Examples of letters of recommendation for national honor society

Examples of letters of recommendation for national honor society

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The National Honor Society, or NHS, works to recognize and honor high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who excel in the classroom. The four pillars of the NHS are character, scholarship, leadership and service. To become a member of the NHS, a teacher needs to write a recommendation letter for the student that describes how the student demonstrates each of the pillars. A stellar letter will increase the odds that the student will gain entrance into the society.

Learn about NHS

The NHS is an organization that honors high school students who receive good grades. The NHS website notes that the society is more than an honor roll because, in addition to good grades, it also recognizes students who demonstrate leadership, service and character. The NHS started in 1921, and now has chapters in all 50 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada. Once a member, a student is encouraged to continue excelling by being active in his school and community. If you know someone who deserves to be in the NHS, a recommendation letter for the student is in order.

Introduce the Student

Begin your recommendation letter for the student by sharing your personal connection. For example, write that you've had the student in your math class for the past two years or that you were introduced to the student when you became her basketball or softball coach. This aspect of the letter is usually short, but it's important because it establishes that you know the student well enough to recommend her acceptance into the NHS.

Describe What Makes the Student Special

The bulk of the recommendation letter for the student will include information about why they would be a good fit for the NHS. Some chapters of the NHS ask that you rank a student based on her leadership skills and character, while other chapters also want information about how dependable, motivated, honest, courteous and resourceful a student is. A description of the four pillars of the NHS with specific examples of how a student upholds them might also be included in the letter.

Close With Kind Words

The end of your recommendation letter for the student should include a few good words about the student, as well as your wholehearted recommendation that she deserves to be a member of the NHS. For example, you might end with a sentence stating that you enthusiastically or without reservation recommend the student to be a valuable addition and asset to the NHS. Include a statement welcoming the reviewer of the letter to contact you with further questions and provide your preferred contact information, as well. End the letter with your signature.

References

Writer Bio

Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver.

Dear the National Honor Society selection committee, Thank you for the great honor of being invited to apply for membership to such a well-respected and incredible organization. I am very excited about this opportunity as it presents an optimal way in which to further my passion of expanding my mind and bettering my community. Since I entered high school, I have pursued this by taking all honors classes and any Advanced Placement classes offered to me each year. Although sometimes I was not always entirely sure what to expect walking into each class, and of course there have been classes I like more than others, there is no class I regret taking because each and every one has opened my mind up to a new way of thinking. For instance, after…show more content…
Every week I spend time at the Morristown Medical Center as a volunteer, where I am able to help keep things functioning in the hospital at the highest speed possible and hopefully brighten a few patients’ days. Also, I’ve enjoyed helping refereeing youth basketball games for the past two seasons and being able to talk with the kids. It is a great opportunity to give back to a program which gave me so much in the five years I played in it when I was younger. Furthermore, I am excited for even more opportunities to have an impact on my community which being a part of National Honor Society would aid in. Moreover, I have worked very hard throughout high school to better myself and those around me in the many ways mentioned above. I also serve as a role model, both inside the classroom and out, by pushing myself to accomplish goals even I do not always believe I could, always respecting others and listening attentively to the opinions of people around me, and making an effort to enrich the lives of others. I am hopeful the National Honor Society will help me develop this further, and thank you for taking hte time to read my application.

How do you write a letter of recommendation for the National Honor Society?

Describe What Makes the Student Special The bulk of the recommendation letter for the student should include information about why they would be a good fit for the NHS. You should focus on at least one of the four pillars of the NHS, Character, scholarship, leadership, or service.

How do you write a letter of recommendation for Njhs?

List the positive qualities that you have observed in the student as well as how the organization will benefit from his membership. Check the letter for spelling and grammar mistakes. The letter will hold more weight if it is well written. Submit the letter according to the specifications that the student gives you.

Do you need a letter of recommendation for National Honor Society?

General Directions: Two teacher recommendations must be submitted by each student applying for membership into the National Honor Society. One MUST be from an English or History teacher; the other MUST be from a Science or Math teacher.

What should a good letter of recommendation include?

It should give an overall picture of the candidate's: personal characteristics, performance, experience, strengths, capabilities and professional promise. Letters of recommendation can also be used to explain some weakness or ambiguity in a student's record.