Each fall, the new school year brings many changes for the students at Middletown High School. New clubs, classes and extracurricular activities begin, and they have students frantically trying to get back into the swing of things after summer break.

This year, students who are a part of the National Honor Society were shocked to hear the changes made to NHS over the summer. The 2015-2016 NHS elected officials increased the required amount of community service hours from five to ten per semester.

Although this may not seem like much, students in the NHS were thrown for a loop when they were informed that they had to complete double the amount of service hours that they did last year.

As November passes, students have stopped their complaining about the increase in service hours and have started to make room in their schedule to participate in some community service events to make sure they complete their ten required hours before the end of the semester. If students do not complete the required amount, they will be asked to leave the society.

Stacy MacMillan, the NHS advisor, explained her reasoning for this change.  “After I attended a county wide NHS meeting in June, I discovered how behind Middletown was with our community service hours compared to other schools in the county,” she said. “Most schools had between 10-20 required service hours per semester while we only had five per semester.”

MacMillan thought the NHS needed a change.

“Adding more service hours sounded like a good idea,” said MacMillan. “Community service increases confidence in teens and inspires us all to be better leaders. And after all, it is our obligation as the National Honor Society to help others because that’s what we’re all about.”

She presented the idea of increasing the amount of service hours to the NHS elected officials later in June.

NHS president, Nathan Bartlet, feels that the five extra hours required per semester should not inconvenience the members of NHS and that people should stop complaining about the slight increase in hours.

“We brainstormed over the summer on how to create more opportunities for students to earn hours and came up with many ideas,” Bartlet said.

Bartlet later added that members of the NHS should “stress to their peers the good that participating in community service does for our community.”

Some of Bartlet’s service projects included fundraisers, charity events, nursing home visits and yardwork, all of which, he thinks would “allow NHS members to go above and beyond with their service hours.”

An active member of the NHS, Jenna Schoonover, said, “I feel like 10 hours per semester is too much with many students heavily involved in other clubs, sports and rigorous classes.”

Although Schoonover was disappointed with the increase in required service hours, she later said, “Participating in community service does better and individual and gives people the chance to help others and see how other people’s lives are different than ours.”

Schoonover mentioned she likes earning NHS hours by participating in fundraisers and helping with events around the school.

When asked what other aspects of NHS could be revised, Schoonover said that the NHS should conduct more “productive and informational meetings more often to keep students informed and up to date on service opportunities.”

A former NHS elected official from the 2005-2006 school year, Kelly Fanning, reflected on her memories of the NHS rules, regulations, and commitments and shared her thoughts on how the NHS has definitely become more involved over the past decade.

Fanning recalls having to complete four hours per semester when she was an officer in NHS. She was surprised when she heard the dramatic increase in service hour compared to when she was in high school.

“I remember being very busy my junior and senior year of high school with soccer and school work,” said Fanning. “I thought four hours was just enough at that time; however, looking back now, four hours seems like nothing.”

Fanning said if she could go back and give advice to the NHS chapters of today she would tell them to “participate in as many community service opportunities as you can because one day you will look back and realize how community service really shapes who you are and who you become.”

She later added that she thinks that increasing the required amount of service hours per semester “can only help students.”

“I’m so glad NHS encourages and gives students the opportunity to help others through service because it really does change your outlook on life,” Fanning said.