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Susan Barrows

Mr. Evans

National Honor Society Application

27 January 2023

National Honor Society

It was 2018 when I watched my older sister walk across the stage at

graduation, having graduated with High Honors as an active member of the National Honor

Society. The NHS gave her incredible opportunities that paved the way for her future. I was 11

years old then, and now it is my turn to serve my community. I know that with my past

leadership experience, communication skills, and willingness to learn, I will make a great

addition to our school's chapter of the National Honor Society.

As a student I have always strived to obtain the best grades possible. Ever

since middle school I have had my eyes set on the National Honor Society. I was even a member

of the National Junior Honor Society. Whenever I do not understand a concept I never allow

myself to give up or move on. I attend as many extra help sessions as I am able to and take

advantage of every extra credit opportunity. This determination to succeed has allowed me to

maintain an A+ average throughout my middle and high school career. Not only is my own

success and understanding important to me, but that of my peers as well. I always make sure to

check in with my fellow classmates and help wherever I can. Whether that is assisting with a

math problem or just giving reassurance, I am always happy to help.

Besides my grades one of my biggest focuses is mental health. It is extremely important to me

that everyone in my community knows that they belong and have a safe space. Because of this as

soon as I came to Nipmuc I set this goal into action by establishing the first ever chapter of the
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Yellow Tulip Project our school has seen. The Yellow Tulip Project is a nation wide organization

that works towards suicide prevention, and smashing the stigma surrounding mental health. This

topic is very close to my heart and heavily aligns with the NHS pillars of service and citizenship.

I love spreading the message wherever I can and I know the values it has taught me have further

prepared me for the National Honor Society.

I am also an active member of 4-H, a youth organization that works to build the next

generation of strong leaders. Under 4-H I have had the opportunity to attend several national

events including the National Horse Round-Up under the communications team, and National

4-H Congress. The National 4-H Horse Round-Up was a competition where as part of the

communications division we had to give a prepared presentation in front of a panel of judges.

While participating in the Team Communications division, not only did my partner and I place at

county and states, but we took home the title of champion at the national level! However, it

wasn’t winning that was the highlight of this trip. What truly made this competition special was

the chance to develop not only my public speaking, but teamwork skills. Traveling with a group

of girls my age, all working towards the same goal, gave me a tremendous sense of fellowship

and showed me how to truly create a community among your peers. It showed me how to make

teamwork not just work you have to do with others, but a community you can thrive with. It is

my hope that I can take the knowledge gained from this trip to instill the same sense of

community in my school and the National Honor Society.

Another life changing opportunity I was lucky enough to be a part of was 4-H National

Congress. At Congress I was chosen to represent Massachusetts not only at the event, but as part

of the National Congress Youth Leadership Team. Within that group I was chosen to be the

Master of Ceremonies at the Congress Gala. With that title I got the opportunity to speak to a
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group of over one thousand of my peers! I had never been in a room with so many people my

age, let alone speak in front of them, so it was definitely a nerve racking experience. However, I

will never take for granted that moment because it taught me the valuable lesson of being afraid

of something, and doing it anyway. It taught me how to lean into my fear, and use it rather than

run away from it. That is a skill I hope to bring to the National Honor Society, for there is never a

daunting task I will back down from.

I work to serve my community in any way possible whether that means volunteering my

time, or just complimenting a stranger. I am always looking for ways to brighten others' days. I

have been volunteering all my life, with my mom taking me with her to homeless shelters and

food pantries. I am very grateful for this, for it has taught me from a very young age the meaning

of giving. Ever since then I have been eager to find different ways to serve my community. I

work closely with the upton senior center, volunteering at senior dinners, writing uplifting letters,

and christmas caroling. I also collect coats for the bundle up for the Blackstone Valley coat drive

every year, and help sort them for distribution. I want everyone to want to give back and help,

not just do it for service hours, or because their parents made them. Therefore, at places like my

4-H meetings I always try to drive home the joy of helping others and why we should all want to

help.

I believe in a future where everyone helps each other, not because they have to, but

because it is the right thing to do. I intend to create this future by creating a sense of community

among my peers and making an environment where everyone can thrive. I intend to use all of my

skills and experiences to serve my community in any way I can and pass the knowledge I have

gained onto others. For all these reasons I know that I would be a great addition to this chapter of

the National Honor Society. Thank you for your consideration.

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