It was a honor ceremony unlike most others as the Stanley-Boyd chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) welcomed nine new faces to its ranks recently. With opening remarks made by Stanley-Boyd science teacher Polly Hoffman followed with an introduction by S-B NHS President McKenzie Derks and remarks by other club officers, the organization which serves to recognize high schoolers’ academic achievement while spurring them on to service and leadership welcomed new inductees for 2020 on Thursday October 15 at a ceremony at the Chapman Park Bandstand near the south end of Elk Park Road. Hoffman laid down the Society’s purpose and vision in her introductory remarks.

“In NHS, we do a lot of service projects and we just do them, not to get recognition,” she said. Service rather, was simply the right thing to do. Next going into the meaning of different symbols on hand (including a blue bucket and a star) along with goodies present at the ceremony (including yellow Werther’s lemonade, and a blueberry grain bar), Hoffman interspersed her remarks with some science insights, among them the different processes at work in a star, for better or worse.

“Fusion combines while fission splits apart,” Hoffman said of star physics, a star defined as “a luminous ball of energy held together by its energy.” Fission reactions heat the local solar system of which Earth is a part, while fusion reactions in the star’s center and resulting gravity hold the star itself together, preventing a destructive supernova explosion. The existence of both together led to balance.

Following Hoffman’s welcome and an introduction by Derks with the Pledge of Allegiance, Jade Fredrickson gave a membership overview of the local honor society, followed with a candle lighting ceremony to highlight each of the four NHS pillars, with members themselves constituting the fifth pillar.

The first pillar, Scholarship, “is probably what distinguishes us most from other societies,” it was made known, while the next pillar, Service, “can be reached in many ways,” chief of which was service to others. Leadership followed upon Service in the Thursday restatement of NHS principles, while Character. it was said, “is what distinguishes one person from another.” Attendees were told not to confuse character (one’s true self-essence) with reputation (how one is viewed by others). With each of the first three principles leading into the next by the call to “light our way,” the candle lighting ceremony was followed with remarks by S-B High School Principal Tanya Mahr, who wore an National Honor Society membership stole herself over a warm fall coat in the 43-degree evening ceremony, with snow forecast two days hence. New NHS inductees were told that they would receive a certificate, a stole, briefly pause for photos with any family members, and then take their seat in a spot closer to the middle of the stage, being seated on the left side of the front stage stairway, with current NHS members on the right.

The nine new faces inducted into the local S-B National Honor Society were Michael Karlen, Morgan Scheubel, Gina Sokup, Ethan Pawlak, Jessica Hazuga, Carsen Hause, Brielle Thompson, Lily Hoel, and Victoria Szezech, each introduced by a current member and feted for their service accomplishments that contributed to nomination. After all nine inductees were inducted, it was time to recite the NHS pledge with their fellow Society members.

“I pledge myself to uphold the high purpose of the National Honor Society to which I have been selected,” they began. “I will be true to the principles for which it stands; I will be loyal to my school; and will maintain and encourage high standards of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.” Upon completion of the pledge, proud parents and others who were present crowded the stage briefly to get a group and individual photos, while attendees from the public were encouraged to make use of refreshments available, including water, Capri Sun packets, small bags of chips, and Rice Krispies treats.