On December 9th, the Saint Thomas Aquinas Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 10 new members. All students in the junior high and high school attended the ceremony, as well as parents of the inductees.
“Unveiled over a century ago, the National Honor Society enshrines four pillars at its heart: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. More than mere badges of honor for NHS members, these principles are transformative keys that unlock potential, enhancing every student’s educational journey, and ultimately empowering them to make profound, enduring contributions to our world.” (https://www.nationalhonorsociety.org/about/everyday-pillars-of-nhs/)
The complete transcript featuring speeches from Mrs. Paulina Bean – NHS Advisor – and the current members is below. To view the full gallery of photos, visit our Facebook page.
Mrs. Paulina Bean, Introduction on National Honor Society
Congratulations, National Honors Society inductees of the 2025-2026 academic year! This occasion marks a significant accomplishment in each of your lives, and a recognition of your dedication to excellence, particularly in the areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service. I am grateful to have this opportunity to welcome you into the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapter of the National Honors Society, and happy to have the support of your family, peers, and teachers in congratulating you today.
Each one of you being inducted today has taken on the challenge of aiming high. In the words of St. Jose Maria Escriva, “The Lord needs strong and courageous souls who refuse to come to terms with mediocrity and enter all kinds of environments with a sure step.” Your admission into the National Honors Society is a recognition of your refusal to come to terms with mediocrity. What does mediocrity look like? Doing the bare minimum, settling for being average, wanting comfort more than greatness, just doing what we have to do to avoid failure. If you have never experienced this temptation in some way, then you probably are not a human being. But what we recognize today is that each one of you has, in many significant ways, demonstrated that you are not the kind of person who settles for this sort of dull and sleepy life. You are not perfect, but you are strong and courageous. You strive to enter each day, each class, each responsibility, each friendship with a sure step–one that is grounded in Christ; one that is grounded in a desire to use the gifts God gave you, and to use them well.
If you glance at the National Honor Society seal, you’ll notice at its center a torch with a blazing flame. In our ceremony today, we will see each new member of the National Honor Society light a candle from the flame of a current member. For Catholics, this tradition calls to mind many significant moments in our Faith. In Advent, we light candles as a recognition of the light of Christ coming into the world, even in the darkest of times. We also light candles at our baptisms and at the renewal of our baptismal vows at the Easter Vigil each year, recognizing that the light of Christ dwells in our souls through grace. It is always striking to me to see how the light is passed from one person to another at the Easter liturgy, and suddenly, before you know it, the whole Church is glowing with soft candlelight. The flame is always passed to you from someone else, and if your candle somehow goes out, there is always someone there to light the flame again. Once your candle is lit, you are always eager to find the people whose candles are not lit and to get those ones burning! Then, everyone gets to enjoy the beauty of the glowing church.
Other than the similarity of the candles themselves, what does this have to do with being a member of the National Honors Society? First of all, like all things, the significance of membership in the National Honor Society is tremendously elevated when it is caught up in the calling to be an apostle of Jesus. Today, we recognize people who bring the light of Christ to our school through striving for holiness by doing ordinary things well. To rely on the words of St. Jose Maria once again, he asks us, “Do you really want to be a saint? Carry out the little duty of each moment: do what you ought and put yourself into what you are doing.” In various ways, the teachers at MRA have recognized that each student being inducted into NHS strives to do just this.
New members of the National Honors Society, this occasion is, first of all, a recognition of who you already are and what you already do, especially a recognition of your dedication to scholarship and your strength of character. To all of you being inducted, on behalf of all your teachers and peers, I want to say thank you to each of you for being the caliber of student you are. By striving for excellence and by using the gifts God has given you with courage and humility, you inspire the rest of us to find meaning in what we are doing here and to strive for excellence ourselves.
You bring light into school days that would otherwise feel dark and gloomy. Please let this be an opportunity for you to receive the gratitude of the rest of us for your commitment to serving our school by striving to be excellent. Additionally, let your membership in the National Honors Society be an opportunity to develop more fully into who God created you to be. Through this society, you will have new opportunities and higher responsibilities to grow in leadership and service. Put your heart into them! Let this also be an encouragement to you on the way to even stronger development of your scholarship and character. Continue to aim higher and higher!
Before turning it over to some of our current student leaders, who will talk about the four pillars of the NHS specifically, I want to leave you with a few last thoughts on how to hit it out of the park when it comes to being a member of the National Honors Society. Two major qualities come to mind: courage and humility. To live out each of the pillars of the NHS well–leadership, scholarship, character, and service–both courage and humility are essential. A courageous person has conviction and confidence in what he knows is right and good. A courageous person has confidence in the gifts God has given him and in the plan God has for his life. Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). You are called to great things; do not reject them. You have the potential to be exceptional; do not settle for being mediocre, but pray to God for the fortitude to strive for all the most important things. Strive for a personal relationship with Jesus, strive for holiness, strive for a vigorous prayer life, strive for excellence in your academics, in your relationships, in your extracurriculars. Have confidence in God’s calling for you to be a saint, even when you feel weak and insignificant.
Further, as with all things in life, humility is absolutely essential in this pursuit. Let your striving for excellence–whether in the National Honors Society or in any other aspect of life–be nothing other than a striving to love God and your neighbor more perfectly. If your pursuit is only about building yourself up, it will end in misery. If it is in service of God and in service of your neighbor, then it will end in glory. This is not about position or title; it is not about feeling good about yourself or an opportunity to brag about yourself or to hold yourself above your classmates in a prideful way. Members of NHS, if ever you hear a fellow member bragging, holding himself or herself above others, or belittling someone else, please chastise him! The spirit of the National Honors Society should never be one of self-righteousness or comparison. Jesus tells us that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Holding a position of honor is a call to put others first and yourself last. Every good thing is from God, even the things we might be tempted to think we can take credit for or things we think we deserve.
Similarly, if you are a student who is not part of NHS, let this be an opportunity to show humility and the courage in congratulating those who are being inducted. Let it be an opportunity for you to renew your resolve as well to strive for excellence in scholarship, leadership, character, and service. This is in no way an occasion that says something negative about you, but an occasion that says something positive about your friends and one that builds all of us up. Like each candle in the church during the Easter vigil, the light of each person is good for us all. Each one of you, whether a member of NHS or not, has God-given gifts and a mission to share the light of Christ. Recognizing the accomplishments of others is an occasion for us to thank God for the gifts of our friends and an opportunity to be inspired in our own path toward holiness
I will leave you with one last quote from St. Jose Maria, one that applies to each one of us here today: “Don’t let your life be sterile. Be useful. Blaze a trail. Shine forth with the light of your faith and of your love. With your apostolic life wipe out the slimy and filthy mark left by the impure sowers of hatred. And light up all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you carry in your heart.” When there are days we feel tired or discouraged, may we all have the humility to recognize that all our strength comes from God and the courage to turn to him for strength in the midst of our ordinary tasks.
Maddie Gawlick 26’, Character
Character. What is character? According to the Mount Royal Academy’s NHS requirements, a “student of good character upholds principles of morality and ethics, is cooperative, demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others, and generally maintains a good and clean lifestyle”. These students that are being inducted today have all shown themselves to possess exemplary character, and it has been noticed.
These students demonstrate their character through the three other pillars of scholarship, leadership, and service. Their character can be demonstrated by turning work in on time, demonstrating good behavior by example, and serving their community.
Of course, not a single one of us is perfect in the way that Jesus is. We cannot have a perfect character, but we can certainly strive to improve it. As St Augustine said, “Keep on adding, keep on walking, keep on progressing: do not delay on the road, do not go back, do not deviate”. Improvement of oneself is a lifelong task, one we can do by continually making virtuous choices such as obeying the rules and being a good and loyal friend.
Maria Fraioli 26’, Leadership
What is Leadership? The National Honors Society defines Leadership as “…more than a position or title; it means embodying the spirit of initiative, innovation, and influence”. What this means is that leadership is a position which entails influencing others and bringing new ideas to the table. Leadership is a chance to inspire others with what you have to offer. It’s about stepping up to lead and bringing positive and truthful change to the community.
Leadership is a good opportunity for people to learn how to communicate well with others. It means having a chance to inspire people with new ideas. The role of leadership gives the student an opportunity to shape his or her academic community. It is a means to show who you are and what you can do for others. It is a matter of putting others before yourself so that you may lead people well. I would like you to picture a leader that you know, love and respect. What does that leader have that inspires you the most? A good leader is someone who’s confident, but also humble. Someone who leads by example and helps others to want to do good. Though leaders command respect, they do not force people through fear. They help people want to be good by setting a good example.
The students who have been accepted into the National Honors Society embody the pillar of leadership in some way. Through everyday moments of setting an example of virtue and by inspiring their friends. Good leadership starts off small with your interactions with friends, teachers, and family. True leaders inspire others to strive for holiness and goodness in their everyday tasks and interactions, and those being inducted today are embracing this responsibility, choosing not only to lead in everyday roles but to live this out in a genuine reflection of who they are.
Leah LaMothe 26’, Service
The NHS embraces four pillars, one of which is service. This quality is defined through the voluntary contributions made by a student to the school or community, done without compensation and with a positive, courteous, and enthusiastic spirit. These values are held dear by the chapter and are considered in every decision that is made. NHS members are meant to be leaders on campus when it comes to service and do this through prayers, acts of charity and acts of service.
The meaning of service is to help those around you with a willing heart through kind actions. These actions should have a positive impact on those around you and you should not expect anything in return. The NHS members serve the community by fundraising for organizations, volunteer work for charities, setting up and running school dances and organizing initiatives. Members are also called to serve with smaller acts, such as putting chairs on the tables at the end of the day, helping to clean up, or helping a classmate in need. While these smaller acts may seem less important compared to the larger acts of service that the NHS does, it is these small, seemingly unnoticed, actions that set the NHS members apart from the rest.
We are called to service on a deeper level. This is because as Catholics we are called especially to service by God (Jesus) and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. He shows this through His life, in both His works and words, an example being Matthew 25:40 “ And in response, the King shall say to them ‘Amen I say to you whenever you did this for one of these, the least of my brothers, you did it for me.’” This verse shows us that whatever we do to our neighbors , whether it is helpful or not, is like doing that action to Christ Himself. With this in mind all acts of service should be done through love for the person. When an act of service is done for another with this love it is not only the receiver that benefits, but the giver also does, through grace that is bestowed upon his soul.
That’s why we think service is important and believe that it is a crucial part of being a member of the NHS.
Brendan Rose-Fish 26’ Scholarship
What is Scholarship?
At first glance, it might seem like an easy question. We hear the word often—tied to grades, awards, or academic accomplishments. But as we welcome these new members, it’s important to look deeper. Because within NHS, scholarship is not just a requirement; it is a mindset, a habit, and a promise.
Scholarship begins with curiosity, that spark that pushes us to ask questions, explore new ideas, and challenge ourselves. It’s what drives a student to stay after class to understand a topic more fully, or to pick up a book simply because the subject is fascinating. Scholars aren’t people who know everything; they are people who refuse to stop learning.
It also represents responsibility. Scholarship isn’t something that happens to us, it’s something we choose. It means deciding each day to pursue knowledge with purpose. It means recognizing that learning is not just about personal achievement, but about the ability to use what we’ve gained to better our school, our community, and eventually our world.
Scholarship also demands discipline. Every inductee sitting here today has demonstrated a willingness to put in time, effort, and dedication even when it’s difficult, even when no one else sees it. True scholarship isn’t measured in perfection. It’s measured in perseverance: the late nights, the early mornings, the moments of frustration followed by breakthroughs of understanding. Scholars grow not by avoiding challenges but by embracing them.
There is also an important element of integrity woven into scholarship. In a world with many pressures to cut corners or look for shortcuts, scholars choose honesty. They understand that the value of their learning lies not in the grade at the top of the page, but in the integrity behind it. They hold themselves to high standards because they recognize that their character is shaped just as much as their intellect.
And finally, scholarship is about purpose. It invites each inductee to consider: What will I do with what I learn? How will I use my knowledge to make a difference? Scholarship does not stop at the classroom door. It is carried into the choices we make, the problems we solve, and the leadership we provide. It is the foundation upon which all other NHS pillars are built.
This morning, as we initiate new members into the National Honor Society, we aren’t just recognizing academic success; we are recognizing a commitment to curiosity, to responsibility, to discipline, to integrity, and to purpose. These students have shown that scholarship is something they live, not just something they achieve.
To the inductees: Today marks the beginning of a new chapter, not the closing of the last one. You are joining an organization that sees potential in you, potential not only to excel, but to contribute, to serve, to lead. Carry the pillar of scholarship with pride. Let it motivate you to keep asking questions, keep working hard, and keep learning for the sake of growth, not just grades.
To the families, teachers, and supporters here this morning: Thank you for nurturing these scholars. Your encouragement and guidance have helped shape the habits and values we celebrate today.
In the National Honor Society, scholarship is more than a pillar it is a way of living. It challenges us to think deeply, pursue truth, and act with purpose. And today, as we initiate these new members, we honor not just who they are now, but who they are becoming.
