Rules and By-Laws

The name of this chapter shall be the Booker T. Washington chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, which appears on the charter granted by the National Council of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, duly signed by the members of the National Council.

The object of this chapter shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of the character in students of Booker T. Washington High School.

Membership in this chapter shall be based upon Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.

Candidates shall have spent at least one semester at Booker T. Washington High School and shall be members of the sophomore or junior class. Candidates eligible to election to the chapter shall have a cumulative scholarship average (GPA) of 3.6 or its equivalent. This scholastic level of achievement for admission shall remain fixed, and shall be for this chapter the required scholastic achievement for admission to candidacy for membership in this chapter. All students who rise in scholarship to or above such standard level shall be admitted to candidacy for election to membership. Their eligibility shall then be considered on their Service, Leadership, and Character.

Prospective members must complete the Student Activity Form. Candidates must adhere to the specified deadline. Late forms shall not be reviewed for membership. After review of the Student Activity Form, the faculty council and/or Advisor(s) shall issue letters of invitation to the students who have met all the criteria of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.

To finalize membership, students must show their acceptance of invitation by completing the induction process. Exceptions will only be made if the student brings a written and satisfactory explanation to the sponsor. The student must then complete an individual induction process with the principal, sponsor, and at least one president of the chapter.

A student who transfers to Booker T. Washington High School and brings a letter of recommendation from his or her advisor shall be accepted automatically into this chapter. Transfer members will have one semester to meet Booker T. Washington High School’s NHS standards to retain membership.

Juniors who did not receive an invitation to apply to the chapter their sophomore year but desire membership in the chapter are required to have a 3.6 cumulative scholarship average (GPA) or its equivalent and seek out the means to apply to the chapter on their own

Juniors who were provided an invitation to the chapter their sophomore year but declined and desire membership in the chapter their junior year are not eligible for membership in the chapter

The officers of this chapter shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Parliamentarian, a Volunteer Coordinator, and Members at Large, all with duties as listed below:

• The President is responsible for keeping an agenda for all meetings and is also required to be present at all meetings (unless an acceptable reason for absence is presented)

• The Vice President is responsible for induction

• The Secretary is responsible for all communication and announcements regarding the chapter

• The Parliamentarian is responsible for updating by-laws and ensuring they are followed, as well as the oversight of spring elections

• The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for the supervision of volunteer activities of the chapter within the school, and may also be required to preside over meetings if the president is unable to attend

• Members at Large are individuals chosen by the sponsor to be on the Board and will have duties as assigned. Members at Large/Junior Officers are also responsible for website maintenance

The total number of Executive Board officers shall not exceed ten percent of the general membership.

New chapter officers for the incoming class will be selected via an application process, except members-at-large, who are chosen by the sponsor(s). The president for the new chapter shall be elected from the junior (rising senior) Executive Board officers, must have served previously on the executive board, and shall be voted on by the general membership at the end of the year.

The Executive Board shall consist of the faculty sponsor(s) and the elected student officers of the chapter.

The Executive Board shall have general charge of the meetings and business of the chapter, but any action on the part of the Executive Board may be subject to the review of the chapter.

It shall be the duty of the induction officers to plan and organize the annual induction ceremony and reception and to supervise new members of the chapter. The officers may also be called upon to record the payment of dues of all members.

It shall be the duty of the communications officers to notify members of all meetings. The officers shall be in charge of all announcements and be required to keep attendance at meetings of both the Executive Board and the general membership.

No Executive Board member can be on probation at any time.

The meetings of this chapter shall be determined by the Executive Board and approved by the assistant principal who oversees the activities calendar.

All members are required to attend each meeting. The member shall be awarded one point for each meeting attended. Each member is permitted to miss one meeting per semester with no penalty. Any further absences will result in a point deducted from the member’s total point count.

The presidents or sponsor may call additional meetings, approved by the Executive Board.

Annual dues for each member shall be established by the individual chapter, but shall not exceed $15.00. The amount shall be subject to the approval of the executive committee of the chapter.

If dues have not been paid by the end of the first semester, then the member is on probation. They must pay dues not exceeding $20.00.

The Booker T. Washington National Honor Society Chapter Council shall be composed of five faculty members selected by the principal and sponsor(s). The names of the Faculty Council members shall remain confidential.

The Faculty Council shall review the Student Activity Forms of candidates and elect new members to the chapter.

The Faculty Council shall determine all appeals of dismissal.

Each member must earn 20 points per semester, with the exception of the spring semester (Seniors - 15, Juniors - 20, Sophomores - 10)

• 1 hour equals 1 point on all service projects

• Each member is allowed a maximum of 5 drive points with the exception of the spring semester (Seniors - 5, Juniors - 5, Sophomores - 2)

• Each member is allowed a maximum of 5 personal points with the exception of the spring semester (Seniors - 0, Juniors - 5, Sophomores - 2)

If a member signs up to volunteer or work a certain National Honor Society sponsored event and does not show up at his/her scheduled time, the points will be deducted from the member’s accumulated total. Action can be taken by the sponsor to prevent this from happening again. The sponsor has the right under extreme circumstances to place the member on probation if they are consistently absent from scheduled events.

Members who earn service or activity points beyond the required minimum in the fall semester may apply those excess points toward the spring semester of the same academic year. Excess points shall not roll over beyond the spring semester and may not be applied to any subsequent academic year, including the summer term.

If a member does not fulfill their semester service hour requirement, that member shall be placed on probation for one semester. The member must make up the points they lack in addition to the full twenty points for the next semester in order to be removed from probation. If the member meets another failing condition during their probationary period, they shall be dismissed from the chapter.

Members may be placed on probation, suffer point penalties, or be dismissed as a result of disciplinary violations as defined in the Disciplinary Violations Addendum.

If a member does not pay his/her dues, said member shall be placed on probation.

Failure to meet the established GPA standard shall result in probation.

The Executive Board shall promptly warn any member who falls below the standards that were the basis of their membership in their chapter. If, at the end of the next semester, the member still fails to meet said standards, they shall be dismissed from the chapter. A member will be allowed only one probation period. The Faculty Council shall notify students of probation status. Once a member is dismissed from membership, they are never again eligible for membership in the National Honor Society. A color change in the student's point tracker spreadsheet cell qualifies as notice of probation.

A member who receives notice of dismissal may appeal, in writing, to the Faculty Council. If the Faculty Council upholds the dismissal, the principal may review the member’s appeal.

When a member is dismissed, notice of such action must be reported to the national secretary of the National Honor Society, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia, 22901.

In order to run for the office of President, a candidate must have accrued one half of the semester’s total point requirement by the election date.

The Vice President is elected as the presidential candidate with the second highest number of votes

In the event that a President resigns from office or is placed on probation, the office shall rightfully be given to the candidate with the next highest number of votes (the Vice President).

If a member of the Executive Board resigns from office or is placed on probation, it shall be the decision of the sponsor(s) whether it shall be necessary to refill the position. In the event that it is deemed necessary to find a replacement, the candidate with the next highest number of votes shall be given the position. If the officer had no competition for the committee in question, a new election shall be held at the first meeting of the year.

​Junior officers wishing to remain on the executive board their senior year must file for an election position. Failure to campaign for one of the positions is an indication that they no longer desire membership on the board.