The National Honor Society is held as one of the greatest accomplishments honors students can obtain in high school.

On Nov. 12, Jim Thorpe Area High School inducted 21 juniors and 19 seniors into the National Honor Society, who joined the 16 previous senior members. The night was full of accomplished students being rewarded for their hard work.

Attendees and inductees were led by President Kate Newsted. Following the singing of the national anthem by junior Abigael Kuhn and the Jim Thorpe Alma Mater by senior Ethan Ruch, students and guests learned about the four pillars of National Honor Society from the officers: character — James O’Neill (treasurer); scholarship — Sadie Strack (vice president); leadership — Newsted (president); and service — Hannah Yoder (secretary).

Newsted then lit the Candle of Eternal Knowledge and the officers then passed the light to each of the inductees. The inductees and current members then recited the National Honor Society Pledge.

Students received stoles and membership pins from Thomas Lesisko, principal of Jim Thorpe Area High School.

The National Honor Society has a history that dates back to 1919.

That year, J.G. Masters, principal of Central High School in Omaha, Nebraska, contemplated the formation of a National Honor Society. He proposed his idea to Edward Rynearson, principal of Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, who supported Masters’ concept. Rynearson believed that “one common badge for the entire country would be more valuable than many different local badges.”

In 1920, their idea led to the appointment of a committee on constitution and organization.

The responsibilities of the committee were to develop the basic principal virtues of a national honor society and report back to the association of secondary school principals after one year.

Following much deliberation over which standards to base a national honor society on, the committee agreed upon character, scholarship, leadership and service. Each person pursuing membership in the society would be evaluated on these qualities.

Rynearson is often referred to as the founding father of the National Honor Society. In 1922, the committee on constitution and organization sent Rynearson to the Association of Secondary Schools Principals meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After hearing his presentation, the association granted a charter for the foundation of the National Honor Society and became its primary sponsor.

Junior inductees at Jim Thorpe Area High School were Olivia Bierman, Gabriella Cerra, James Cicchinelli, Gretchen Cox, Jack Decker, Makayla Eberly, Kyra Eilber, Tobias Garner, Cole Harwood, Caiden Hodor, KaylaAnn Kandy, Abigael Kuhn, Gabriella Lopopolo, Joshua Louk, Maura Malaska, Logan O’Connor, Liam Off, Alex Plesniarski, Keira Reese, Gavin Strohl and Ian Walck.

The senior inductees were Lyle Augustine, Soter Cimbolo, Madeline Demansky, Bryson Dorn, Kyle George, Brinn Harwood, Ehren Hassler, Jayden Lawrence, Mara Levins, Kendra Loughlin, Braden McHugh, Kalla Miller, Brooke Mitzen, Isaac Oliver, Evan Rosenbrook, Ethan Ruch, Jack Sanwirja, Kaylee Tate and Landon Thompson.