The National Honors Society (NHS) is one of several leadership groups at CdM, despite this, it is distinct in its mission statement. Current NHS member, Marisa Bist says they strive to “encourage students on campus to have integrity” at CdM and several other elementary and high schools across the area through “empathy, resilience, and honesty, [which is] the core of [the] group” adds Meriam Chebil. NHS’s commitment to weekly peer tutoring as well as their recent book drive that generated many donations to the Pomona Elementary School in Costa Mesa serves their cause to “offer support to students” both inside and out of CdM.

Other than continuous peer tutoring, NHS develops several events throughout the year to help foster their mission statement; one of which includes Leadership Week. Leadership Week is a yearly event that NHS develops to spread messages of, but not limited to, leadership and integrity but also “community” Marisa Bist says, and “collaboration” says Aashvi Bist. Marisa Bist adds that these efforts help “create a really honest environment at CdM”. The weeks’ events are dedicated to “encourage leadership [in all aspects] within CdM” and “to bring awareness to leadership” Marisa says. Aashvi adds that by doing so, they hope to encourage the student body “to take part in leadership activities so they can help out their community”. Each year, the week is centered around a specific theme, this year, NHS decided on the “Power of One”, which was chosen because it could invoke ideas about being a self-starter and making a difference by working toward a goal empathetically and with integrity.

According to Marisa, Leadership Week is meant to reach students through the belief that they can “make the most of [their] own skills and knowledge to help others” by using a “combination of community and integrity” in one’s leadership style Aashvi adds. This year’s campaign consisted of hanging encouraging posters around the school halls, passing out stickers to several classes, and licorice and lollipop hand-outs at lunch. NHS also held a Leadership Banquet in the campus lecture hall and hosted Marty Klein as a guest speaker.

Chebil says that Leadership Week is a way to “showcase all the groups on campus and what [they] all do [for CdM during their] private time”. NHS members host the spirit week to promote leaders on campus and communicate the need for more people to lead with NHS core values of empathy, resilience, and honesty.