National Junior Honor Society (NJHS): How Middle Schoolers Get In — and How to Prepare

Bydmvadmin

If your child is in middle school, you have probably heard of the National Junior Honor Society — NJHS. It is the middle-school counterpart of the National Honor Society (NHS), run by the same national organization, and it is more than an honor roll: members are chosen, not just graded in.

The five standards

Every NJHS chapter selects students on the same five standards:

  • Scholarship — strong grades
  • Service — volunteering that helps the school or community
  • Leadership — taking initiative and responsibility
  • Character — honesty, respect, and a clean discipline record
  • Citizenship — participating in school and community life

Step 1: Grades come first

Before anything else, a student must clear the chapter’s grade bar. The national floor is a cumulative 85% (B) average, but most chapters set it higher — a 3.5 GPA or 90%+ cumulative average is common, and competitive districts often go higher still. “Cumulative” is the key word: grades count from the start of middle school, so 6th grade matters.

Step 2: Invitation and the candidate form

A student must have attended the school for at least one semester. The school then notifies academically eligible students, and each student completes a candidate form listing their activities, service, and leadership experience.

Step 3: The faculty council decides

A five-member faculty council reviews the candidate forms and votes. Meeting the grade bar only makes a student eligible — it never guarantees selection. The other four standards are where students stand out.

Volunteer time: what to expect

There is no single national number — each chapter sets its own. A typical expectation is around 20 documented hours of service per school year; some chapters ask for service hours before selection, and all chapters require them to remain a member. Start a simple log early: date, activity, hours, and the name (or signature) of the adult in charge. Unlogged hours are hard to prove later.

How to prepare, by grade

  • 6th grade: Build the grade base, join one or two activities and stay with them, and start the service log.
  • 7th grade: Keep volunteering steadily — library, church, food bank, helping younger students — and look for chances to lead, not just join.
  • 8th grade: Most chapters induct in the spring. Keep grades and hours consistent; teachers notice students they can describe as responsible.

Two things parents should know

  1. Every school’s chapter sets its own grade cutoff and service hours. For the exact numbers, check your school’s NJHS page or ask the school counselor — that page is the final word.
  2. NJHS does not carry over into high school NHS. Students qualify again in grades 10–12 — but the habits and the record built in middle school are exactly what NHS chapters look for later.

Know a good volunteer opportunity for middle schoolers in the DMV, or have a question about how your school’s chapter works? Reply below — this page will grow with what parents share.

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