Mount Royal Academy welcomed four students into membership of The Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society, in a ceremony held at the school on February 25. Members were selected by a faculty council that evaluated the applicants based on the four criteria of NHS; scholarship, service, leadership and character. Aila Wenger (10th grade), Autumn-Rose Prunier (11th grade), Bernadette Klucinec (11th grade), and Johanna Fitzgibbons (11th grade) were approved.
As part of their induction, the students must collaborate on a community service project to be completed by the end of the school year. The students must also actively contribute to the chapter and remain in good standing.
The keynote speaker of the ceremony was Fr. John Sullivan, M.S., Director of the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Enfield, NH. Fr. Sullivan noted that Pope Francis models all four criteria in his role as the Vicar of Christ. He encouraged the students to see their membership in NHS as an opportunity to live the Gospel every day.
Junior high and high school history teacher, Andrew Mihaly, who is also the advisor to the chapter, said, “It is always wonderful to see new additions to our chapter here at Mount Royal. This chapter contributes quite a bit to our school and the local community. I am very excited to see these new members grow within the chapter and continue to build upon their current accomplishments. It is truly an honor to work with such a motivated group of young people.”
The National Honor Society ranks as one of the oldest and most prestigious national organizations for high school students. Chapters exist in more than 60 percent of the nation's high schools and since its inception in 1929; millions of students have been selected for membership.