On Nov. 8 at Hendrick Hudson High School, 40 members of the Class of 2024 were inducted into the Half Moon Chapter of the National Honor Society. The school has a long and distinguished history with the National Honor Society; Hendrick Hudson’s first NHS class was inducted in 1933.

Steve Purcigliotti, a social studies teacher and new NHS Faculty Advisor, welcomed inductees, their family members, and Michael Tromblee, the district’s new Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Purcigliotti then inducted the new officers: President Chiara Quick, Vice President George Wright, Secretary Tristan Wong, and Treasurer Josiane Gield.

The new officers then reviewed the four pillars of the National Honor Society: Leadership, Character, Service, and Scholarship. As part of their speeches, officers finished with their favorite quotes about each pillar:

• Chiara Quick: "Leadership is not a person or a position. It is a complex moral relationship between people, based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good.” (Joanne Ciulla)

• Tristan Wong: “Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.” (Heraclitus)

• Josiane Gield: “You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others.” (Audrey Hepburn)

• George Wright: “As our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, ‘Far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’ Through scholarship, one can contribute to labor that is certainly worth the effort, and that will yield great benefits not only to yourself, but to all of mankind.”

A tradition of the induction ceremony is for inductees to select an influential educator to deliver the keynote address. Physics teacher Dr. Francois Barcomb, voted by the inductees as this year’s influential educator, gave the address. He encouraged students to be great in everything they do both as students and in life.

"You should always be on the lookout for people you think are great and even those you think are not,” Dr. Barcomb said. “Look for clues to determine for yourself what works and what doesn’t in life. Take the time to reflect on and examine your day. What would you change, and what would you do again?"

Regarding the rest of the year ahead, Mr. Purcigliotti said: “I am excited about this new role. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching many of the new members or interacting with them in school.  They will do a great job and continue the 90-year tradition of the NHS pillars at our school.”

“It was a pleasure to celebrate these students and recognize them for their roles in leadership and service in our community,” HHHS Principal Lauren Scollins said. “I look forward to seeing these students continue to make a positive difference in the Hen Hud community.”