Fort Smith chamber honors academic standouts

FORT SMITH — Each year, the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Chamber's Education and Quality of Place Division's formal Education Committee honors students graduating from Northside and Southside High Schools and Union Christian Academy who are members of the National Honor Society.

The 2012 Honors Banquet, held Monday night (April 2) at the Holiday Inn City Center, recognized 167 students for their scholastic achievement.

The National Honor Society is the nation's premier organization established to bring attention to outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, the National Honor Society acknowledges students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its inception in 1921.

Megan Smith of Union Christian Academy described the purpose of the National Honor Society as, “to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools.” Each Honor Society chapter establishes rules for memberships based upon a student's outstanding performance in the four main purposes.

Once accepted, students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (or a higher cumulative average set by the local school's faculty council), meet the scholarship requirements for membership, perform service projects, take initiative showing leadership, be willing to help others and uphold good character principles of morality and ethics.

Katie Rogers of Southside discussed the benefits of being in the National Honor Society. Students excel academically and are offered more opportunities to obtain scholarships and gain recognition for their academic efforts, service, and leadership, she said.

All students recognized at the banquet will be graduating in a few weeks, and most have already been accepted to college and declared a major. Friends Brooke Eckes and Maggie Farrell, both Northside, want to further their education in the field of biology. However, they’ll be parting ways as Brooke is looking at the University of Arizona and Maggie is looking at the University of Dallas.

Brooke said she likes biology because “it is the most fun class in high school.” Maggie says, “I find it the most interesting class.”