Every year, John Bapst Memorial High School inducts new members into the Harlow “Joe” Floyd Chapter of the National Honor Society. The most recent ceremony was held November 15, 2022 in Sekera Auditorium. Forty students from the classes of 2023 and 2024 joined the 26 students currently members of the NHS. The ceremony included a history of the society, speeches regarding the criteria of the organization, presentation of inductees, and musical performances.

Congratulations to the new inductees:

Class of 2023:
Faith Bouchard, Ellie Boudreau, Allie Campbell, Noah Faragher Houghton, Bella Fung, Tessa Hartley, Ethan Humphrey, Alexandra Jones, Sophie Marquis, Jack Mason, Kameron McCafferty, Elijah McKnight, Ava O’Kresik
Class of 2024:
Albert Bai, Emily Batsaikan, Jonah Bean, Ella Brochu, Betta Cahn, Camdyn Chung, Julianna Clark, Madelyn Copithorne, Violet Davis, Jack Derosier, Kate Griffin, Madisson Higgins, Joshua Igwe, Ellie Kuhl, Spring LaRose, Summer LaRose, Sydney Legasse, Kaitlin McGoldrick, Sarah Michaud, Marie Nemeth, Finn Oldenburg, Soren Peterson, Gwyneth Rand, Jing Russell, Lily Stelline, Ali Wheaton, Abbey Willard

The National Honor Society Member Pledge
I pledge myself to uphold the high purposes of the National Honor Society
to which I have been selected; I will be true to the principles
for which it stands; I will be loyal to my school;
and I will maintain and encourage high standards of
scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

The speech of Distinguished Speaker Natalie Logan

Good Evening,

First, I would like to thank Mrs. Babcock and the current members of the National Honors Society for providing me with the opportunity to speak with you all this evening. And I would also like to offer my congratulations to all the inductees and your families. Being inducted into the National Honors Society is one of the most prestigious memberships of our academic journeys thus far and is certainly no small feat, for it takes a great deal of dedication and hard work to get here.

Throughout the country, every member of the National Honors Society is recognized for excellence in developing the qualities of scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Upon reflection of these qualities, I was reminded of my first introduction to the organization here at John Bapst. My freshman year, a senior offered to take me to the National Honors Society table at the club fair since he had recalled that, in casual conversation, I was interested in being a part of a group that prioritized helping the community. The representatives told me that, even though I could not technically apply to join the organization until my junior year, I could still be a member if I followed these four pieces of advice:

– To strive to be successful in challenging courses

– To be a kind and empathetic individual

– To be respectful and open to various perspectives

– And, to use my skills to help my community.

Looking back on that moment, I have come to realize that it was one of the most influential moments of my life because the students that day described to me a quality of John Bapst’s NHS chapter that I believe is encompassed in the words of Theodore Roosevelt: “We must dare to be great”.

The relationship between “being great” and being a member of the National Honors Society, at an arbitrary glance, may not be apparent. However, striving to be great does not just involve being successful for yourself, but contributing to the success of the community at large. Now, as members of a constantly

evolving society, in what way do we contribute? It is no accident that the answer lies in the qualities of scholarship, character, leadership, and service. At John Bapst, every student is expected to contribute to our community, but the students that have the most profound impact are the ones who realize that “being great” not only involves developing the skills of scholarship, character, leadership, and service, but also learning how to utilize them. That is what is special about the John Bapst chapter.

Members of our National Honors Society understand that scholarship is not only working toward personal academic success, but also the academic success of all students; that character rests not on politeness nor cordiality but on a demonstration of kindness to anyone who is struggling; that leadership holds substance not in title but rather in a person’s ability to bring people and ideas together; and finally, that service requires the combination of the aforementioned qualities for the purpose of helping the community. That is what it takes to be great for yourself and society, and that is what the students who advised me four years ago wanted me to understand about being a member of the John Bapst NHS. We are all extremely fortunate to be in a school that allows us to practice and perfect these qualities, because even though membership in the National Honors Society is one of our greatest achievements to date, realistically, it is just the beginning. It is now our responsibility to use the skills that our teachers have given us, and become strong, capable, confident individuals prepared to change the world after our time at John Bapst.

The National Honor Society recognizes a school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. These four pillars have been associated with membership in the organization since its inception in 1921.