This month’s Mercer Savings Bank Giving Mission recipient is the Ft. Recovery National Honor Society (NHS). One of thousands in the U.S., the chapter inducts high school students who meet certain GPA and community service requirements. The group instills a sense of service in its members and benefits the community through its giving-back projects.
Serving the Community
NHS is built on four pillars: service, citizenship, leadership, and scholarship. To that end, students work in small groups under adviser Patricia Lefeld to plan and execute events that give back to the community.
After the induction ceremony in October 2021, which brought 23 new members into the chapter for a total of 45, the group planned a variety of events for the coming school year, including:
- A gift-wrapping service for community members
- A pie-in-the-face fundraiser to benefit the Mercer County Heart Association
- A random act of kindness Easter egg hunt
Lefeld noted it’s also important for the students to enjoy the process of building on the four pillars, so activities like meeting up with other local NHS chapters are planned as well. “We try and find ways to give back and have fun to let the kids know that you can develop good character by doing fun things as well,” she said.
Building Leaders for the Future
Lefeld, who has led the group for three years now, says she enjoys getting to know her students and guiding them in growth.
“I love seeing them spark new ideas. Since I’ve been the advisor, we’ve gone from only having the induction to doing more community service activities that can promote the entire purpose of NHS,” she said.
“I’ve always been a firm believer that you have to get these kids to see greater value and good in creating projects that will benefit others,” added Lefeld.
Sharing the Wealth
Lefeld said she was surprised — and grateful — when she learned her NHS chapter was this month’s Giving Mission recipient.
“We appreciate being recognized,” she said. “It isn’t our goal to ask for any proceeds or anything like that. We just want to make sure that we are giving whatever these kids can offer.”
Lefeld said the students would likely decide how to use the funds for a new project. On the docket is a winter hat drive to benefit victims of the December 2021 tornado outbreak in western Kentucky.
For community members interested in staying up-to-date on NHS activities, upcoming events are posted on the school website or the Ft. Recovery Schools’ Facebook page.
