National Junior Honor Society at Kilmer Middle School

Contact: Sheryl Jones, Danielle Sweet, Sarah Groh (NJHS Sponsors)

In a Kilmer e-notify sent October 13, 2022, Kilmer NJHS Candidate Invitations and Candidate Application Forms were sent to all eighth grade students who earned a cumulative 3.7 GPA in the 2021-2022 academic year. Invitations and application forms were sent to the students’ @fcpsschools.net account. A Parent/Guardian information letter was sent to the primary email on record in SIS.

Kilmer NJHS will begin in November, 2022,  with our continued focus on Service Learning. A service learning project must be completed in groups or individually by May, 2023. The FCPS Student Service Learning project will be a major commitment for all NJHS candidates to demonstrate character, leadership, and citizenship in the Kilmer community and beyond. Service learning projects will be completed following FCPS Operational Metrics and guidelines.

Below are the guidelines for becoming a Candidate for Kilmer NJHS. Additional information is located in the Kilmer All Student Schoology Course. 

Candidate Requirements

1. The candidate must be a member of the 8th grade class.
2. The candidate must have been in attendance at Kilmer Middle School since at least September, 2022.
3. The candidate must have had a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.70, at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.
4. Electronic receipt of the completed Candidate Application Form, with signatures, by the deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Incorporating Service Learning into Education

Kilmer Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society focuses on Service Learning, using the model presented by FCPS Service Learning and The Complete Guide to Service Learning manual by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.

In order to realize the five components of NJHS: Citizenship, Scholarship, Character, Leadership, and Service, Kilmer’s NJHS uses a guided research-based learning method to help students address an authentic community need. Student initiative and structured time for reflection on the service experience are key elements. Students finish the year able to demonstrate their acquired skills and knowledge with a Service Learning Gallery and, finally, induction into the National Junior Honor Society.

What Types of Service Learning Can Students Do in 2022-2023?

Direct Service Learning  

Activities directly affect and involve the recipients. Research, evidence collection, advocacy, and reflection activities are also part of Direct Service Learning. 

Indirect Service Learning

Students do not see the recipients, however, their actions benefit the community or environment as a whole. Research, evidence collection, advocacy and reflection activities are also part of Indirect Service Learning.

Information included from The Complete Guide to Service Learning, Cathryn Berger Kaye

Characteristics of an Exemplary NJHS Candidate

Scholarship

Scholarship means a commitment to learning. A student willing to spend hours in reading and studying, knowing the lasting benefits of a cultivated mind. Knowledge is one great element in life, which leads to the highest success, and it can be acquired in only one way... through diligence and effort. Candidates have the charge to continually expand their world through the opportunities inherent in scholarship.

Leadership

Leadership should exert a wholesome influence on the school. In taking the initiative in class and school activities, the real leader strives to train and aid others to attain the same objective. The price of leadership is sacrifice... the willingness to yield one's personal interests for the interest of others. A leader has self-confidence and will go forward when others hesitate.

Service

Service can be described in various ways. In the routine of a day's work, many opportunities arise to help others. Willingness to work for the benefit of those in need without monetary compensation or without recognition is the quality we seek in our membership. We are committed to the idea of volunteering our time and abilities to the creation of a better tomorrow.

Character

Character is achieved and not received. It is the product of constant action, daily striving to make the right choices. Exemplary character demonstrates high qualities such as reliability, honesty, sincerity, and respect for others.

Citizenship

Citizenship is vital to the strength of our school. It requires effort and commitment. It is the willingness of each student to participate responsibly in classes, clubs, teams, and activities that occur at Kilmer Middle School

National Junior Honor Society

According to the NHS/NJHS website, the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) was established in 1929 and is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle level students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to recognize those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Character, and Citizenship. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its establishment.

Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in activities of the NHS (High School) and NJHS (Middle School). NHS and NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. Territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.

Fairfax County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to all clubs and activities.