|
|
| SPRING 2010 APPLICATION Volunteer Opportunities Barrington Park District Breakfast with Bunny Saturday March 27th, 2010 8:15 am - 11:30 am Sign up on Mrs. Baylor's door by March 5th Bunny Dash (click here for more info) Saturday April 3rd, 2010 6:30 am - 11:00 am April 3rd: help to build three raised beds with two hoop houses April 10th: help build three potato bins Volunteers will be needed from 10 A.M. until 2-4 P.M. (until the job is completed). Please bring a sack lunch and work/garden gloves. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. You can attend more than one Smart Farm event for service hours, but you may only count one of these event towards your two NHS-sponsored event minimum. Sign-ups will be posted outside of Mrs. Baylor's classroom (N242). Sponsors: Mrs. Baylor and Mrs. Turngren (Science) NHS OFFICERS 2009-2010!! President: Kevin Morton Vice-President: Michael Ingram Secretary: Anna Ollinger Treasurer: Dan Santoro Historian: Farah Shirzadi |
Important Dates/Info Meeting Minutes Oct. 19th, 2009 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How may I join National Honor Society? Each fall and spring, National Honor Society (NHS) receives a list from the registrar identifying the students that have a 3.7 cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) and are completing their sixth (spring) or seventh (fall) semester. The students on this list will receive an invitation from NHS to apply to NHS. In order to apply, the student must have completed at least 30 hours of volunteer community service, and the student must complete the application packet.
Once all
the materials are completed, the student will return the application
to us. We will then send out a letter to all BHS staff with the eligible
candidates’ names
and ask for further accolades or concerns regarding the students listed.
Afterwards,
a faculty
committee
will review
the application
and decide who will be accepted for membership. Once the committee evaluates
all the applications, students will be notified by mail regarding the committee's
decision.
When do I become an official member of National Honor Society? If you are invited to apply in the spring and the committee recommends your acceptance, you will be an official member upon signing and providing the sponsors with the statement that you understand the responsibilities of membership. In short, you will become an official member in the spring. (You may claim NHS membership status on your college applications). You will receive your official certificate of membership during the fall induction ceremony. If you are
invited to apply in the fall and you are accepted, you become an official
member upon signing your statement declaring your understanding of the
responsibilities of membership. Up to that point, if you are invited
to apply, you may
claim "candidate" status on college applications. You will
receive your official certificate of membership during the fall induction
ceremony.
What happens if I am invited to apply for NHS membership, but the committee doesn't recommend my admission? If you maintain your cumulative 3.7 G.P.A., you will be invited to apply
again in the fall. If the committee makes the recommendation for your admission
at this time, you may become a member.
What must I do to maintain my membership? If you become a member in the spring or in the fall , you must maintain a cumulative 3.7 G.P.A. You must also maintain your character and leadership which resulted in your admission. Finally, you must complete 40 hours of community service by May 1 of your senior year, including two NHS sponsored events. It is your responsibility to record your hours and make sure that Mrs. Bauer, the volunteer coordinator located in the GRC, has your hours on record. If you have questions about acceptable forms of volunteer service, please see Mrs. Bauer before you begin accumulating hours. Do not wait until the last minute to hand in your hours. We need to confirm your hours before you will be allowed to wear the NHS tassel at graduation. Do not deny yourself this honor because there is confusion about your hours. Can my NHS membership be revoked? Yes, it can,
but this is quite rare. The most common cause for lost membership is
failure to complete service hours. Your membership may also be terminated
if you fail to maintain at least a 3.7 G.P.A. (You will receive a warning
at the quarter if you fall below and will have one quarter to raise it.)
Serious breaches of character such as plagiarism and cheating on test
and quizzes are also grounds for termination.
My G.P.A. is well above 3.7. Admission to NHS should be no problem, right? Wrong. National
Honor Society recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to
scholarship, but scholarship alone is not a sufficient ground for membership.
It can not be emphasized enough--NHS is not an exclusive club
for smart people. Students must also demonstrate excellence
of character, leadership and service in addition to scholarship. Furthermore,
there are many students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, character,
and leadership but don't perform the required service because they choose
to excel in theater, speech, debate, or athletics-- activities that
demand a great deal of time and produce various rewards. These are all
commendable
pursuits and should be honored in their respective domains.
I don't know where to perform my service hours. Do you have a suggestion? Yes, see the list below. In addition, see Mrs. Bauer in the GRC for further recommendations. We recommend that you devote, on average, at least one hour a week to the project during your senior year. Please note that volunteer hours must be completed with a NON-PROFIT organization. The following are projects that the National Honor Society has taken major responsibility for: Adopt-a-Grandparent: This endeavor was begun by NHS members several years ago. Its success and popularity is evident in the fact that it is now an independent organization. If you are interested in cultivating a significant, deeply caring relationship with an elderly citizen, contact BACOA at 381-5030. Volunteering at Little City: Through the years a significant number of NHS members have committed themselves to working with the mentally handicapped at Little City. Many activities at the facility require a one-on-one supervision. Among the most popular with NHS members has been involvement in sports and other recreational activities with the residents. If you are interested in the range of options for volunteers, contact Katherine Ross at 847-221-7820 or Marianne at 847-358-5510 ext. 853. Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc: One of the more recent involvements of NHS members has been with the Elgin affiliate of this national organization. Its purpose is to combat functional illiteracy among adults through well-trained and supported volunteers. Volunteers attend eighteen hours of tutor training before entering upon one-on-one tutoring for adults who need help in reading, writing, and speaking English. For more information, call Mary Beth Huffman, Training Director at 742-6565. Crabtree Nature Center: In the last four years NHS members with a particular interest in nature have participated in work projects for the upkeep and development of Crabtree Nature Center. For more information, contact Conrad Zrust, director, at 381-6592. Barrington Area Library: The library has need for many volunteers in a variety of roles in order to provide the many services they perform for the community. If interested, contact the reference librarian, at 382-1300. Good Shepherd Hospital: Many NHS members have participated in the volunteer program at Good Shepherd, serving in a wide range of roles at the hospital, including work in the emergency room, X-ray unit, and various wards of the hospital. For more information, contact Rebecca Vacharee, volunteer coordinator Vital Bridges: Vital Bridges is a not-for-profit AIDS service organization founded in 1987 as an initiative of the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore and the Cook county Department of Public Health. Boxes of nonperishable goods are delivered monthly by volunteers. Volunteers serve as drivers, warehouse personnel, food packers and food raisers. Lambs Farm: Many volunteer opportunities are available at Lambs Farm. Students are utilized in several of their production centers. These include: Country Kitchen, helping with the preparation and packaging of food items; Silk Screen Shop, all stationary is hand silk screened; Bake Shop; Restaurant, helping with food preparation and cleanup; Ice Cream Parlor, assisting with birthday parties; Petting Farm, working with the animals. You may contact volunteer coordinator, Miss Danielle Meyer, 362-4636, for more information. Citizens for Conservation: This local conservation group is active in native landscape management and restoration and conservation education. Volunteer opportunities include prairie seed harvesting (late summer and fall), prescribed burns (fall and spring), brush clearing (winter), weeding (summer), assisting with classes (all year), office help (all year). Contact the CFC office, 382-SAVE, or drop in (459 West Highway 22, the big farmhouse across from Good Shepherd Hospital). Home of the Sparrow: Home of the Sparrow
is a non-profit transitional shelter for homeless women, with children
and expectant mothers of McHenry
County. The shelter operates primarily with volunteers. Students volunteers
are needed for child care, office help/mailing, landscaping, painting,
and working in the "Sparrow's Nest" Resale shop. For more information,
please contact Sophia DeVries, 815-444-1660, x26, volunteers@h-o-s.org . See Mrs. Bauer for an application. Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity Inc. is a non-profit Christian housing ministry working in partnership with economically poor people to improve the condition in which they are forced to live. Volunteers are needed for construction. Houses are presently being built in Elgin and construction of a house in Carpentersville is slated for the near future. Volunteers can also participate in scheduled walkathons. For more information, please contact Ms. Amy Collingbourne (847) 836-1432. NISRA: Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association is a community-based agency serving the recreational needs of persons with mental and physical disabilities. Volunteers assist the recreational specialist with handicapped individuals in a variety of weekly programs and field trips including: swimming, bowling, preschool play activities, Special Olympic events, fitness programs, crafts, trips to theaters, restaurants, malls, zoos, and sporting events. Contact the Crystal Lake office at 815-459-0737. STAR Tutoring: Tutoring may be done in English, Foreign Language, and Math. You may sign up to tutor one to five periods a week, - before and after school time slots are available also. See Mr. Bradshaw to be an English tutor. These volunteer projects are major involvements of National Honor Society
but certainly not the only volunteer efforts of its members. Mrs. Jill
Bauer, Student Volunteer Program Coordinator, in the GRC has information on
many local area agencies needing volunteers. You may already be involved
in another volunteer effort, or you may have another project in mind that
you wish to affiliate with. Please discuss that project with Mrs. Baylor or Mrs. Turngren
at the high school for approval. As has been said before,
you should not designate as a volunteer project an activity that principally
serves your own enrichment. Seize upon the service project as an opportunity
to broaden your involvements in the world.
After I have accumulated some volunteer hours, how should I report them? Ask your supervisor to write a letter verifying your hours and then give that letter to Mrs. Bauer in the Guidance Resource Center (GRC). What kinds of projects are not acceptable for the NHS service requirement?
Are there any activities that NHS does as a group? Yes. Several times a quarter, NHS will do a large group service project. Attend
the meetings to find out details regarding the next project. It is expected
that as an NHS member you will make time to participate in two large group projects during the year.
|