Junior National Honor Society

The purpose of the Scientia Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership,to develop character, and to encourage citizenship. Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a faculty council and is based on outstanding scholarship, leadership, service, and citizenship. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.

Scholarship: An seventh grade student must have maintained an 93% or higher average during each of the last four consecutive marking periods.

Service: A student must demonstrate service by participating in organizations such as school clubs, teams, musical groups, student council, church groups, scouts, 4-H, community or school volunteer groups, part-time employment, etc.

Leadership: A student may show evidence of leadership by: promoting school activities, influencing peers in upholding school ideals, inspiring positive behavior, holding school offices or positions of responsibility such as student council, club, or class officer, committee chairperson, team captain, or community leader, etc.

Character: A student's character is assessed upon the following traits: Integrity- no record of intentional dishonesty. Positive behavior- no record of skipping classes or of knowingly violating school regulations. A student should consistently promote positive attitudes and behavior. Cooperation- a willingness to assist classmates and faculty members. Ethics- a student should demonstrate a willingness to do the "right" thing in most situations.

Citizenship: A student should show respect for peers and demonstrate a positive attitude regarding school, community, and country. Student attendance remains under the threshold of a chronically absent student. Special circumstances regarding attendance can be brought to the NJHS Advisor.

Selection Process

  1. Membership in the National Junior Honor Society is an honor extended by the faculty of the Gouverneur Central School. To be eligible, a student must be found worthy in five areas of merit: scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. To be eligible for membership, a candidate must be a 7th grade student at Gouverneur for at least one semester and attained a scholastic average of at least 93% for each of the last four consecutive marking periods. A high scholastic average does not guarantee membership.
  2. Those students who have satisfied the requirements of scholarship may be nominated for membership by the faculty based upon the criteria set forth for character and citizenship.
  3. Candidates who have been nominated will be asked to demonstrate acceptability in the areas of service and leadership by completing a student information sheet. These must be returned to the advisor of the National Junior Honor Society.
  4. Student information sheets will be presented by the advisor to a faculty council which will make final recommendations arrived at through consensus.
  5. Successful candidates will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society at a special induction ceremony in the Spring of the school year.
All students inducted into NJHS must maintain an 87% or higher academic average. Students must also continue to show exemplary demonstration of leadership, service and citizenship. Failure to meet requirements may result in a warning and/or dismissal from the society.