Helen and Thomas Kelly
Chapter of the
National Junior Honor Society of Secondary Schools
at
Bishop McGann-Mercy Jr. High School
2016
Basic Procedure and Deadlines:
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Students may not just apply for membership in the National Junior Honor Society. Membership
is granted only to those students who qualify and who are selected by the faculty.
Parents and students will be notified by April 22nd if they meet the Academic standard for ALL
core subjects. (Section 1 and 2 of NJHS Handbook.)
On April 25th, students who qualify will be provided an application. The application must be
filled out and handed in to Ms. Sapio NO LATER than May 9th. Applications placed in
mailboxes or turned in to homeroom teachers will NOT be accepted. Also, late applications will
NOT be accepted. (Section 2 of NJHS Handbook.)
A panel of teachers will meet and students accepted will be notified by May 27th. (Section 2 of
NJHS Handbook.)
The induction will take place at the 8th Grade Medallion Ceremony on June 16th.
Any questions please call Ms. Camillery at ext. 354 or email her at acamillery@mcgannmercy.org.
Who is eligible for NJHS?
Students will first qualify for an invitation to apply through their demonstration of success in the area of
scholarship. This means, students in 7th or 8th grade with a cumulative GPA of 90 in all core subjects will
receive an invitation to fill out an information sheet. Students will then fill out the information sheet and
give examples of their accomplishments in the remaining areas of Leadership, Service, Character, and
Citizenship. Therefore, just because a student qualifies based on their cumulative GPA (scholarship),
they will not automatically be inducted into the NJHS.
Who chooses inductees into the NJHS?
After students fill out an information sheet and the required recommendation forms from teachers, all of
their qualifications will be reviewed by our Faculty Council. They Faculty Council is an anonymous
group of faculty members who make the final decisions about who will be invited for induction into the
NJHS. The Faculty Council also serves as the group who determines if a student should be dismissed
because of a failure to meet expectations in one of the five areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service,
Character or Citizenship.
Once accepted into the NJHS what are my obligations?
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Attend the NJHS induction ceremony in June
Participate in the NJHS club the following school year
Attend activities sponsored by NJHS
Maintain your GPA to a 3.5 or higher or risk losing your membership
What does an exemplary NJHS candidate look like?
Scholarship: Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 90 and a 90 or above in all core
classes. Core classes are: Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies, Religion, and Foreign Language.
These students are then eligible for consideration on the basis of service, leadership, character and
citizenship.
Service: This quality is defined through the voluntary contributions made by a student to the school
or community, done without compensation and with a positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit.
Leadership: Student leaders are those who are resourceful, good problem solvers, promoters of
school activities, idea-contributors, dependable, and persons who exemplify positive attitudes about
life. Leadership experiences can be drawn from school or community activities while working with or
for others.
Character: The student of good character upholds principles of morality and ethics, is cooperative,
demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for
others, and generally maintains a good and clean lifestyle.
Citizenship: The student understands the importance of civic involvement, has a high regard for
freedom, justice, and respect of the American form of government. Student demonstrates mature
participation and responsibility through involvement with such activities as scouting, community
organizations, and social clubs.
ARTICLE IX: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
(Excerpt taken from National Junior Honor Society Handbook)
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of those classes (second
semester sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, or ninth grade) designated as eligible in the chapter
bylaws. (Ninth graders in a 9-12 school may not be inducted into either NJHS or NHS, nor can that
school operate a chapter of NJHS as per these guidelines and those of the National Honor Society.)
Candidates must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester. 2
Section 2. The national minimum standard for scholarship shall be a cumulative scholastic average of at
least 90 percent or the equivalent standard of excellence. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis
of service, leadership, character, and citizenship. 3
Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council.
Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser shall review with the principal the results of the
Faculty Council’s deliberations.
Section 4. A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication
that is widely available in a timely fashion to all students and parents of the school. The selection
procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be consistent with the rules and
regulations of NJHS.