H-ton English Honor Society Inducts New Members

The Post Ellipsis chapter of the National English Honor Society at Huntington High School inducted 59 new members during a recent evening ceremony in the auditorium.

The new members expanded the group’s ranks to 127. The organization is led President Anne Tyrrell, Vice President Nicholas Plachta, co-Vice President Kathleen Cocoman, Treasurer Alexandra Balm, Secretary Ruby Hoffman and Public Relations Coordinator Cecilina Monge. English teachers Aimee Antorino and Helen Guarino serve as the faculty advisors.

Principal Rochelle Brown gave this year’s keynote address at the ceremony. To be considered for NEHS membership a student must have a minimum academic grade average of 90, “exhibiting an impressive breadth of academic excellence,” while maintaining an English grade of at least 94.

The new inductees include Julia Aldas, Gemma Bedell, Alexandra Boeckmann, Justin Cahn, Jake Chiclacos, Sage Cicciari, Reed Cummiskey, Colby Curran, Avery Davidson, Addison Delfino, Michael DiVincenzo, William Donaghy, Chloe Donovan, Ronan Driscoll, Chelsea Drummings, Mia Einemann, Madelyn Falk, Amanda Ganley, Aubrie Godin, Julian Goodwin, Katherine Gordon, Emma Gutierrez, Alison Hahn, Eric Heinz, Townsel Henry, Amani Huq, Avery Joynt, Madyn Kalb, Manpreet Kaur and Sena Knopf.

The new members also include Kyra Larsen, Olivia Lee, Nallely Linares Guardado, Gabriella LoScalzo, Leah MacManus, Mabelin Maldonado Licona, Elliot Manu, Emma Marsala, Kaylee Mata, Marilyn Mendoza-Virula, Norah Moskowitz, Samantha Muller, Adan Ntambwe, Leila O’Toole, Isabella Palacios, Ella Palatnek, Claire Parks, Joseph Perotti, Nataly Posada Lopez, Eva Richter, Quinn Rinaldi, Melanie Rodriguez, James Ruthkowski, Audrey Sherwood, Benjamin Soric, Samuel Soric, Owens Stevens and Ella Van Horn

A crowd of family members and friends turned out for the induction. Officers called the inductees one-by-one to the stage and presented each of them with a membership certificate. The members are now expected to participate in the society’s many volunteer activities.

Huntington’s Post Ellipsis chapter annually inducts at least one honorary member. This year the organization inducted Huntington High School special education teacher Rebecca Arlin, who sat on the stage with executive board members and the faculty advisors.

The new members formally entered NEHS ranks during a ceremony that saw each of the teenagers light and hold a candle as they stood before the stage in the auditorium.

The inductees were required to recite the following pledge: “As a member of the National English Honor Society, I shall endeavor to advance the study of all areas of English and to foster a spirit of fellowship among students excelling in all facets of the English Language Arts, ever keeping in mind our national motto as our guiding principle: Gelast Sceal Mid Are–duty goes with honor.”

“The motto represents one of the earliest forms of our language; it affirms and celebrates an obligation to use one’s gifts in service to others,” according to the NEHS website. “Service to peers, school, and community are part and parcel of the NEHS mission and, indeed, in the grammatical structure of the Old English phrase, ‘duty’ actually proceeds ‘honor.’”

A reception was held immediately following the ceremony for students and their parents in the main lobby outside the auditorium.