The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) inducted six Freedom students into the program on April 16 held at The Beaver County Career and Technology Center.
Seniors Leslie Miller, Rachael Mogielski and Courtney Sandala as well as Juniors Tina Davis, Jamie Johnson and Alex Howland were selected by their CTC instructors to be a part of the program. There are numerous programs to attend at this career and technology center, and these particular students take classes in: health occupations, welding, cosmetology, business information systems and graphic arts and printing.
Since the induction ceremony last year, Seniors Casum Matlick and Mike Kucel have been members, Matlick attending for electrical occupations and Kucel for carpentry.
The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is similar to the National Honor Society at Freedom. The members must get community service hours and attain specific grade point averages; one at CTC and another at his or her regular school.
The nomination process first begins with CTC instructors. They are to elect certain students who meet national and local standards in order to be inducted. The students are required to have a minimum of a 3.5 GPA at CTC and a 2.75 at the home, or regular, school.
“Teachers from all programs have the opportunity to nominate students that are their leaders in the classroom,” NTHS Co-Advisor Dolores Mason said.
Next, the NTHS advisors interview each candidate. During the interview, advisors specifically look for participation in CTC, extracurricular, community and home school activities.
“[NTHS students] should show good character, they should show good workmanship in the projects that they work on and they should also have good scholastic ability and reflect it by their grades,” Mason said.
“I feel like it’s an honor [to be accepted into NTHS],” Mogielski said. Mogielski would have been inducted into the program last year, but she could not make an appearance to the dinner in order to be inducted.
To start out the night of events, the culinary arts students served dinner to the NTHS members and their families. There was a hearty spread of food, which included: pasta, chicken, salad, rice, steak, bread, vegetables and dessert pies. After dinner, the students walked downstairs to dress in white robes in which looked similar to graduation gowns. Members that were already inducted wore a purple tassel while the inductees wore white.
The ceremony lasted approximately an hour. Employees of CTC and select students gave speeches, After the speeches were given, the inductees were called to a table to be handed an official paper of acceptance to the NTHS by Guidance Counselor Anne Liller and to light a candle. As a group, the students recited the NTHS creed.
Matlick attended the ceremony and feels that NTHS has taught him a few aspects to life.
“It has taught me leadership and [that] moral values are of the highest essence in life and you want to continue your education to the highest you can to get the best work you can and do the best you can in life,” Matlick said.
Howland would agree that NTHS is “an honor to be in.”
“National Technical Honor Society has given me a sense of greater responsibility. It has helped me branch out and has allowed me to work with many other bright and talented individuals,” New Brighton Student Ashley Glentz said. Glentz is currently the President of NTHS and feels that “[the new members of NTHS] have achieved so much, [and] they should also be proud of themselves.”
As long as the criteria continues to be matched, these memberships and life lessons will last for the students throughout their senior year.