The class of 2026 participants were inducted into the NHS as the current class of 2025 participants enclosed their time with the National Honors Society. On Palm Sunday, Cathedral families, staff, and students gathered to celebrate student accomplishments through the school year.
For the class of 2026 juniors, one of their bigger accomplishments was being accepted into the National Honors Society. For the senior class of 2025, this was concluding all of their service hours and academic work through the National Honors Society.
At 5 pm on April 13, junior students walked behind their upperclassmen to show the entire community what they have accomplished so far in their time at Cathedral. Students sat down, then began the ceremony with prayer. After prayer was led by Rob Bridges, President of Cathedral High School, there was small talk by a Cathedral alumni followed shortly by Brett Blondi, Vice Principal of Academic Support.
After this short talk, senior students were called up individually to receive their graduation cords for their leadership, service, character, and scholarship in the National Honors Society. Junior underclassmen followed these footsteps, receiving awards for being accepted into the National Honors Society. There was a conclusion to the ceremony, then students took pictures and were free to leave.
The four main pillars of the National Honors Society are scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Scholarship represents the commitment to learn and to excel academically. Service is the voluntary commitment to help others with no expectations in return. Leadership is described as the ability to positively influence, inspire, or lead others. Lastly, character is referred to as a person’s moral qualities, showing honesty, respect, and responsibility.
Bridges said, “By emphasizing scholarship, service, leadership, and character, we[Cathedral], along with the National Honors Society, enforce and model the excellent traits that these four pillars represent.” By coming together for this ceremony, the Cathedral community is being shown that students have integrated these pillars into their own individual lives.
The National Honors Society ceremony celebrates the beginning and end of a journey. Bridges said, “The National Honors Society Ceremony should represent to the community that we are a school with a large number of service-minded students, and that we value service and integrity.”
On the Hill, students have the opportunity to become very service involved. Every member in the National Honors Society has to surpass 10 service points in the span of their entire time with the National Honors Society. Students have service hours available all throughout the school year to support the Cathedral community.
One student in particular, Ingrid Cardoza, class of 2026, volunteers every Wednesday at Lord’s Pantry At Anna’s House and she hopes to continue her service towards the community with the continuous opportunities given by the National Honors Society. The National Honors Society Induction ceremony was an exciting event for Cardoza, as she looks forward to her time serving her community. Cardoza said, “Being a part of the National Honors Society is going to only deepen my interest in helping out my community.”
