The Ste. Genevieve Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society held its annual induction on Monday, April 24, 2023, in the Ste. Genevieve County R-II Performing Arts Center.
In addition to the strong academic records that established the eligibility for membership, the NJHS chapter members are leaders in many student organizations and serve their school and community through many activities, including volunteerism, fundraising for charity, and hosting social events.
Chapter officers President Jake Parker, Vice President Kacie Schemel, Secretary Kailyn Warren, Treasurer Kierstyn Reeves, and Historian Anna Fischer led the ceremony and installed 35 new members with the traditional NJHS pledge and presented them with their membership pins. Also in attendance were nearly 50 returning members, students who continue to live up to the five standards of NJHS: knowledge, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. These returning members have volunteered a collective 2,558 hours in our school and our community since May 2022.
Each year, the NJHS members nominate one teacher and one staff member to be recognized as the NJHS Teacher of Honor and the NJHS Staff Member of Honor. These are employees who uphold the ideals of the organization and serve as positive examples for SGMS students every day.
This year’s NJHS Teacher of Honor is Mrs. Ashley Mertzlufft, an English-Language Arts teacher. Nominations described how Mrs. Mertzlufft is a great role model for her students, how she always has a smile and a kind word to say, and how she is always ready to help any student, even those students she doesn’t have in class.
This year’s NJHS Staff Member of Honor is Dr. Ed Draper, an SGMS counselor. Nominations describe how Dr. Draper is always positive whenever he is around students, how his kindness is infectious, and how he is always willing to listen whenever a student needs to talk.
The faculty sponsor, Mrs Bre Uzzell, and SGMS principal Dr. Scott Mercer, and assistant principal Mrs. Kristen Huffman, also assisted with the program.
The returning members and new inductees are recognized below. Congratulations to all!
Returning Members:
Jadyn Barron
Nate Basler
Nino Batucan
Nolan Bauman
Olyvia Beckermann
Clementine Birkenstock
Kennedy Bowen
Allison Boyet
Emmerson Browne
Lillian Crossland
Hailey Davis
William Elder
Dane Evelsizer
Anna Fischer
Simon Fritsch
McKenzie Greer
Kyler Gugel
Carter Howell
Gracie Ladd
Cadence Lanterman
Maria McGuire
Lilah Nix
Rebecca Palmer
Jake Parker
Laurie Parker
Brayden Pfaff
Kaia Plati
Jersey Quinn
Kierstyn Reeves
Colton Roth
Josef Rottler
Kathryn Rowland
Lily Saupe
Kacie Schemel
Kale Schmelzle
Elcie Schweigert
Hazel Schwent
Parker Stomberg
Kailyn Warren
Gabriella Watts
Trenton Weber
Chloe Wehner
Hailey Wells
Reese Wibbenmeyer
Halle Wichern
Franki Wittu
Alia Wolk
Bryna Wolk
Chase Yamnitz
Ava Zerwig
Inductees:
Blayre Bauman
Barrett Bowers
Ethan Boyer
Easton Cambron
Chris Conwell
Ashton Damm
Ricky Ditch
Kate Fischer
Ally Gegg
Chase Gegg
Peyton Gegg
Claire Giesler
Wyatt Green
Rori Hughes
Emma Jokerst
Mabrey Jokerst
Noah Kertz
Addison Lorance
Alice McConkey
Kamrie Meyer
Parker Meyer
Kaiden Mueller
Anya Naeger
Sydney Nesslein
Brylee Pollock
Wyatt Schmelzle
Paige Schwent
Abbey Stomberg
Brooklyn Strong
Elizabeth Sulser
Cierra Voelker
McKinnley Vogt
Kamdyn Wehner
Addison Wilson
Aubree Worley