Membership in the National Honor Society (NHS) is offered to students who demonstrate outstanding achievements in scholarship, service, leadership and character: the four pillars of the society. Induction is one of the highest honors awarded to a high school student.
Seventeen township students earned that honor with induction into the C. Elizabeth McDonnell Chapter of the National Honor Society at Palmyra High School on Dec. 3.
The 2019 inductees included Kieran Dowdy, Katherine Sacca, Halle Brown, Ella Cannuli, Diane Christopher, Emmanuela Emmauel Sunday, Olivia Falicki, Joseph Fort, Ashley Goldschmidt, Aiden Hartman, Kayla Kearney, Elizabeth Lake, Patrick McCarron, Ella McMahon-Gross, Eizabeth Shover, Erin Wolf and Andrew Yansick.
“[These] students exemplify the pillars of the NHS,” said Palmyra Band Director Jeff Moore. “Among these students you will find class presidents, captains of sports teams, drum majors in band and executive boards in various clubs and activities. You will see students with a selfless attitude and a willingness to help whenever is needed.
“These students display the highest character and are friendly to all,” Moore continued. “I have had the pleasure of teaching many of the students that are sitting here tonight. Some are currently in my classes and some I have taught many years ago. I have gotten the opportunity to see them grow from shy seventh-graders to the confident leaders of their classes today.
“They have definitely left a mark on Palmyra High School.”
Induction came from the current NHS officers: President Kaya Robinson, Vice-President Jayme Livingstone, Treasurer Sara Smyth, Secretary Morgan Murnane and Historian Abigail Liebe. Moore and Sgt. Timothy Leusner of the Palmyra Police Department both gave speeches. Both congratulated the inductees and encouraged them to continue growing within the four pillars. The inductees then took an oath after the candlelight ceremony
“I’d like to share two bits of advice that I tell my band students,” Moore noted. “One is to make every note you play have a purpose. Don’t just play a note because its written in your music. Make each note you play the most important note in the song up to that point. When you do that, the song will take on a life of its own. It will have will have more meaning.
“Second I tell them to be proud of their accomplishments,” Moore continued. “I want my marching band members to come off the field giving it their all and feeling proud of how they performed. It doesn’t matter if they win or lose as long as they did the best they possibly could that particular day.
“I’m proud of [them]. To be recognized as a member of the National Honor Society is a great accomplishment.”
