Tigard High School holds many on-campus fundraisers, ranging anywhere from blood drives to toy drives. Some are organized by sports teams or teachers, but some are organized by the National Honor Society (NHS). Led by president and senior Kayla Kumm and vice president and senior Kaelyn Watson, NHS is a group of students who love to volunteer and put their skills to good use.

“National Honor Society is a group of people who like to do really well in school to volunteer in our community and help make our community a better place,” Watson said. 

NHS is a nationwide organization for high school students that has existed for more than 100 years. NHS applications are offered to students who meet certain criteria as sophomores and juniors. However, students are only able to participate in the society in their junior and senior years. Selection is based on scholarship, leadership, character, and service. 

NHS organizes some amazing events (Toy Drive and Movie Night, Knots of Love event, etc.) at Tigard High. Kumm and Watson say donating and volunteering makes them feel happy and fulfilled. When asked why someone should join NHS, here’s what Kumm said:

“With the NHS, I was able to create my own project where I could give back and find new ways to give back. I’ve brought in the ways I’ve given back to my community by organizing the blood drive position. I hadn’t worked with the American Red Cross prior to that, but that’s like opening new gateways for me into my future,” Kumm said.

Vice president Kaelynn Watson adds: “I’m in the NHS because it’s a good way to, like Kayla said, give back to the community and it’s a really good way to get involved. I know what’s going on in Tigard a lot now.” Watson says before she joined NHS, she was only vaguely familiar with what was going on around campus and in Tigard, but now with being a member of NHS, it’s different.

Both Kumm and Watson enthusiastically encourage students to apply to join NHS when they’re able to do so. 

“Definitely join the NHS if [you] also want to get involved with what’s going on and [help] others. If [you] want to put [your] brain and leadership abilities and achievements in school to good use, joining the NHS is a really good way to put those abilities to use in a positive way,” Watson said.