Matteo Howard spent time as a volunteer assistant for a program at the Early Learning Center.
The school had set up stations for the students at which they could do activities like making bracelets, cookies and other crafts.
“I was helping the kids make their cookies however they wanted,” the Poughkeepsie High School sophomore said. “It was a fun experience, something new I’ve never done before.”
The time he spent went toward the community service required for admittance to the most prestigious student organization in the country, one that stresses the value of not only educational excellence but also community leadership. On Monday afternoon, 37 students from Poughkeepsie lit a ceremonial candle and joined its ranks at the school’s annual National Honor Society Induction Ceremony.
“It’s a big responsibility,” said Will Matias, a Poughkeepsie junior and 2023 inductee, who delivered the National Honor Society Pledge at the ceremony. “You’re picked from the brightest and brightest of the school. The kids who are in the program deserve a spot. It’s a major accomplishment.”
Inductees must maintain an average of 85 or above, complete 50 community service hours, and show they represent the four pillars of the organization – scholarship, service, leadership and character.
During the ceremony, 2023 inductee Amiyah Wood detailed the various acts of service the 2024 inductees had taken on, such as tutoring younger students, cleaning up the school and encouraging recycling, and helping at community events.
“Your dedication to serving others is a shining example of the NHS spirit and we are very grateful for your contributions to this chapter of the National Honor Society and our community,” Wood said.
Laura Tietz, a high school math teacher and an adviser to the school’s NHS chapter, said inductees have a role to play in bolstering the school and district as a whole.
“Most of them are 10th graders,” she said. “As they’re being inducted, we’re hoping as 11th and 12th graders they’re going to become the role models for our students.”
Of his volunteering, Howard said he likes “helping the younger generation coming up… lead them down the right path if their older siblings can’t.”
Inductee Samuel Lawal’s community service hours included assisting at The Lunch Box community meal program run by Dutchess Outreach. He said he was surprised he was admitted to the prestigious society. “It means a lot to me,” he said.
In congratulating the inductees to close the ceremony, high school principal Dr. Phee Simpson said “to embrace the limitless possibilities that lie ahead for each of you.
“As you embark on this new chapter, remember those traits we are celebrating you for here tonight,” she said. “Seek our knowledge endlessly. Boldly spread kindness. Lead with empathy. And let your unique character shine through. Actively honing these traits will lead you to achieve all the greatness everyone here sees in you, and you should see in yourself.”
