NHS & NTHS - Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School

Recognizing & Honoring Outstanding Students

James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society
The NHS is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1921.

Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in NHS activities. NHS chapters are found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.

Paul Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society

NTHS honors the achievements of top CTE students, provides scholarships to encourage the pursuit of higher education, and cultivates excellence in today’s highly competitive, skilled workforce.

The NTHS strives to bring well deserved recognition, scholarship opportunities, and career opportunities to students who excel in one of the 108 career and technical educational fields as their profession. Not only do NTHS students embody all the attributes and talent which are in demand today, these students also embrace a clear vision for tomorrow’s workforce and their role in it. NTHS understands changes in industry within local communities and on a global scale.

NHS & NTHS By-Laws

NHS & NTHS By-Laws

Below you will find the by-laws for the BVT Chapters of NHS/NTHS, including clarification to specific articles from the official NHS Constitution and NTHS Constitution:

ARTICLE I: NAME
The names of these chapters shall be the James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society and the Paul J. Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of these chapters shall be to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character and vocational excellence at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School.

ARTICLE III: POWERS
Section 1: This chapter operates under the direction of and in full compliance with the National Constitution of the NHS. See www.nhs.us/constitutions. In addition, this chapter will maintain active affiliation with the national organization on an annual basis.

Section 2: This chapter will remain an active member of the state association, MSAA, by paying annual dues and participating in state functions when possible.

Section 3: The chapter advisers are authorized to supervise the administration of chapter activities, as delegated by the school principal.

Section 4: Final authority on all activities and decisions of the chapter resides with the school principal.

Section 5: Nondiscrimination. Our chapters of NHS/NTHS maintain policies and practices that are designed to prevent discrimination against any qualified candidate or member based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, or disability. This policy of nondiscrimination applies to all practices, including the chapter administration and the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership in these chapters is an honor bestowed upon deserving students by the faculty and shall be based on the criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, character, responsibility, honesty, skills, and citizenship. Please note that an opportunity to submit a portfolio does not guarantee membership.

Section 2: Eligibility
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY REQUIREMENTS
a. To be eligible for the James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society, a student must:
i.   Be a junior or senior and have been in attendance at Blackstone Valley Tech for a period of at least one trimester.
ii. Have a weighted career grade average of 98.00 or above (Note: GPA is not rounded).
iii. Have no more than six unexcused absences in a school year (3 tardies/dismissals = 1 absence).
iv. Have no suspensions from school nor any 3 or 4 disciplinary infractions throughout their school career.
v. Applicant also may not have more than 1 Saturday school session in the school year prior to application and more than two afterschool sessions in the school year prior to application.

b. If a student meets the criteria listed above, he/she will receive an invitation to apply to the society(ies) and must then complete an extensive electronic portfolio to be reviewed by the Faculty Council. The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate the student’s service, leadership, and character, which are the basis for selection (in conjunction with scholarship, represented by GPA). There are seven (7) members of the Faculty Council, and a minimum of five (5) must approve a student's portfolio for acceptance into the society. Advisors will also seek information about the applicant’s character and classroom behavior from academic and vocational instructors.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONOR SOCIETY REQUIREMENTS
c. To be eligible for the Paul Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society, a student must:
i.   Be a junior or senior and have been in attendance at Blackstone Valley Tech for a period of at least one trimester.
ii. Be within the top 20% of his/her shop based on the previous year’s average of shop and related grades.
iii. Have no more than 6 unexcused absences in a school year (3 tardies/dismissals = 1 absence).
iv. Applicant also may not have more than 1 Saturday school session in the school year prior to application and more than 2 aftersessions in the school year prior to application.

d. If a student meets the criteria listed above, he/she will receive an invitation to apply to the society(ies) and must then complete an extensive electronic portfolio to be reviewed by the Faculty Council. The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate the student’s skill, honesty, service, responsibility, scholarship, citizenship, and leadership, which are the basis for selection (in conjunction with their career technical grades). There are seven (7) members of the Faculty Council, and a minimum of five (5) must approve a student's portfolio for acceptance into the society. Advisors will also seek information about the applicant’s character and classroom behavior from academic and vocational instructors.

ARTICLE V: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1: The selection of members to this chapter shall be by a 5-2 vote of the Faculty Council, which consists of seven faculty members appointed by the principal. The chapter advisers shall be the eighth and ninth, nonvoting, ex officio members of the Faculty Council.

Section 2: The selection of active members shall be held once a year during the first trimester of the school year.

Section 3: Prior to the final selection, the following shall occur:
a. Students’ academic records shall be reviewed to determine scholastic eligibility.

b. All students who are eligible to apply to either society or both will be asked to complete an extensive electronic portfolio, as mentioned in Article XI, Section 2, points b and d above. The portfolio will require the following. Specific details about portfolio compilation will be received with the application invitation:
i.   Cover page
ii. Student activity form
iii. Letter of recommendation from an adult outside of BVT
iv. Video presentation
v. Resume

c.   The faculty shall be requested to evaluate candidates determined to be scholastically eligible.

d. The Faculty Council shall review the candidate portfolio, faculty input, discipline records, and other relevant information to determine those who fully meet the selection criteria for membership.

Section 4: Appeals for non-selection will follow this process:
a. Students not selected for membership shall request reasoning behind the Faculty Council’s decision from a chapter adviser.

b. Upon reflecting on this feedback, if a student wishes to appeal this decision, he/she must submit a letter to the principal or his designee explaining his/her appeal. This letter must be received on or before the published appeals deadline, which will be posted on the NHS/NTHS page of the BVT website at the beginning of every school year. (Please note that this letter must be written by the student requesting the appeal, and not by any other person.)

c. The principal or his designee will review the appeal and consider any extenuating circumstance that may have prohibited selection. When appropriate, he/she will ask the Faculty Council to review the portfolio again and reconsider their decision.

d. The principal will respond to the student’s appeal before the induction date.

e. The decision of the principal or his designee is final.

Section 5: Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.

Section 6: An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers from this school will be given an official letter indicating the status of his/her membership.

Section 7: An active member of the National Honor Society who transfers to this school will be automatically accepted for membership in this chapter. The Faculty Council shall grant to the transferring member one semester to attain the membership requirements and, thereafter, this member must maintain those requirements for this chapter in order to retain his/her membership.

ARTICLE VI: OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS
Section 1: Members are required to participate in an annual fundraiser, where they will be responsible for bringing $25 to the society. If a member chooses not to participate in the fundraiser, he/she must still pay the $25 each year of membership. All funds go towards society operations, graduation stoles, and scholarships.

Section 2: Each member of this chapter who is in good standing with regard to the membership standards and member obligations shall be entitled to wear the emblem adopted by the National Honor Society.

Section 3: Chapter members who are seniors in good standing shall be granted the privilege of wearing the honor stoles at graduation. Members should return stoles after graduation each year.

Section 4: Members of NHS and/or NTHS must complete a certain number of community service hours, in accordance with this chart:

	Summer Hours	Hours Per Trimester
NHS	20 hours	10 hours
NTHS	16 hours (related to your trade)	8 hours (related to your trade)
Both Societies	13 hours of community service 12 hours (related to your trade) 25 hours total	8 hours of community service 8 hours (related to your trade) 16 hours total

a. All hours must be logged in our X2Vol system in a timely fashion. Students who are missing hour requirements at the end of a trimester and/or summer will be given one week to resolve the issue. Please note that community service hours that have not been verified by a supervisor will not be approved by advisers and are considered incomplete until they have been verified. If, after a week, a member’s hours are still incomplete, he/she will receive a letter explaining that they will be required to attend a hearing before the Faculty Council.

b. Please be aware of the BVT NHS/NTHS definition of community service: Community Service is the act of providing voluntary work to a non–profit organization without pay or to a particular person or persons in need due to medical, physical, or financial hardship. This means that all service acts must benefit the greater community or a person(s) in need, not an entrepreneur or for-profit business. The Faculty Council reserves the right to deem activities as acceptable or unacceptable community service.
i. Doing chores or favors for a friend or family member is not considered community service.
ii. NHS/NTHS community service hours must be completed outside of school time. Any work completed during your regularly scheduled school day is considered a curricular requirement and therefore cannot be considered community service.
iii. The Faculty Council reserves the right to make any final decisions on whether or not a particular activity is considered community service.
iv.  If you are unsure if any activity that you plan to complete will be considered community service under our definition, you must contact an advisor before completing the activity to ensure that it will be accepted by the Faculty Council.
v. When logging hours online, you must receive approval from the activity supervisor. Members may not ask their parent(s) to sign off on service activities unless the parent is the direct supervisor for said activity.
vi. Four (4) community service hours maximum per trimester can take place in your shop. This means if you choose to fulfill community service hours by helping in your shop with cleaning, organizing, etc., when logging service hours, you may only apply 4 hours to work completed in your shop per trimester. All other service hours must take place outside of BVT. (Limitations and exceptions to this policy are at the discretion of the Faculty Council.)

Section 6: Each member must also participate in a group community service activity each year, so that members may experience working together with their peers for the greater good. Group activities are selected by advisers and presented to members each trimester. This activity must be completed in addition to the required community service hours listed above.

Section 7: Membership maintenance requirements for each society:
a.  In order to maintain membership of the James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society after selection, a member must:
i. Maintain a weighted career grade average of 96.00 or above.
ii. Have no more than 2 unexcused absences per trimester (3 tardies/dismissals = 1 absence).
iii. Attend all society meetings, which are held on Tuesdays of each B Cycle Week at 7:30 am in the Competition Center. After two unexcused absences from meetings, a member is placed on probation.
iv. Complete all required community service hours (see chart above).
v. Be involved in at least one group community service activity each year.
vi. Participate in a mandatory group fundraiser.
vii. Maintain an exemplary discipline record at Valley Tech. Excessive aftersessions, any level 3 or 4 discipline infractions and/or Incident Reports will lead to immediate suspension from the National Honor Society and dismissal pending a hearing with the Faculty Council.
viii. A suspension from school will lead to immediate dismissal from the society.
ix.  If any BVT staff member completes a Member Violation Form about any member of the society(ies), he/she will be subject to a discipline hearing with the Faculty Council.

b. In order to maintain membership of the Paul Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society after selection, a member must:
i. Maintain a shop and related average that does not fall more than 5 points below the grade held when invited to apply
ii. Have no more than 2 unexcused absences per trimester (3 tardies/dismissals = 1 absence).
iii. Attend all society meetings which are held on Tuesdays of each B Cycle Week at 7:30 am in the Competition Center. After two unexcused absences from meetings, a member is placed on probation.
iv. Complete all required community service hours (see chart below).
v. Be involved in at least one group community service activity each year. vi. Participate in a mandatory group fundraiser.
vii. Maintain an exemplary discipline record at Valley Tech. Excessive aftersessions, any level 3 or 4 discipline infractions, and/or Incident Reports will lead to immediate suspension from the National Technical Honor Society and dismissal pending a hearing with the Faculty Council.
viii. A suspension from school will lead to immediate dismissal from the society.
ix. If any BVT staff member completes a Member Violation Form about any member of the society(ies), he/she will be subject to a discipline hearing with the Faculty Council.

ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS
Section 1: The officers of the chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, NHS delegate, and NTHS delegate.

Section 2: Student officers shall be elected in April of each school year. All returning members in good standing with the chapter are eligible to complete a nomination sheet and run for a position as an officer. Short speeches will be made by candidates at the election meeting.

Section 3: Voting shall be by secret ballot. A majority vote shall be necessary to elect any officer of this chapter. If the first vote does not yield a majority, a second vote shall be taken of the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.

Section 4: It shall be the duty of the officers to preside at the meetings of the chapter and serve as the official representatives of the chapter at school and community functions. Officer job descriptions of the officers are below:

President

Oversees all functions of the societies, their members, and other officers.
Checks in with advisors often.
Checks in with other officers at least once a week.
Delegates responsibilities to officers.

Vice President

Presides over meetings in the absence of the president.
Assumes leadership role in organizing fundraisers (The vice president is responsible for circulating sign-up sheets, money, materials, etc.).

Secretary

Types and copies all agendas for meetings.
Organizes meeting attendance.
Delivers warning letters to members’ homerooms.
Keeps members aware of meeting dates.
Prepares announcement forms before meetings and special events.

NHS Delegate

Helps advisors organize group community service activities.
Updates bulletin boards frequently.
Creates a community service opportunity binder and updates it.
Checks in with local businesses and organizations to see if they have community service opportunities available.

NTHS Delegate

Helps advisors organize group community service activities.
Updates bulletin boards frequently.
Creates a community service opportunity binder and updates it.
Checks in with BVT staff (i.e., Shop teachers), local businesses, and organizations to see if they have community service opportunities available.

Section 5: The officers will meet with the society advisers every Monday before a society meeting from 2:15 to 3:00 p.m.

Section 6: Officers and the faculty adviser(s) shall collectively be known as the chapter’s executive committee. The executive committee shall establish annual goals for the chapter and have general charge of the meetings and the business of the chapter, but any action by the executive committee is subject to the review of the chapter members.

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS
Section 1: Regular meetings of this chapter shall be held every Tuesday of B-cycle weeks at 7:30 a.m. in the Competition Center. Special meetings can be called by the president with the approval of the adviser.

Section 2: Members are expected to attend all chapter meetings. Students will receive a warning in writing after any missed meeting. After two unexcused absences from meetings, a member is placed on probation and must write a letter to the Faculty Council explaining their absences. Students with three meeting absences in a trimester will be required to attend a discipline hearing.

ARTICLE IX: ACTIVITIES
Section 1: The chapter shall determine at least one group community service activity each trimester.

Section 2: All members are required to participate in one group community service activity a year so that they may experience working together for a greater cause. Once this requirement is fulfilled, NHS members could participate in a group community service activity and count the hours under their normal hour requirements. NTHS members may do the same as long as the service activity relates to their shop.

Section 3: These projects shall fulfill a need within the school or community.

Section 4: The chapter shall publicize and promote its projects in a positive manner.

Section 5: All parents must sign a permission slip indicating that they understand that a society advisor may not always be present at group community service events.

ARTICLE X: DISCIPLINE & DISMISSAL OF MEMBERS
Section 1: Any member who falls below the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, or character may be considered for discipline or dismissal from the James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society and/or the Paul Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society. This can include excessive discipline, including cheating and plagiarism violations. A member of the National Honor Society is expected to maintain his/her academic standing and take an active role in service and leadership to his/her school and community.

Section 2: If an NHS member’s cumulative grade point average falls below a 96.00, or an NTHS member’s shop grade falls 5 points below his/her grade at time of selection, he /she will be given a written warning and one trimester for improvement. If the grade requirements remain below standard at the end of the warning period the student will be subject to a hearing with the Faculty Council that may include consideration of dismissal from the chapter.

Section 3: Violations of the law or school regulations can result in immediate consideration of the dismissal of a member (see Section 5 below). These violations include, but are not limited to DWI, stealing, destruction of property, cheating, plagiarism, truancy, or possession, selling, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or school-related activities or in the community. If a student has violated any of these regulations, they will receive a letter requiring them to come to a discipline hearing with the Faculty Council. All discipline hearings can result in dismissal from the society(ies).

Section 4: A faculty member may fill out a Member Violation Form if he/she feels that a member has fallen below the standards for selection. Members who are subject to a Member Violation Form will immediately receive a written warning and will be assigned a hearing with the Faculty Council.

Section 5: Chapter officers, as representatives of the chapter, can be removed from their positions as a consequence of disciplinary action taken by the Faculty Council.

Section 6: In all cases of pending dismissal:
a. The member will receive written notification from the adviser/Faculty Council indicating the reason for consideration of dismissal.

b. The member has the right to respond to the charge(s) against him/her at a hearing before the Faculty Council prior to any vote on dismissal (in accordance with due process identified in Article X of the National Constitution). The member has the opportunity to present his/her defense in person at a face-to-face hearing. Following the hearing, the Faculty Council will then vote on whether to dismiss. A majority vote of the Faculty Council is needed to dismiss any member.

c. The results of the Faculty Council vote will be stated in a letter to the student.

d. The Faculty Council’s decision may be appealed to the building principal and afterwards, according to provisions of the school district discipline policies. Appeals for member dismissal must adhere to the following process:
i. If a student wishes to appeal a dismissal, he/she must submit a letter to the principal or his designee within one week of the dismissal notification.
ii. The principal or his designee will review the appeal and consider any extenuating circumstances that may have caused the dismissal. When appropriate, he/she will ask the Faculty Council to review the case again and reconsider their decision.
iii. The principal will respond to the student’s appeal in a timely fashion
iv. The decision of the principal or his designee is final.

e. A member who is dismissed or resigns may never again be considered for membership in the National Honor Society.

Section 7: In lieu of dismissal, the Faculty Council may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a member as deemed appropriate.

ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION, APPROVAL & REVIEW
Section 1: These bylaws will be approved upon a majority affirmative vote of the Faculty Council and approval by the administration.

Section 2: These bylaws shall be reviewed and, if necessary, revised within five years from the date of approval noted on this document.

ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended when necessary based on feedback from society members. The exceptions are Articles IV, V, and X, which are developed by the Faculty Council with the approval of the principal or his designee.

Approved on 5/1/2025

Congratulations to Our 2025 Inductees!
On Thursday, Nov. 6, a group of 57 students were inducted into the James S. Mullaney Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) and/or the Paul Sullivan Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) during an induction ceremony.

"The induction is a significant and commendable recognition of our students' hard work, dedication, academic excellence, and technical expertise," said NHS Advisor Jessica MacKenzie.

"The evening ceremony is a proud moment for our students, staff, and families as we celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of our Career Technical Education (CTE) students who have been invited to join the National and Technical Honor Societies," said NTHS Advisor Jeremy Pandolfo.

"It is always a pleasure to celebrate our modern-day career technical students. They can readily demonstrate high-level technical training and simultaneously validate high achievement in academics that serve as a foundation for their technical aptitude," said Superintendent-Director Anthony E. Steele II. "It is with immense pride that I congratulate our new inductees, who exemplify the values of our school and these organizations."

While the NHS and the NTHS are two distinct organizations with different focuses and criteria, our students can be members of one or both chapters. NHS membership honors those who have met rigorous academic standards and who exemplify scholarship, leadership, service, and character. NTHS membership recognizes students who demonstrate academic and technical excellence in their CTE program, as well as character, skills, and work ethic.

Meet the Inductees
Jason Abbruzzese NTHS; Julien Awuku-Asante NHS/NTHS; Ekakshar Bhardwaj NHS/NTHS; Emily Blanding NHS; Teagan Bshara NHS/NTHS; Liliana Carpenter NHS/NTHS; Elena Ciarametaro NHS/NTHS; Kathleen Crosby NHS/NTHS; Larissa Da Cunha NHS; Davi Dalla Dea NHS; Maria De Oliveira NTHS; Bryan De Sena NHS; Katelyn DeLuca NHS; Dylan Diosomito NHS; Devin Drumheller NHS/NTHS; Elisabeth Fitzpatrick-Kurtyka NHS; Dylan Flemming NHS/NTHS; Rory Goyette NHS/NTHS; Riley Hargrove NHS/NTHS; Kaiden Howard NHS/NTHS; Natalie Johnson NHS; Ayden Joseph NHS; Lila Kaye-Kuter NHS; Mandi Kaye-Kuter NHS; Emily Kee NHS/NTHS; Luke Keenan NHS; Mayah Khatri NHS/NTHS; Isla Koopman NHS/NTHS; Mackenzie Lavallee NHS/NTHS; Keira Lavine NHS/NTHS; Nora Laydon NHS/NTHS; Charlotte Lewis NHS/NTHS; Maya Lizarralde NTHS; Charles Lozeau NHS; Elleigh Macneil NHS; Olivia Medina NHS/NTHS; Madison Mitchell Gainedy NHS; Luke O'Rorke NHS; Alana Pagliarulo NHS/NTHS; Karley Petion NHS; Katherine Pinguil-Agualema NHS/NTHS; Michael Poschmann NTHS; Lucia Rae NHS; Isabella Raymond NHS/NTHS; Mia Rezek NHS; Ella Ruth NHS/NTHS; Meah Ryan NHS/NTHS; Karen Saeteros-Pizha NHS/NTHS; Bryce Sheldon NHS; Evan St. George NHS/NTHS; Cassandra Sullivan NHS; Jake Thibault NHS/NTHS; Arianna Turner NHS/NTHS; Cameron Vaidya NTHS; Makenna Walls NHS/NTHS; Matthew Welch NHS/NTHS; and Thomas Welch NHS.