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IT'S AN
HONOR!
By
A l l y s on
Sho f f
2 0 1 6
N H S
B A N Q U E T
On November 16th, friends, family, and teachers alike joined together
at Pontiac Township High School to welcome twenty-four well-rounded
and deserving students into the Torch Chapter of the National Honor
Society. The night began with a wonderfully prepared dinner from our
cafeteria staff that was served by Key Club members. A school banquet,
whether it be for athletics, music, scholarships, or academic achievements
such as this one, is a time to relax and enjoy some good food while
reconnecting with friends.
After dinner was over and everyone had enjoyed a slice of pie of
some sort, we all entered the auditorium in an impressively smooth
manner to hear our speaker of the night. Mike Wille is the director of the
Illinois State University School of Art. He visited Pontiac Township High
School last spring as a speaker for our art show and gave a similar
speech then. Nevertheless, it seemed the entire audience was captivated
by his abstract work and his passion for what he does.
The end of the night came quickly and it was time to welcome our
new members. The ceremony started with a welcome address and five
continuing members were called up to introduce the attributes needed to
be inducted into National Honor Society. Shelby Jennings, Andrea
Mehrkens, Margaret Melvin, Olivia Welshans, and myself each took
turns speaking of Character, Leadership, Service, and Scholarship was
well as introducing National Honor Society as a whole. This year also
marked the second year in the row in which there was difficulties lighting
the candles, something that I believe will soon become a yearly tradition.
With a little slip in the years (I know us seniors wish we were the class
of 2016 because we’d already be out of here), the new members were
recognized and awarded their certificate and medal by Mr. Sweetwood,
a much beloved Social Studies teacher at Pontiac Township High School.
Continuing members were also recognized after all new members had
been inducted. Aubrey Gill, Allison Hodgson, Tatum Joerndt, and Kate
Roberts were welcomed into National Honor Society from the Class of
2017. Sara Albrecht, Peter Babb, Sara Dunham, Jakob Grieff, India
Guerrero, Trevor Heddins, Emma Jacobs, Kevin Kuska, Ryan Lauritsen,
Ashton Melchers, Olivia Muir, Abigayle Orndorff, Liam Pickett, Payton
Pulliam, Tyler Rich, Lucas Roe, Tyrah Sexton, Kalynn Wiles, and Henry
Woodburn were the twenty students chosen to enter National Honor
Society from the Class of 2016.
November 16th was a wonderful night for everyone involved. This
night could not have been possible without our principal, Mr. Bohm, and
the National Honor Society sponsor, Mrs.Baumgardner. Of all the nights
of our high school career, this is easily the most special for the students
being inducted and the parents that raised them.