Parents, friends, teachers, and other supporters filled the Michigan City High School auditorium on Tuesday, March 19, as 58 juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society.
NHS President Evangelea Dabagia led the induction ceremony, which also involved 59 MCHS seniors who were inducted as members last year. The event featured remarks from MCHS Principal Candy Van Buskirk, Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins, and NHS sponsor Judy Kovalcik.
NHS Vice Presidents Emma Sells and Hannah Noveroske introduced four student speakers, who addressed the pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, character, and leadership.
“It’s possible to be smart without being a scholar,” said Zennon Wilhelm. “If your success comes from a desire to grow rather than to achieve, that’s what makes you a scholar.”
Dominic Yanke, speaking on service, urged inductees to explore volunteer opportunities that match their interests, and to go beyond the community service required of all NHS members. “I challenge you not just to chase your own happiness, but to help others feel happy, too,” he said.
In her address about character, Natalie Parker urged students to do what is right, even in situations where no one else is. “Be kind, respectful, honest, and selfless,” she said. “Be a shining light in an otherwise increasingly immoral word.”
Kasey Halfacre encouraged inductees to think of leadership as the desire to create a positive environment for those around you. “Leaders do not force others to do things; they inspire others,” she said. “The best future leaders of our school and community are sitting here tonight.”
According to NHS Secretary Riley Plummer, a National Honor Society was first established in 1927 at what was then Michigan City High School -- a building that later became Elston High School. The present MCHS National Honor Society chapter celebrated its 24th annual induction on Tuesday, joining more than 12,500 high schools nationwide with chapters.
MCHS Principal Candy Van Buskirk shared words of wisdom from her own NHS sponsor and congratulated the inductees. “Lean on the values, ethics, and character you have developed as you make choices throughout your life,” she said.
2019 MCHS National Honor Society inductees included:
Damian Albisu, Connor Baker, Krista Bendix, Aaliyah Briggs, Hannah Chambers, Dasani Cleveland, Bryanne Cushway, Tava Daniels, Dania Duenas, Caden Glenn, Peter Gondeck,
Kaylyn Gurley, Nicholas Gushrowski, Alexandria Hahn, Julisa Haro, Denise Herod, Adam Howard, Brenda Huizar, Cashe’ Irby, Elliot Jasicki, Robert Jefferson, Hailey Johnson, Makayla Johnson, Zachary Kizziar, Robert Lemon, Anna-Lisse Lenard, Bridget Mark,
Mira McDaniel, Avery McMillan, Dante Morland, Emylee Moye, Zakary Nowatzke,
Amanda Ochoa, Ashlee Orman, Jedediah Otterson, Aglaja Petrova, Kaitlyn Pollock,
Paige Potucek, Sara Poulin, Rayn Price, Abigail Pytynia, Alexis Reynolds, Julianna Schooley, Mareeya Scully, Omar Serrano, Rodrigo Serrano, Reece Shirley, Megan Sitar, Megan Steinhiser, Nathan Stevenson, Lauren Summa, Brandon Sydow, Braden Tepper,
Armani Torrance-Worlds, Dawson Van Buskirk, Andre Williams, Andrea Zaknoun, and Zoie Zaknoun
The 2019 inductees joined the following current MCHS students, who were inducted last school year: Jackson Attar, Hassam Baydoun, Jaklyn Bosserman, Jordyn Bosserman, Dayilynn Briggs, Gavin Buchanan, Jennifer Cardenas, Cade Clarkson, Evangelea Dabagia, Jenna Dawson, Briana Deuitch, Kidron Felix, Sylvia Fitzpatrick, Lydia Fuller, Megan Grams, Emily Gushrowski, Kasey Halfacre, Briyauna Hardin, Erik Hultgren, Sarah Hyska, Dimitrios Karallas, Emily Kinney, Jacob Kiser, Anna Kmiecik, Thomas Komay, Bailee Laux, Stephanie Lewis, Sydney Merrill, Henry Miller, Julia Miller, Meghan Miller, Jasmine Newell, Hannah Noveroske, Chris Ormsby, Natalie Parker, Aika Patejdl, Riley Plummer, Alexandra Pomeroy, LuXi Scherf, Emma Sells, Stephanie Serrano, Riley Shreve, Tyler Siegmund, Jack Smith, Amanda Sparks, Sydney Starks, Katelyn Swistek, Bria Thomas, Grace Thomas, Krysten Thompson, Chase Triplett, Zennon Wilhelm, Jasmine Williams, Samarah Williams, Adnie Wilson, Alexis Woods, Grace Wyness, Dominic Yanke, and Allyson Young.