National Honor Society Puts the “Fun” in Fundraising

It may be one of Sandia Prep’s oldest organizations, but this ain’t your mama’s National Honor Society (NHS).

Prep’s NHS is continually evolving, working to raise funds and awareness for important issues, and boost the “fun” factor on campus for all students, explains NHS sponsor and English teacher Lori Hunt.

One of the organization’s most gratifying developments in recent years is its partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2019, the NHS leadership team and Hunt wanted to create a more cohesive service experience for members. In addition to participating in a plethora of individual service events, they wanted to work more closely together toward a common goal, she says. 

“The idea of bringing joy to a child’s life who has been through so much by granting wishes appealed to us all, like sharing a moment’s magic,” Hunts says.

NHS has helped two wishes come true, most recently in April when they raised $6,000 to send Wish Kid Hailey and her family to Disneyland this summer. 

“After working so hard throughout the year, meeting our Wish Kid and families is the best part,” Hunt exclaims. “Because the Prep community actively participates in our fundraising events, it’s always fun to invite our Wish Kids to meet Prep during an all-school assembly.”

Hailey, affectionately known as Hay Hay, loves her namesake Hei Hei from Disney’s Moana. With help from Performing Arts Chair Louis Giannini, theater teacher Thane Kenny, and members from the Prep show cast and crew, Moana and friends sailed out across the gym floor during the assembly to send Hailey on her way to the Magical Kingdom.

The first wish was for Ainsley, whose wish was to sail in the Caribbean.

In December, led by NHS member Avonlea Samora ’24, Wish families were invited to a performance of The Nutcracker: Land of Enchantment at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. It was so successful that Prep’s Theater Department now plans to extend future invitations to Wish families, Hunt says.

Prep students in good standing qualify for NHS by the end of their sophomore or junior year with a GPA of 3.5 and above. The society’s four pillars include character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Each spring, the society elects a leadership team of seniors.

Each fall, Prep has an Induction Ceremony to honor new members. The ceremony is formal and includes candle lighting, a guest speaker (always an alum), music from Prep’s guitar, choir, and music faculty, a ceremonial signing of the book, and stating their pledge.

During the pandemic, Prep held a drive-through Induction Ceremony in the parking lot, which made the local TV news.

Maintaining their membership requires sustaining their GPA, honoring the four pillars, and actively participating in community service events (a 15-hour minimum per year.)

Last year, NHS launched Grass Bash, an outdoor volleyball tournament and Make-A-Wish fundraiser after the awards assembly and yearbook distribution day. The tournament offers middle and upper school brackets, cash prizes, music, and fun. This year, they added a barbecue and Italian ice food truck.

“It was a blast, a great success not only as a fundraiser but also as a fun way to finish the year with friends, playing and watching volleyball, eating, signing yearbooks, and hanging out before saying farewell for the summer,” Hunt exclaims.

That’s part of what NHS tries to do, she adds: Raise funds and awareness and also raise the “fun” factor for Prep students too. “It’s a win-win,” she says.

For the past few years, Prep’s NHS also has participated in Trunk-or-Treat, an event sponsored by Make-A-Wish and Garcia Subaru to provide a safe and manageable Halloween experience for Wish Kids. 

“Our students deck themselves out in Halloween costumes and decorate the back of their trucks or car trunks and pass out candy for Wish Kids, who travel from car to car,” Hunt says. “It’s a hoot!”

Prep’s NHS students are involved in many events and fundraisers throughout the year, including rising before the sun during both opening and closing weekends of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to assist with parking and visitors on buses.

Other Make-A-Wish fundraisers include Winter Ball and selling pizza every Friday in February.

NHS students also serve the Prep community by assisting with events, such as Back-to-School Night, Grandparents’ Day, graduation, and admission events. They also pitch in with outside organizations, such as Senior Olympics, eWaste recycling, tutoring, and many more.

NHS students say they’ve grown through their participation in the organization and are proud of their contributions.

“I have gotten a lot out of NHS, but the biggest thing for me was getting over my fear of talking in front of big crowds and audiences,” says Christopher Andrick ’23. 

Raising money for Make-A-Wish while giving Prep students something fun to do has been gratifying, he adds.

Recent graduate Avery Ross ’23 said being involved in NHS “has given me the opportunity to work on my leadership and public speaking, but also has given me an insight into different communities around Albuquerque and what we could do to support and help them.”

She also appreciates that Prep students don’t have to be in NHS to participate in Make-A-Wish fundraisers and events.