Karo Boyajyan is the president of the Glendale High School chapter of the National Honor Society for the 2023-2024 school year. NHS is an exclusive society, which selects students who display exceptional character, scholarship, leadership, and service on campus.
Despite his high position in the club, Karo claims that he “doesn’t do any crazy studying.” Instead, he credits his academic achievement to two factors: natural attentiveness and his own academic freedom.
Lacking any specific methods for studying, Karo says he simply pays attention in class and remembers what he is taught. He comes from a single-parent household, and he thanks his mother for giving him the independence necessary to “pursue higher goals” on his own terms, which he credits for his current success.
Karo is multifaceted, as he has several hobbies, activities, and interests outside of school. In addition to being the NHS president, he is also the secretary for both the Slime and Key Clubs. Although he is currently not involved in the arts on campus, Karo previously organized our school’s art gallery during his sophomore and junior years. He even claims that his artistic talents are his most outstanding feature and his greatest strength.
Elected to the office of NHS president last May, Karo says that he ran primarily because he wanted to work with Ms. Holly Ciotti a little longer. Additionally, he also felt that there were certain issues with the National Honor Society that he felt he could and should address as president.
Specifically, Karo believed that the NHS application process was somewhat confusing and unclear. So after becoming president, he created a new office. He appointed senior Emma Remley to the position of club publicist, to guide prospective NHS members.
Following graduation, Karo is planning to major in Biological Engineering at UCLA, to research the treatment for acid burns. He says that this issue is dear to him, as he has “a lot of family in the Middle East”, where acid attacks are a major problem.
As a closing piece of advice for our readers, Karo cautions students not to get overly “caught up in the competitiveness of college admissions.” He reminds us that “the people that you’re going to school with are the people who are gonna help you through life, and that your loyalties lie with them and not with whatever colleges you’re applying to.”
Although National Honor Society applications are not currently open, all interested students should keep an eye out and listen to the announcements. The requirements for application include at least two leadership positions, either inside or outside of school. Applicants must also have at least thirty hours of community service, fifteen of which need to be in service to a specific target, like fundraising for breast cancer or working in a soup kitchen.
Karo plans on holding his own service event later in the year. This will hopefully help those students who do not already have all thirty hours of community service to get closer to their goal. So please keep your eyes open for these opportunities, and follow NHS on Instagram: @glendalehighnhs.
