NHS inducts new members, embraces mentor leadership

 

Last updated 3/8/2018 at Noon



When many people think of leadership, they defer to positional leadership from presidents, captains, and the like. However, a position of leadership is by no means required to empower others.

In his book, The Mentor Leader, former NFL coach Tony Dungy describes a style of leadership capable of transforming the lives of others in a much simpler way than most people might expect.

Through mentor leadership, the goal is to build relationships and affect the lives of others.

Dungy explained, “Ultimately, mentor leadership is just as successful in achieving the standards of accomplishment in our society. But unlike other types of leadership, it is primarily concerned with building and adding value to the lives of people in the process.”

“It’s about changing lives,” he emphasized.

To promote mentor leadership within the school and community, the 2017-18 National Honor Society (NHS) will be inducting 16 new members for the 2018-19 school year, doubling the local chapter’s membership.

The goal of NHS inductions extends beyond recognizing honorable students and giving them the platform to lead. In the true spirit of mentor leadership, the goal is for current members to empower inductees and teach them how to lead.

Prior to being inducting into NHS, students must meet application requirements, earning a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average over three semesters at LRHS. Then, teachers evaluate applicants in each of the four pillars of NHS, determining their demonstrated capabilities in leadership, scholarship, service and character.

Of the application process, current member Camden Smith explained, “What makes a student a good candidate is being a leader in the school, as well as being a good student and doing things when they need to be done.”

Sharon Anderson, another current NHS member, explained, “A student who wants to be in Honor Society has to have constant motivation to improve themselves and be open to asking questions about what they don’t understand.”

“I think that’s a very honorable character trait,” she continued, adding, “It makes them a good role model.”

Newly inducted members that will be officially initiated into the society on March 21 include Cole Cameron, Eliza Galbreath, Ellie Gering, Spencer Gering, Else Gielisch, Katheran Gingrich, Grace Greenwalt, Molly Hane, Jessica Heater, Claire Kessler, Spencer Miller, Brinley Moore, Rachel Nygren, Alibama Rushing, Devin Schafer and Kierstin Witt.

Each inductee has a slightly different motivation behind their application to the society.

Moore explained, “I wanted to join Honor Society because I think it is a great way to stretch my potential… I think it will help me get out in the community and hopefully make a difference.”

Ellie Gering sees NHS as an opportunity to become greater than yesterday.

“It’s a way to reach out in my community and keep myself accountable for my grades and character, alongside others who have similar goals as me,” she said.

Similarly, Spencer Gering continued, “I wanted to join Honor Society because it’s a great way to interact with the students that take their education seriously.”

While scholarship is a foundation for all of those in NHS, none of the inductees interviewed perceive it to be their most important value.

Instead, inductee Witt reflected, “Character is the most important to me because none of the other pillars (leadership, service, or scholarship) would be doable if each member didn’t have good character and moral values.”

“To me,” began Kessler, “service is most important because without it, there wouldn’t be as much volunteering outside or in our school and other organizations wouldn’t be able to be as successful.”

New members are highly valuable to the society for their fresh ideas and enthusiasm toward service, but the effects of current members on inductees are also critical. Through mentor leadership, active leaders and graduating seniors use the opportunity to teach their peers just what it means to lead.

Current member Lorria McCauley explained, “It’s important to teach others to lead because not everyone can be a follower. There has to be someone to get things started and help others.”

Speaking against leadership based exclusively on positions or status, she continued, “We can’t all depend on just one or a few people that are considered leaders.”

Anderson proves that NHS inductions are the essence of mentor leadership: “It is important to teach others how to lead because it increases their responsibility and awareness of others.”

“And besides,” she concluded, “who wants to be in a society of followers?”

 

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