West Hartford’s Northwest Catholic High School held a ceremony this week inducting students into the National Honor Society.

Submitted by Maureen Scudder, Northwest Catholic High School

Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford proudly inducted 58 students into its National Honor Society this year. During the special evening event, inductees, returning NHS members and officers, parents, teachers, and administrators gathered to congratulate the esteemed group. 

Northwest Catholic social studies teacher and alumnus Francis Butler was the congratulatory speaker. Butler spoke of the significance of the induction and complimented the inductees on their rare achievement. He said, “Earning membership into the National Honor Society is a testament to your gifts of intellect, work ethic, resilience, and determination. Your many hours of study, ability to use your time wisely, and passion for learning have paid off.” 

Butler encouraged the young scholars to pursue academic excellence and a faith-filled life of leadership and service. He said, “Learning is an endeavor of a lifetime, and the more you pursue life’s big questions and seek to learn more of our faith, the natural world, and the people in it, the more joy you will find.”

Lastly, Butler charged the inductees to live out the organization’s mission as well as the Northwest Catholic mission. “My challenge to you is this — reach out to your peers who struggle academically, socially, or spiritually. You as young women and men called to learn and to serve have the chance to encourage your peers to stick with their schoolwork when it’s hard, invite them to your lunch table and make them welcome, and to live the Northwest Catholic mission that will inspire others to see the good in themselves and others.”

NHS officer Gabriel Landi also addressed the audience. Landi spoke on the NHS pillar of “character.” Landi said, “One’s character must be genuine, extraordinary, and inimitable. It is witnessed in the way one treats others without expectation of a reward.” Landi continued, “As National Honor Society members, your character, including empathy, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, will help to contribute to something greater – building a compassionate and connected community.”

Following Landi’s remarks, officer Matthew Querfeld spoke on “scholarship.” Querfeld said, “As newly selected members of NHS, you are held to the highest standards of academic excellence.” Querfeld charged the new inductees: “Keep doing the best you can with the talents God has given you.”

Officers Declan Wlochowski spoke on “service” and Trevor Lindberg spoke on “leadership.” Both officers defined their terms and tied them back to the Northwest Catholic mission. Lindberg concluded this part of the program with this simple advice to the inductees: “The next time you see a need, try to meet it.”

The following Northwest Catholic students are the newest members of the school’s National Honor Society: Jessica Akin, Alexandra Bryden, Keeshia Caguitla, Erin Carucci, Nicole Chen, Maeve Dabney, John Daily, Justin DeFina, Aidan Deneen, Matthew Deneen, Jordyn Desrosiers, Katherine DeVito, Luke Discenza, Emily Drain, Brooke Duarte, Benjamin Flower, Timothy Gage, Holly Gustavsen, Jonathan Heiden, Sarah Hicks, Jamirah Honaker, Katherine Hurley, Owen Jacobs, William Kasheta, Charlene Lam, Sarah Lamberty, Aubrey Landi, Felicia Link, Griffin Macary, Virginia Machon, Madison Mayo, Emily McKenna, Connor Melanson, Molly Miller, Scarlett Miller, Isabella Morsheimer, Maeve Mullen, Julia Nicholas, Conor O’Shea, Madeleine Pascavis, Ester Paw, Taylor Popella, Gregory Russo, Sloane Samele, Olivia Schaub, Mary Schuck, Megan Shanley, Lyndes Stone-Zelman, Justin Tavares, Guangyuan Tian, Aarthi Tippireddy, Sean Trombly, Hayley Troy, Maureen VonHassel, Harrison Waterbury, Emma Wilkos, Luke Wilson, Yuntong Yan.

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