The following is a full transcript of the interview given by Ms.Mchale to The Warrior Messenger’s Melany Gomez-Varela about The National Junior Honor Society.

(The Warrior Messenger) MELANY GOMEZ-VARELA, HOST: How do you spell your first and last name?

Ms.Mchale (6th grade Language Arts teacher and co advisor of the NJHS ): N-o-r-e-e-n-M-c-H-a-l-e

MGV: What is the National Junior Honor Society?

NM: The National Junior Honor Society is an organization that represents students with high academic achievement that are also good leaders, want to give back to the community and just overall good character.

MGV: Why is NHJS important?

NM: I think it’s important because it shows students to be a little more giving a little bit less selfish and giving back to the community, I think service is extremely important.

MGV: How can you be eligible for NJHS?

NM: The our NJHS is open to our 7th and 8th graders, for example we look at the 7th graders we start by looking at their 6th grade grades and they have to meet the honor roll every single marking period, and they cannot have any disciplinary points, so no ACS, no detention, no out of school suspension and then once they are eligible they can apply by filling out the application and we have five faculty members that review all of the applications and decide who meets standards and requirements.

MGV: What does NHJS do to help the community?

NM: What we do to help the community, we do some school wide events, we do some fundraising so that it can go back to our organization, we also get some donations for our local food pantry, we partnered up with We Feed Woodbridge when we did our blessing bags and our cereal box collections.

MGV: How is the NJHS and the NHS different?

NM: The NHS is the National Honor Society so the pillars are the same and the characteristics are the same the requirements might be a little bit different but that’s just open to high school students so when you are a junior or a senior you can apply for the National Honor Society which also would look really great on you application when you are applying from college.

MGV: What was one of the successful projects NHJS has done recently?

NM: This year we created what are called blessing bags so in these bags we put some toiletries, toothbrushes, combs, and deodorant. We also put in some non-perishable food items like granola bars and nuts. Our goal was to give this out to those in need, perhaps donating them to a homeless shelter to remind them that people are thinking of them and we could really help them out. We did this in the winter too, so we had some hand warmers and socks which was a really big thing. 

MGV: Is there anything else you would like to add?

NM: I think that’s it. 

MGV: Thank you for your time.