Gallery • 4 Photos

Alav Madani

Junior Justine Finger signs the NHS logbook after walking the stage to receive her certificate. The logbook contains the name of every member and officer since the formation of the NHS.

The Bellaire High School Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) swore in 101 inductees on April 13 in the auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m. The night’s program began with a call to order by senior and Chapter President Parisa Gopal and senior Historian McKenzie Le, followed by Principal Michael Niggli’s address. 

Chapter adviser and Pre-AP World History and Geography teacher Juanita Camarillo recognized seniors and NHS scholarship semifinalists Nicolas Jan and Miranda Wang, who were chosen from a pool of over 16,000 applicants for their embodiment of the Four Pillars of NHS — scholarship, leadership, service and character. 

Gopal, along with seniors and Academic Vice President Laila Hakki, Service Vice President Meadow Lam and Secretary Maisie Moncrief led a special recognition of faculty members listed below:

Exceptional Scholarship– AP World History teacher Alan Heise.

Exceptional Leadership– English Department Chair and teacher Elizabeth Chapman.

Exceptional Service–  Administrator Oscar Lopez.

Exceptional Character–  IB Theory of Knowledge teacher Gregory Switzer. 

Camarillo and Chapter Co-Adviser and AP US History teacher Christina DuPont also led a special recognition of student chapter members listed below:

Exceptional Scholarship– Junior Eva Muscal.

Exceptional Leadership– Senior Samantha Tran.

Exceptional Service– Senior Lela Izaddoost.

Exceptional Character– Senior Ella Callaci.

“I was excited to present awards to the two students that I’ve had in my classroom,” DuPont said. “Presenting the award to Lela and Eva was really fun for me because I know them very well, and so it was an honor to give that to them.”

Though DuPont said she was nervous to speak in front of a large crowd, she said the excitement from the inductees made it easier to proceed with the ceremony.

“I think that we’re going to have a great next year with our NHS chapter,” DuPont said. “We have a good group of kids that are coming in, people who are very well involved and ready to serve and lead. I’m excited for them — I think they’ll do a good job.”

Chapter officers led the presentation of inductees who walked across the stage to receive their certificate and candle. Camarillo led the inductees’ NHS Oath before the final remarks by Gopal to conclude the ceremony.

Junior inductee Hannah GendlerCruz said it was a big relief to get inducted after the many hours she put into her application.

“My future hope is to get a lot of volunteer hours,” GendlerCruz said. “I love volunteering at the ASPCA. I love taking care of animals overall, and I’m motivated to get more hours.”

As a junior financial officer, Audrey Lawrence and her fellow officers spent the evening preparing for the ceremony, completing tasks such as managing donations from businesses, setting up the candles and congratulating inductees. 

“I was really excited for the ceremony and to see all the new inductees,” Lawrence said. “A bunch of my friends who are sophomores got inducted, and I was really proud of them. You know, I might have shed a tear or two.”

Lawrence said the position involves spending “significant” time inquiring to businesses for donations or sponsorships to make sure members are fed and get what they need to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly. The junior officers include Academic, Service and Financial sectors that each dedicate their time to assist with different projects for the chapter.  

“NHS is so promising,” Lawrence said. “I think that the officer teams, our teachers and our sponsors really put their all into NHS, and you can always tell. I’m really proud of it, I think that it’s a really fun and awesome organization, and that being a part of it is such a gift.”

NHS’s next general meeting will be on April 29 during Cardinal Hour in the auditorium. For more information, follow @bellairenhs on Instagram or refer to their website.