The National Honor Society has changed some of the service hours guidelines for this semester to help members meet the 20 hour yearly requirement in response to the various COVID-19 stay at home orders. Among the changes, extending the deadline to submit service hours from April 24 to May 1, expanding the allowed service hours activities, and waiving the FISD versus individual rule. 

“Hopefully these modifications will positively affect members by giving them some grace since our normal way of doing things is not attainable at this time,” NHS Sponsor Amber Bennett said via email. “We hope that our members will take full advantage of these new requirements and get the job done.”

From tutoring a friend to selling letters to a nursing home, NHS sponsors and officers also hope that expanding the accepted service activities will keep the members safe. 

“Because students are now able to perform acts of service within the comfort of their own homes, in my opinion, students no longer in need to search for volunteer opportunities since they can tutor a sibling or cook for their family,” NHS President Ayda Sow said via email. “It will be easier for the students that do not have their hours completed to fulfill the 20 service hour requirement. However, it will protect our members from the virus as they are no longer going out to perform acts of service”

Students like junior Gopi Sadhu appreciate these adjustments that have helped her complete her NHS requirements. 

“The virus has made it extremely hard to get service hours since I can’t go out and do stuff,” she said via text. “But I definitely think the extension and allowing different activities to count helped a lot in completing my hours since I can’t leave my house!”

Sow hopes that NHS members continue to be proactive members in the community, far beyond meeting certain FISD or individual hour requirements. 

“I hope that the waving of the FISD vs Individual rule will help students assist their family members more and increase their interaction with those around them in such trying times,” she said via email. “Personally, this quarantine has increased my own realization of how little conversation I have with my family, even if they are only a few doors down the hall. Thus, with being able to tutor a sibling or cook for your family, I hope that students will be able to carry out these acts of service to the people that have served us all our lives and build more appreciation for the people around us.”