Colton High School has not had a National Honor Society (NHS) since the pandemic closure in 2019.

In April of this year, CHS art teacher Courtney Huske stepped up to serve as the NHS adviser for the Colton chapter of the nationally recognized program.

The National Honor Society is built on four pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Membership in the organization is based on meeting the criteria in these four areas.

On Tuesday, May 27, a ceremony was held to initiate nine CHS students who qualified and were recognized as members of the NHS.

As Huske swore in Colton’s newest members of the National Honor Society, she expanded on the meaning of the four pillars and the purpose of dedicating effort to school and community.

1. Leadership is influence, not authority, and it always involves acting with integrity.

2. Service is the heartbeat of the NHS. It’s about volunteering, helping, and recognizing that what you give is worth more than what you receive.

3. Scholarship is not merely about meeting the required GPA and achieving high grades; it means keeping your curiosity alive and never stopping learning.

3. Your character is reflected in what you do and how you treat others.

Membership in the National Honor Society is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Colton High School has recently reestablished the program, meaning that membership is not available to the senior class, and applications could only be accepted from students in grades 10 and 11.

The CHS students who qualified to be members of NHS based on their grade point average and having met the additional national honor society requirements are (sophomores) Jocelyn Ricen Robby Smith, Makiley Wharton, (juniors) Raymond Baurerj, Lydia Brinkley, Emma Flaig, Tory Hakes, Makenzie Lowry, and Wyatt Richelderfer.

Huske stated that the plan is to hold another initiation ceremony at the beginning of the next school year, providing the members of the sophomore class of 2025-2026 an opportunity to apply.

“After new members are chosen and sworn in, we will elect our member roles, which include president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer,” Huske said. “Then, we will schedule our meetings and decide what events to hold throughout the year.”

Huske said that this year’s members have already discussed plans for next year, which include fundraisers and community and school service.

They are already planning to ask businesses to display student art and are working on other ideas that will benefit the school and its students.