As a core pillar, peer service is a crucial part of National Honors Society (NHS) chapters around the country, including Hingham’s very own chapter. With the submission of their application in the spring of their junior year, admitted candidates are then inducted into the society in an official ceremony in April. It is at this ceremony that members promise to uphold the four pillars of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character by participating in required peer tutoring and volunteering opportunities. Treasurer Chris Hoppe explains that “HHS’s NHS chapter completes more than 500 hours of community service and 500 hours of peer tutoring annually, making it a massive resource for high school students and the broader Hingham community.”
These positive remarks are emphasized by Caroline Sullivan, the vice president of NHS, who stated, “Peer tutoring is one of the most valuable aspects of National Honor Society and is a super helpful resource for students, especially underclassmen. Not only does this program allow NHS members to give back to the school community and develop their leadership skills, but it also reinforces the idea that we should always be helping one another at HHS. At the very least, it is a great way for students to get their work done and meet new people!”
Although the organization only requires six hours of peer tutoring, they strongly encourage people to be available to those who may need help in their coursework for more than the required time. Many NHS members can find tutoring opportunities through Google Classroom, where executives post students’ requests as they are submitted. These requests come from primarily underclassmen along with some juniors and ask for help in all types of classes ranging from level 3 Biology to Spanish 3 to AP United States History. Ryan Klein, a senior NHS member looking to be a peer tutor in math explains “Being a peer tutor has been a rewarding experience for me and for my peers. I love helping others with homework and studying. As a whole, it makes Hingham High School a more connected and collaborative environment to learn and grow.”
This being such a vital part of in the connection between people and classes within Hingham High School, it is disheartening to learn that NHS has had to manage some recent budget cuts. Treasurer of the society Chris Hoppe illustrates, “We have a number of expenses to keep the program running, so we have had to increase our fundraising efforts to compensate for the school cutting funding.” These efforts do include a booth at the upcoming Holiday Fair this Saturday, so if you have a free moment and would like to support us, please stop by.
