Lilly Armstrong is the president of the National Honor Society and a senior here at Glendale High School. She likes to read about political theory and fiction, to ice skate, and to learn about complicated board games that are new to her. She is a crew manager, the sound system supervisor for the GHS Technical Theater program and a volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo. Lilly is also the valedictorian of the Class of 2022, and she will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall.

National Honor Society is one of the most prestigious organizations at GHS. All sophomores, juniors and seniors can apply to join NHS, but all members must have a 3.5 GPA and meet community service hours and leadership requirements. 

Members also have to demonstrate excellence in the club’s four pillars: academics, service, leadership, and integrity. The purpose of NHS is to honor the leaders of our school and recognize those who have excelled in their academics.

Each year, the National Honor Society organizes the Pat Navolanic Memorial Award, which is the highest reward that a GHS senior can receive. The award is given in memory of Pat Navolanic, a GHS student who passed away just a few years after graduating in 1963, as the class valedictorian and a three-sport varsity athlete.

NHS organizes the award ceremony, the funding of the award and the selection of the winner. They also organize two other annual induction ceremonies for new members, and they help volunteer for other events around campus. This club benefits GHS students by honoring those with excellence in academics, leadership, and service.

“It’s such a rewarding community to be in, and there’s no harm in applying to see what happens,” Lilly said. Members also get to wear a special cord at graduation. 

Lilly joined NHS in her first semester of her sophomore year, and she was also elected as secretary during her first year. She applied to NHS because she wanted to be a part of this really smart and dedicated group of people. She was overwhelmed and felt very out of place her sophomore year, but she also felt honored to know that she was a member of this club. 

Lilly’s favorite part about being in NHS is knowing that everyone worked so hard to be at those meetings. All of the members continue to be so committed, and she is so impressed by all of their accomplishments. 

It has been a challenge for Lilly to be an effective president during meetings, because there are almost 50 members who all have different opinions. They often have to vote and make decisions about controversial topics, so she has had to learn how to moderate difficult situations and handle people with strong opinions.

If you would like to join NHS next year, they will be having a meeting in the fall, and the application process will be open soon. Please contact Ms. Ciotti at [email protected] for more information. Remember to work hard to meet the GPA and community service requirements, and one day you may be a member of NHS as well!