On the evening of Oct. 13th, 2025, National Honor Society welcomed more than 75+ new members into the organization. Seniors and juniors lined the seats of the Wagner Auditorium at Owatonna High School as they patiently waited for their name to be called. One by one students got called up, as a display of their photo showed in the background. Students walked up, shook Principal Kory Kath’s hand, received a NHS certificate and returned to their previous seats.
National Honor Society is an organization renowned for its outstanding achievements. Across all 50 states, there are more than 17,000 high schools where NHS can be found as an extracurricular. There are approximately 1.4 million students enrolled in the program as of today. Applying for the club is not exactly an easy task, as applicants need a high GPA, a strong essay, outstanding recommendations from teachers, and a display of at least one out of four pillars.
Senior Vice President Sophia Hansen restates what the four pillars consist of, “The four pillars are scholarship, service, leadership, and character.” This is Hansen’s second year in the club and in her first year she was one of the board members. Hansen goes on to later explain how NHS can not only benefit academics, but also personally. “Academically we have a tutoring committee that I’m actually in charge of this year, so we can help people become tutors, help people get tutors, that definitely fosters an academic environment.” Hansen said when asked how the club can benefit people personally, she stated, “It’s a really great way to meet different people of multiple grades…you’re also doing something good out in the world.”
Ms. Sydney Kasper is the current adviser for NHS. This is her first year being an adviser. When asked how NHS is different from other student organizations, she goes on to state, “You have to have a certain GPA to be able to get in. And there’s an advisory board of teachers that look through your application when you apply, this advisory board looks through and sees if you exemplify all the four pillars, and if you do, then you’re in.”
The next schoolwide events the organization has planned at OHS consists of: A pickleball tournament on the week of Huskies Give Week, Nov. 30 and a blood drive at the start of the new year on Jan. 30.
