There are several National Honor Societies for different subjects here at Penn-Trafford High School, including a general National Honor Society, a Spanish focused one and one that focuses only on the scientific field. However, a new honor society is joining this year: the Social Studies National Honor Society.
The full name of the society is Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society (NSSHS). It is just one of the many chapters of a history-focused honor society that can be found in high schools all across the United States.
While the NSSHS is new to P-T this year, the idea to create this chapter of the society began last year when current senior Cecilia Doughty approached her AP U.S. History teacher, Phillip Moses, about putting a social studies honors society here at the high school.
“I noticed there were a lot of other honors societies for other subjects and I have always had a passion for the social studies field so I wanted to introduce an honors society for social studies opportunities,” Doughty stated.
From there, Moses agreed to become the advisor of the society and started the process of getting the chapter put in place.
In September, applications were sent out to all juniors and seniors at P-T with the requirements for applying: having a 4.0 average across all social studies courses, currently being enrolled in an honors or AP level social studies course, having already taken at least one honors or AP social studies course, and having at least a 3.75 cumulative weighted GPA.
After Moses reviewed all the applications, the new society took 82 inductees. Then in late October, officers of the society were decided and announced; they are listed on our website, theptwarrior.com.
Though the society is just starting up, with an induction scheduled for the middle of December, Doughty – who is president of the organization – already has plans in mind for it including volunteering at historical sites like Bushy Run Battlefield and bringing in guest speakers to speak with the members.
Doughty and Moses believe this society can greatly impact students and that the subject of social studies in general, is extremely important to students’ everyday lives, in and out of high school.
“I think having this opportunity for students to express their interest in the social studies field will benefit them [the students] ” stated Moses, “Social studies is the one subject that incorporates everything that a person should be concerned about in their day-to-day lives. It is the one subject that will impact you every day for the rest of your life.”
By Mia Williams, Managing Editor