A large group of elite students congregate in the school cafeteria. They huddle together and speak in hushed whispers, waiting for the meeting to begin. The clacking of club sponsor Anne-Marie Steppling’s heels echoes throughout the room, alerting the students of her arrival. Club members instantly quiet down and take their seats, the meeting has begun. Fundraising ideas rattle from the students’ mouths as they brainstorm ways to help the community and raise funds for the less fortunate.
These students are all gathered for a National Honors Society (NHS) meeting. NHS is an organization created to bring students together who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, service and character. Students are eligible to apply at the end of their sophomore year if they achieve a 3.6 unweighted grade point average (GPA), or a 4.2 weighted GPA. In addition, NHS members are required to perform community service throughout the year. In addition to maintaining their grades, members of NHS are required to tutor students who are having trouble with their academics. “Tutoring is a great way to help the community,” junior NHS board member Grace Llewellyn said.
On Sept. 30 NHS held their annual Walk for the Homeless. The fundraiser is an event in which participants must pay a $20 entrance fee and walk eight laps around the school gymnasium in order to honor those less fortunate. The proceeds of this event are then donated to the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless.
The Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless provides permanent housing to formerly homeless individuals and families. “The goal of Coalition Homes is to help eradicate homelessness in Montgomery County by owning and operating housing for homeless households,” the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless says. Change separating this walk from former years is that social studies teacher Nia Cresham is no longer the sponsor.

Lilly Greenberg

Staff Writer