Shelter Island High School's top juniors inducted into National Honor Society
The ranks of the Shelter Island High School chapter of the National Honor Society tripled Thursday night as six members of the junior class (2012) joined three seniors (Class of 2011) at the society’s annual dinner and induction ceremony, hosted once again at the Chequit Hotel.
Interim Superintendent Bob Parry noted the big increase in membership in his comments at the dinner. Another interesting statistic — the junior class has only 14 members total so over 40 percent of the class is now in the honor society. The new members are: Corey Brewer, Jay Card, Jonathan LiCausi, Ariana Loriz, James Read and Haley Willumsen.
Adviser Janine Mahoney and NHS President Stephanie Vecchio led the induction ceremony, with assistance from student officers Morgan Anderson and Andrew BeltCappellino. During the ceremony, students light a candle for each of the characteristics that distinguish NHS members — excellence in scholarship, leadership, service and character. Students apply for membership; they must have a 90 percent average in their high school course work, demonstrate each of the four characteristics of the society and submit a letter of reference from a teacher at the school.
The Shelter Island NHS chapter was recently honored by Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk for a 2009 service project — the Cardboard Camp-out. Students raised funds to build houses for the homeless by camping out all night in cardboard boxes on the school grounds. In addition to group service projects, each member of NHS must complete individual community service work as well and keep their grade point average up to remain a member in good standing.
In addition to the formal induction ceremony, two other traditions have become part of the annual ritual — the photo of the students on the Chequit stairs and the serving of students and parents by the unusual wait staff of the Shelter Island School Board of Education.
