National Honor Society

About the NHS Parent Organization

“The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) officially established NHS in 1921. Though many local and regional honor societies existed prior to 1921, no nationwide organization had been founded. Under the leadership of Dr. Edward Rynearson, principal of the Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh, the organization grew from the original Alpha Chapter at the Fifth Avenue School to more than 1,000 chapters by 1930. Equipped with a constitution, an emblem and motto, and a group of dedicated principals as coordinators, the new NHS organization quickly developed into one of the country’s leading educational groups.

Four main purposes have guided chapters of NHS from the beginning: to create enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership; and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.” from the National Honor Society Website,

About the Martha W. Woolery Chapter

The Hickory High School chapter of the National Honor society was established in 1996 with the opening of Hickory High School. The inaugural sponsors were Mrs. Gerri Holmes, Mrs. Nancy Winter-Traynor, and Mrs. Martha Woolery. When Mrs. Woolery passed away in 2005, the chapter was renamed in her memory. We are particularly proud of our robust membership (200+ students) and the thousands of volunteer hours that our students perform each year in the school and community. Furthermore, our members have a long history of supporting several local charities with the annual NHS fundraiser, including the Chesapeake Care Clinic and the Hickory High School Scholar Fest scholarships.

Martha Woolery

About Martha Woolery

Martha Woolery was a member of the English Department at Hickory High School from its opening in 1996, until she passed away from cancer in October 2005. She taught Honors and AP English and also served as English Department head and National Honor Society Sponsor, which is why our chapter of NHS is now known as the Martha W. Woolery Chapter of the National Honor Society. She was also the 1998-99 Hickory High School Teacher of the Year and was chosen as the Chesapeake Public School’s Citywide Teacher of the Year in 1999.

Mrs. Woolery loved her students and had faith in each of them. She gave her time and motherly advice unselfishly. She cared about her students’ performance inside as well as outside the classroom, and she extended this nurturing to her colleagues and friends. She is remembered for her gentleness, her smile and her positive glow. Martha left a part of herself within each person whose life she touched. She truly embodied the National Honor Society core values of service, character, scholarship, and leadership.

NHS Current Members

Requirements for Good Standing

Good Standing for Current NHS Members

Requirements for remaining a member in good standing are:

  • G.P.A. (weighted or unweighted) of 3.5 or higher and demonstrated commitment to scholarship

  • no out-of-school suspensions, in-school suspensions (including ISS for tardies), or incidences of cheating

  • payment of dues by the deadline 

  • submission of money for sales of two fundraiser tickets by the deadline 

  • service at the annual NHS fundraiser (Seniors only) 

  • submission of acceptable documentation for community service requirements by the deadline 

Please note that once you become a member of the Martha W. Woolery Chapter of the National Honor Society, you will be placed on probationary status and/or dismissed if you do not meet the criteria listed above.

Seniors who are not members in good standing as of the date that second semester service documentation is due will not be marked in the graduation program as NHS members and will not wear the NHS regalia at the graduation ceremony. 

Selection Process

Selection to the Martha W. Woolery chapter of the National Honor Society centers around the core values of NHS and is based on the following criteria:

  • scholarship: cumulative G.P.A. (weighted or unweighted) of 3.5 or higher and demonstrated commitment to scholarship

  • character: no out-of-school suspensions or in-school suspensions (including ISS for tardies); in addition, students may have no documented incidents of academic dishonesty in the application year; a student is ineligible if they receive a second honor offense

  • leadership: one of the following two options:

    1. “Membership in good standing” in at least one “official Hickory High School sponsored club/activity” during high school. For our purposes, “official Hickory High School sponsored club/activity” is defined as “being listed on the HHS activity guide” and “membership in good standing” status is determined at the discretion of each individual club/activity sponsor.  Students are encouraged to be active in HHS clubs and activities beginning in the 9th grade year.  Please contact individual club sponsors for information about “good standing” membership requirements.

    2. “Membership in good standing” of any HHS VHSL JV or Varsity sports team during high school. For our purposes, “membership in good standing” status is determined at the discretion of each individual coach. Please contact individual coaches for information about “good standing” membership requirements.

  • service: documentation of at least 10 hours of volunteer community service with any one organization during high school that is different from used to meet the leadership requirement; may be an official Hickory High School sponsored club, activity, or sport or a nonprofit community organization, military organization, or hospital; for example, you could volunteer 10 hours on different projects all through the Boy Scouts OR you could volunteer 10 hours participating in Hickory’s Relay for Life.  To qualify for our purposes, there must be no compensation or discount, financial or otherwise, associated with the community service and the organization must be nonprofit, with the exception of hospitals.  Please note, official documentation is required.  Parents may not verify this service unless they were the sponsoring agent of the project.