The National Junior Honors Society has been around since 1929 and has been a staple of the WMS culture for six years. Ms. Torella and Ms. Mchale are the advisors of this exceptional organization.

Woodbridge Middle School was the second school in Woodbridge Township to take on NJHS. The advisors believe that the most important part of NJHS is giving back and helping out the school and surrounding community. Ms.Mchale said that students “actively participating” is a big part of it. The NJHS has two co-presidents, Ayana Hampton and Lizzie Lomjaria. They both play a large role in NJHS. They have to lead the other members to volunteer and plan activities. They are also the face of the program. Ayana “believes community service is a good thing” and wanted to be the president to share her ideas.

The National Junior Honors Society works together with Student Council for fundraisers and events. The main fundraiser for NJHS is selling Cinderella cheesecakes. In years past, almost two hundred cheesecakes were bought. This year only a couple were sold so they needed to have another fundraiser to have enough money for the induction of the seventh and eighth graders. Ms.Torella and Ms.Mchale decided that they would have a bake sale in January. The Honors Society also goes to the soup kitchen to give back to the community and to learn empathy.

Ms.Torella and Ms.Mchale have always been volunteers themselves. Once NJHS reached WMS they both wanted the job. Ms.Mchale wanted to be an advisor so she could work together with the students as another advisor. She also wanted to “lead by example.” Ms.Torella said that she wanted to be an advisor so she could “work with honors students” and collaborate with them on ideas.

Being in the NJHS is a massive commitment. First, students have to take it seriously if they want to be accepted.  Once they are recommended they are required to write an essay about why they want to be in NJHS, have 10 hours of volunteering and they have to acquire five good reviews from teachers. When students are accepted into NJHS they are asked to continue volunteering and helping out. Ms.Torella said, “I enjoy when kids come up and ask ‘Ms.Torella can I help’?” She also appreciates how they don’t look for anything in return and just want to lend a helping hand. They have to be good role models to younger children.
NJHS is an organization that will help students begin their volunteering experience and get them prepared to be in The National Honors Society in high school. Lizzie and Ayana both said that in the future they will run for NHS president.