Parents, friends, teachers, and other supporters filled the Michigan City High School auditorium on Wednesday, October 23, as 33 juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society. 

NHS President Madelyn Shinn led the induction ceremony, which also involved 35 MCHS seniors who were inducted as members last year. The event featured remarks from Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Wendel McCollum, MCHS Principal Kyle Dean, and NHS sponsor Kristen Freitag.

NHS Vice President Ayana Malone and Secretary Katelyn Lane introduced the student speakers, who addressed the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Character, and leadership.

Hannah Parker challenged inductees to consider what makes a person a scholar. “The answer isn’t in the grades, the honor roll, or other academic achievements,” she said. “The answer is in your drive and determination to learn consistently, no matter how trying your experience may be.”

“As students, we often focus on achieving our goals, but the accurate measure of success is how we lift others,” said Kaitlyn Milligan, speaking about service. “Service teaches us to look beyond ourselves, to recognize the needs of others, and to act.”

John Zaknoun noted that character is not only what your peers, teachers, friends, or the public see of you. “Character is the backbone of what makes you, you,” he said. “True character is represented when nobody is around to observe. Will you embody the building blocks of character such as patience, love, moral courage, and respect at all times and in all places the same?” 

Natalie White noted that leadership is not always about being the boldest or loudest in a room, but being able to listen as much as you speak. “Leaders make mistakes, but they also are self-aware and accountable,” she said. “They are able to persevere through hardships and use them to learn and to teach others.”

According to NHS Chapter Historian Jada Gee, the National Honor Society was established in 1921 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, to recognize and encourage scholastically outstanding high school students. 

The MCHS chapter formed 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 30th annual induction on Wednesday, joining more than 13,550 high schools nationwide with chapters.

“You represent the very best of Michigan City High School,” said MCHS Principal Kyle Dean. “It is your small actions every day that make a difference.” 

“I am extremely proud of you because you have worked so hard, you care about being college and career ready, and most importantly you have responded positively when you have been challenged,” said MCAS Superintendent Dr. Wendel McCollum. “The National Honor Society will be another way for your skills and commitment to others to be cultivated.”

2024 MCHS National Honor Society inductees included: 

Emma Abraham, Emeline Attar, Alexia Campbell, Aralyn Daniels, Payton Downs, Riley Emshwiller-Sowards, Brylee Fugate, Alexis Gresham, Abby Haring, Amaya Harmon, Anessa Ibrahim, Sahara Joyce, Daniel Kohn, Nathaniel Kutch, Jada McKendree, Paige Merrill, Isabella Moore, Torey Morris, Mahdi Mroueh, Milad Mroueh, Lucus Nelson, Makenna Nowatzke, Mia Palomo, Madelyn Parry, Olivia Payne, Carlos Serrano, Cameron Skeen, Isaiah Smoot, Nicholas Stewart, Allison Sydow, Analeesa Toney, Alyssa Tracy, and Maya Williams.

They joined the following seniors who were inducted in 2023: 

Abbas Al-Saedi, Katelyn Ast, Emily Blank, Zoe Brooks, Siniyah Burdine, Bailey Chavis, Ella Frever, Jada Gee, Nathan Groszek, Brianna Harvey, Kyra Haywood, Brooke Lakin, Katelyn Lane, Ayana Malone, Caitlin Mason, Jennifer Mezo, Kaitlyn Milligan, Emilio Munoz, Kayden Nowatzke, Nolan Painter, Hannah Parker, Khushi Patel, Stephanie Ramirez, Jhoselyn Ramos, Jhonatan Ruiz, Christian Shanks, Madelyn Shinn, Dakota Smith, Sarah Sutor, Ava Taylor, Natalie White, Naomi Williams, Aaverie Wingard, Alyssa Workman, and John Zaknoun.