Fairmont Senior High ushers in next wave of honors students
May 1—FAIRMONT — Beneath sunset hues cast by stage spotlights, senior Samuel Cox lights one of the candles of the National Honor Society.
President of the Fairmont Senior High chapter, Cox has a key role in induction day as one of the duties of the outgoing chapter officers is to usher in the next class of honor students.
"It's hard to do things on your own," Cox said. "But when you're part of a group like this, it really allows people to shine and bring their full potential, maximize who they can become. We can all grow as a group instead of struggling on our own."
Juniors and seniors witnessed their peers' ascension as society members Tuesday during the Fairmont Senior High National Honors Society induction ceremony.
Cox and the other officers lit the candles of leadership, scholarship, character, service and knowledge. The flame was shared with the juniors, who lit their own candles out of the wax.
Parents took photos and videos of their children as they walked across the stage. The juniors held onto the light of knowledge in their hands, joining their peers on other side of the stage.
Principal James Green said qualifying juniors need to meet a GPA requirement. Eligible students are put on a list for staff to review and rank.
"Not everyone gets in," Green said. "You have to be a high achiever."
Green said joining the society is a distinction that students get to carry with them forever, but especially going into college. For students who do good things and typically fly under the radar, this is their chance to be recognized, Green said. The ceremony itself also provides an opportunity to inspire younger students.
"We livestream it in addition to have the junior and senior class come in," Green said. "I want the underclassmen to see it and strive for it."
Teacher and NHS Co-coordinator Adrin Fisher said becoming part of the NHS reaffirms choices members make throughout high school, to make academics a priority. Not a lot of students will have the opportunity to have their achievements recognized, so the NHS ceremony provides a good chance to have that be seen, she said.
The ceremony is also the kickoff of graduation season for seniors. Grad parties are right around the corner in May. For juniors, who will be entering their final year of high school, it's a re-centering of their purpose, Fisher added.
Teacher Dave Ricer provided advice to the graduating seniors through his keynote speech. He told students learning to cope with disappointment was important because life would provide it. He urged students to pivot and adapt. He also urged students to learn how to truly listen to others and not seek the validation of others.
"The trophies go away," he said in his speech. "There are no grades to tell you how you are doing. Make decisions based on your own beliefs and values and stick to them. You will understand you don't need to gain everyone's approval. People respect those that are confident and stand up for what they believe in, even if it's unpopular."
Ricer delivered final lessons that NHS chapter Vice President Riley Moore took to heart.
Moore had Ricer as a teacher her sophomore year. The lesson about learning it's OK to fail was important to hear, especially for members of the honors group, she said.
"Perfectionism is something we all have," Moore said. "It's OK to fail. It's OK to to have setbacks. It's just about how you get over them."
Moore spent her year as an honors student organizing service projects and talking to people in the community. She worked with the Disability Action Center as well as CASA in Fairmont.
She heads to West Virginia University in the fall, where she will study journalism and theater. As Moore prepares to head off into adulthood, another of Ricer's lessons will stick with her in the future — make good choices.
"Now that I'm going to college, I'll always remember his classic rule No. 1 that he talked about," she said. "It's important to me because I have a lot going on right now. Making good decisions and not fearing failure and always doing my best is important for me going forward."
Reach Esteban at efernandez@timeswv.com
