Pottsgrove students present National Junior Honor Society activities; student reps update on prom, anti-vaping outreach and athletics

Members of the National Junior Honor Society at Pottsgrove Middle School presented the group’s mission and recent service activities at the Pottsgrove School District board meeting on April 8.

Deborah McElvain, National Junior Honor Society advisor at Pottsgrove Middle School, told the board the chapter recognizes students for scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship and provides community- and school-based service opportunities. She introduced chapter officers and members who joined the presentation: Addie Federoff (chapter president), Joey Cobalt, Emily Buell, Sofia Wallace Sutton, Tyler Reinhart and Finnigan Wilson.

Students and the advisor described recent and ongoing projects including participation in Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful cleanups on school grounds, Earth Day litter events, a holiday cookie exchange with donations to Trinity United Church of Christ in Pottstown (community meal program), the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive (toys donated for a local church collection), meal preparation and dessert donations at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Pottstown, and a multi-year effort to replace tattered flags at Saint Aloysius Cemetery (about 300 flags replaced during recent efforts).

The NJHS presentation also noted school-based activities such as student academic recognition, student-of-the-month recognition, peer tutoring and fundraising for charities. The advisor described an Outstanding Achievement Award (noted in the presentation as a scholarship of $500) and an NJHS-sponsored honor-roll picnic held at the end of the school year.

Student representatives Cecily and Adam delivered the student report. Their updates included the high school prom scheduled for April 25 with a “A Night in Greece” theme and a post-prom event hosted at Bolero Bowling Alley (55 of 250 slots were reported as filled at the time of the presentation). Adam described a Role Models for Change program — a student-led anti-vaping and substance-use outreach — scheduled to present in classrooms on April 24. Student-athletics updates included the start of boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, a strong start for girls’ lacrosse (reported as 3–0), and a full complement of spring track and field events. Student reps also noted recent art shows and community outreach between high school and elementary students focused on inclusivity.

Board members thanked the students and advisor for their presentation and for community service. The presentation was given during the board meeting’s presentations portion and did not require board action.