On Tuesday, December 10th, HANC high school held their annual National Honor Society (NHS) ceremony. During the ceremony, new inductees were inducted into the HANC High School Ma’alot Chapter of the NHS. Our chapter is named in honor of those who were murdered in the town of Ma’alot in Israel in the year 1974.
The ceremony began with prayers for the State of Israel followed by speeches from Rabbi Eli Slomnicki and Assistant Principal Mrs. Marie Palaia. The three senior officers and two junior officers each spoke about a pillar of the NHS, followed by the reading of the pledge of the NHS by the last officer. This pledge formally inducted the students into the society.
The NHS is an organization that recognizes those who excel in Judaic and general studies and exemplify the values of the NHS. The NHS has 5 values, or pillars: Torah, Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. The pillar of Torah represents our faith in Hashem and our devotion to keep His mitzvot. Each other pillar emulates one Midah, or trait, from the pillar of Torah. The pillar of scholarship represents our strive to learn and succeed. The pillar of service represents chesed and helping others. Natalie Kohan, the Co-Junior Vice President of the Honor Society, spoke about the pillar of service. According to Natalie, “Service is meaningful because it represents both the beliefs of the National Honor Society and the values of HANC and the Jewish people. Service is important because it is one of the five pillars of the NHS and one of the three pillars of Judaism that the world stands on.” The pillar of leadership represents being a role model and guiding those who need assistance. Finally, the pillar of character represents being honest, moral, and showing respect for others.
During the induction, the seniors’ achievements were recognized and the inductees were welcomed and received their certificates. The night ended with guest speaker Rabbi Elliot Hecht, principal of HANC Middle School. His speech centered on remembering Rabbi Meyer Fendel and his achievements and contributions as the founder of HANC. It was a bittersweet moment recognizing the separation of the middle school and the high school. While everyone is excited for the upcoming opportunities and experiences ahead in the new building, they will miss sharing a building together.
Becoming a member of the National Honor Society represents the achievement of the journey to excellence. Jonathan Eshaghian, a senior member of the NHS said,“The National Honor Society is a vital platform for recognizing students’ academic excellence and the dedication behind it. It celebrates not just intelligence, but the perseverance and hard work that drive success, inspiring others to strive for their best.”
