What happens when you’re doing algebra homework and suddenly the question asks you what “x” equals?  That’s when you know you need some help.

According to NHS President Laura VanDemark, a senior, “NHS, or The National Honor Society, is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school and middle level students. More than just honor roll, NHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character.”

Mrs. Kimmel, the staff advisor of the program, and VanDemark help make sure certain goals are achieved in the program.

NHS Members apply and are chosen from a pool of applicants during their sophomore year.  They must meet the requirements of a 3.33-3.75 GPA and have completed 60 hours of student service learning hours.

This community service focus helps guide the group during the year.  Last year, their goal was to serve Paint Branch High School and local communities in as many ways as they could. Some of their biggest accomplishments were the Smart Sacks program partnership with Manna Food Bank where NHS members and SSL volunteers work together to pack bags of food for students at Greencastle Elementary School. Also, they had the highest collection of all Montgomery County schools for the Blood Drive.

One of their accomplishments that has been benefitting the school since last year is the peer tutoring program during LAP in the media center. This tutoring program holds 90 members for just this year. According to Laura VanDemark, the purpose of tutoring is to provide a place and time where all Paint Branch students are able to get help from their peers, no matter what the subjects, questions or topics are. Students benefit from this because it’s free tutoring, they can get help from their peers, and it’s available every day during the entire lunch period when the teachers are busy. Members benefit from their tutoring work because it’s a convenient way of earning hours, and they get to help others who are struggling. “This year, the programs have expanded and are working to be altered to make them beneficial for students who are tutored. “This year we are working to expand our pool of tutors we have to increase the number and improve the quality of the tutoring we provide,” says Laura VanDemark.