National Jr. Honor Society

The St. John’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) has been busy.  Each year our members complete two all-member service projects: one in the fall and one in the spring. The first project this year was wholly member designed and executed.  Mrs. Kruse and I (Sr. Stone) feel strongly that the value in this project comes from members hands on learning in the process.  We step in and guide but let them do the work and learn what goes into creating and carrying out a service project.

The process begins with a brainstorming meeting.  Here members give ideas for possible projects.  Committees are formed and these members then go out and gather information.  At the next meeting, each committee presents their findings.  All but the most feasible projects are eliminated, a vote is taken, and then organization begins. 

This year our members chose to collect money for victims of hurricanes Florence and Michael in two ways: a donation competition between grade levels and an Otter Pop sale.  The Otter Pop sale was wholly member organized (where? how much? Who? when?).  It was a successful way to launch the donation cycle. In the end they raised over $100 in just one day. For the donation cycle, members chose homerooms to visit to remind students to donate, update them on amounts of money collected and to collect money which had been placed in their room’s donation bag.  The prize was a free-dress day.

The result of their hard work over the 4-week period was impressive.  They set a goal of $1500, an ambitious number considering they were competing with several other donation drives and had only 4 weeks for collecting.  In the end they raised $1570. 

For Mrs. Kruse and me it is a great pleasure to guide the students through this process and watch them use their individual gifts to find creative solutions to problems which come up.  They develop valuable skills for organization, as well as learn to approach and deal with the adults involved.  Our hats go off to this exceptional group of students!