National Honor Society Research Paper

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Alex Zafonte 6/6/15 National Honor Society Application Essay The founding premise for the National Honor Society has been based on the same criteria since 1921: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Their motto is “noblesse oblige.” This means that a member must act with integrity and conduct himself “nobly.” My life at St. Sebastian’s School in the last four years has reinforced the values I have been taught, both in school and throughout my life at home. The opportunity to apply to the National Honor Society has caused me to reflect upon its founding principles and realize that they are meant to characterize more than simple self-directed achievement. These values spur us to nurture both our academic…show more content…
Most of all it has taught me that team work and interrelationships are key to success. This has been apparent to me by developing leadership roles in activities from sports to community service. While serving as a team leader when my hockey team went to the U14 National Championships, I learned more about myself as a leader during an eventual elimination loss rather than in the games we won. In several games we had to think “out of the box” and were successful. In our increasingly competitive world, the future will be determined by those who choose to be innovative and bring game changing ideas to solve the world’s problems. The central fallacy in today’s life is that achievement is possible with a trophy and that everyone should get one. As a leader of my team, I learned that some of the greatest joys are moral ones: consoling and helping a friend who has made a mistake and striving to be strong and positive when things go opposite of the intended direction. These experiences have served me well and led me to see that leaders need to be flexible, honorable, and accepting. As Confucius says, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we…show more content…
It is reflecting upon your own needs in the context of others and entering each discussion with a sense of direction and humility. Character is also upholding truth and honor in the face of conflict, distraction, and immediate self-interest. I learned this broader approach to the value of character when serving as a volunteer for the MGH/ Red Sox Home Base Program and having the opportunity to serve our nations heroes. Speaking with these veterans helped me see that when faced with injuries or dire circumstances, their focus was still on the greater well-being of the group and on the mission. The selfless nature of these heroes serve as a reminder of a higher moral integrity that I hope to be a part of. They have taught me that people with strong inner character achieve a depth in life that supersedes superficial achievement

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