Resonating as one voice, 50 new members of National Honor Society (NHS) pledged Nov. 4 to be loyal to their school, their academics and the Four Pillars on which the organization stands.

“We’re 104 members strong, and I’m looking forward to working with them all,” Karen Ambuehl, NHS sponsor, said.

Ambuehl is beginning her first year as sponsor, though she was NHS president as a high school student.

“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Ambuehl said.

A variety of juniors and seniors are involved in NHS, but all are united by an interest in bettering themselves and their community.

“[NHS] holds the best and brightest of the school,” Sierra Horton, senior, said.

Service to the community is a large part of NHS and is one of the Four Pillars the organization acknowledges. While many students help around school, some are more specific with their ambitions.

“I’ll probably do environmental work,” Nick Winget, junior and inductee, said.

Scholarship, leadership and character were also addressed at the ceremony. These essential traits were recognized by the lighting of four candles, each representing one of the pillars.

Nancy Menchhofer, AP English Language teacher, also spoke at the ceremony, bringing both humor and a dose of reality to the proceedings.

“Life entails risk,” Menchhofer said in her speech. “It is an adventure, and you can’t control it.”