Forest Lake Area High School Athletics and Activities

National Honor Society is a nationally recognized group acknowledging student achievement beyond the report card. NHS is based on a student's scholarship, leadership, character, and service throughout their community. 

At Forest Lake High School, current members exemplify the four traits. As a junior, members are required to provide 40 hours of service and seniors are to provide 50 hours of service. Our members serve as a leader throughout the community by contributing to the following events: 

• Homecoming Fundraiser (September/October)
  • Students help raise money for a cause supporting a past, current, or future Ranger. 
• Trick or Canning (October) 
  • Students "trick or treat" for canned goods throughout the last week of October in the schools and on Halloween night around the community. All donations are made to Family Pathways 
• Walk to End Hunger (November)
  • Students raise money for world hunger throughout the month by selling suckers throughout high school. On Thanksgiving day, members and their families travel to the Mall of America for the actual Walk. 
• Rangers Talent Show (Spring)
  • Students put on a Talent Show and Art Show at the high school highlighting the hobbies and activities of current high school students. 
• Mental Health Day (May) 
  • Students prepare lessons and travel to elementary schools to talk about mental health. 
• NHS also contributes to smaller events by helping at the Hallberg Art Center, tutoring, helping teachers, helping the elementary schools with numerous events, helping out in the Special Education Department, Cards and Kisses, Cards and Candy Canes, Concessions, Polar Plunge, AND MORE!! 

Attached is the NHS constitution for any further questions. 

All applicants must meet a GPA requirement to be invited to apply. Sophomores must have a 3.8 GPA and Juniors must have a 3.5 GPA to apply. 

Every spring applicants are invited to apply and they must provide in their applications a demonstration of the four pillars: Leadership, Scholarship, Service, and Character. Their application is reviewed by a private board of current teachers. The four pillars are defined below. 

Leadership

Leadership is a very important consideration in membership selection. The Faculty Council uses objective measures of leadership such as the number of leadership roles a student has held in school or community organizations. However, the Council recognizes that leadership also exists outside elected positions including effective participation in positions of responsibility in other activities offered on campus such as athletic team captains, section leaders in band and chorus, committee chairs in student groups, and verifiable leadership in the community either in volunteer organizations or in working at a job. If you did not hold a defined, specific leadership position in an organization, consider HOW your active participation continued to move the organization forward and describe your leadership from that perspective.

High School Faculty are also asked to confirm evidence of leadership in the classroom. A student may demonstrate leadership skills in the classroom by a) actively participating in class discussions in person or online and positively engaging with the teacher or others to improve the classroom atmosphere, b) exercising positive influence of peers towards learning or class atmosphere, and/or c) inspiring positive attitudes in peers towards learning.

Scholarship

The scholarship is a commitment to learning and growing on an educational path. It means making the most of the educational opportunities provided and seeking out learning, not only in school but personally. More importantly, it stems from a desire to contribute to this world in a positive way by building on your own knowledge, skills, and talents through new experiences.

Service

Service is  the desire to seek opportunities to help others, and acts of service. Honor Society students are required to meet minimum service participation requirements, yet many say service activities are among their most rewarding experiences in the program.

Everyday Service is seeing a need and fulfilling it voluntarily. Sometimes it’s driven by a passion for a specific cause or people in need. Other times, it’s driven by personal or family needs, like taking care of siblings or other family members or maybe even working part-time to help with family finances.

Character 

Character values diverse cultures and builds relationships that reflect the love of self and concern for others. There are endless attributes to good character: perseverance, respect, integrity, honesty, sacrifice—the list goes on. A good and noble character is a high calling. We don’t often “see” characters unless there is a public display of self-sacrifice or, more frequently, a very public mistake. Everyday Character is not about praiseworthy or blameworthy behavior but the personal commitment to ethical and compassionate decision-making that affects you and others.

Interested in joining in the future? 

Board members who are reviewing applications are looking for applicants who are already demonstrating the four characteristics so we recommend getting involved in the school and the community! 

• Talk to one of the current members or advisors about ways to get involved in the school
• Push yourself to take rigorous courses!
• Find ways to obtain a leadership position