invitation to apply for NJHS during the summer.
Currently STA NJHS members do not need to reapply.
Meetings
NJHS members and officers will meet at least once every quarter. All NJHS members are expected to attend and to be on time for these meetings. Time and dates will be announced via email. Students are responsible for checking email for notifications of NJHS meetings and information
Service Hours
All NJHS members are responsible for completing and documenting all service hours.
- Eighth (8th) grade members are required to complete forty (40) service hours throughout the course of the school year. The hours used for confirmation can also be used to meet this requirement.
- Seventh (7th) grade members are required to complete ten (10) service hours throughout the course of the school year.
All hours are to be completed by the dates as determined at the beginning of the school year. If students are struggling to find service opportunities, they should seek the advice of the chapter adviser. Service hours must be entered in the Track It Forward app. The hours should be signed by an unrelated person and include contact information for verification purposes.
Dues
Dues of $15.00 will be charged to your school FACTS account.
Maintaining NJHS Membership
NJHS members are expected to maintain the high standards of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship required for membership. Students whose grades fall below the required academic standard or who receive disciplinary action may be placed on probation. Failure to improve or serious or repeated violations of NJHS expectations may result in dismissal, as determined by the NJHS Faculty Council.
