Criteria

THE CRITERIA 
The Faculty Council of the PHS chapter selects students who demonstrate outstanding performance in all four criteria of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. All judgments in the selected criteria should be free of speculation, rumor, or hearsay. 

Scholarship 
Members shall maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.500 on a 4.0 scale. The phrase “cumulative grade point average” refers to the total academic performance as demonstrated by the grades earned by the student and posted to the student’s transcript while in attendance at an accredited 9-12 high school (see enrollment criteria). 
Members shall have earned credit for a minimum of twelve credits by the start of the junior year and a minimum of eighteen credits by the start of the senior year. A failing grade is not an acceptable reason to automatically eliminate a student’s candidacy. 

Leadership 
To meet the leadership criterion for the PHS chapter, a student must name three leadership roles at school or in the community achieved since the ninth grade and indicate the roles and the name of the adult who supervised each of these activities on the Candidate Form. More than three roles may be listed, but there must be three verifiable listings to be selected to our chapter. 
The following list shall be used as a resource for the Faculty Council to evaluate candidates’ leadership. This list shall not be used as a checklist for evaluation; nor is it all-encompassing in its description of leadership attributes.   
A student exercises leadership when he or she: 

• Is resourceful in proposing new problems, applying principles, and making suggestions
• Demonstrates initiative in promoting school activities
• Exercises positive influence on peers in upholding school ideals and spirit
• Contributes ideas that improve the civic life of the school
• Is able to delegate responsibilities
• Inspires positive behavior in others
• Demonstrates academic initiative
• Successfully holds school offices or positions of responsibility; conducts business effectively and efficiently; demonstrates reliability and dependability
• Is a leader in the classroom, at work, or in other school or community activities
•  Is dependable in any responsibility accepted

Service 
To be selected as a member of the PHS chapter, a junior candidate must demonstrate on his or her Candidate Form, the completion of twenty hours of service (thirty hours for senior candidates) undertaken at school or in the community since the start of the ninth grade. All such service references by candidates shall include verification by an adult supervisor of the activity under consideration, or be on file at Park High School. 
The following list shall be used as a resource for the Faculty Council to evaluate candidates’ service experience. This list shall not be used as a checklist for evaluation; nor is it all-encompassing in its description of service attributes.   The student who serves: 

• Takes action with or on behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation.
• Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance, and is willing to make sacrifices to offer assistance
• Works well with others and is willing to take on difficult or inconspicuous responsibilities
• Enthusiastically renders any requested service to the school
• Is willing to represent the class or school in interclass and interscholastic competition
• Does committee and staff work without complaint
• Participates in some activity outside of school, for example, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, religious groups, volunteer services for the elderly, poor, or disadvantaged
• Mentors in the community or students at other schools
• Shows courtesy by assisting visitors, teachers, and students

Character 
NHS is a member of the Character Counts!™ Coalition and supports and recommends the use of a multi-faceted definition of character known as the Six Pillars of Character.  
To meet the character criterion for the PHS chapter, a student must demonstrate the following six qualities:  trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. 
The following list shall be used as a resource for the Faculty Council to evaluate candidates’ character. This list shall not be used as a checklist for evaluation; nor is it all-encompassing in its description of character attributes.    

A student of character: 

• Consistently exemplifies positive and desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, stability)
• Cooperates by complying with all school policies and regulations and codes of student conduct
• Takes criticism willingly and accepts recommendations graciously
• Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty, academic integrity, and reliability
• Regularly exhibits courtesy, concern, and respect for others
• Complies with instructions and rules, and displays personal responsibility