Success Stories

Any junior in Yankton high School with a 3.5 or higher GPA is invited to join National Honor Society (NHS); it is up to the student whether or not they are willing to take on the four criteria that NHS is based on scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Kate, a senior at Yankton High School, has taken the four pillars of NHS and applied it to her daily life.

“Being invited to join NHS is an offer no student should refuse,” she says.

Volunteering is what makes Kate. She is reminded by her parents that she has been a volunteer back before she could even remember. The National Honor Society recognizes its members that complete at least 25 hours of service work as their time as a member with a gold cord at graduation. Until she joined NHS, she never counted her hours volunteering. However, since she started recording, she has logged over 216 hours.

“The main reason I have so many NHS volunteer hours might be because I am now very thorough in documenting my community service. The variety of volunteering opportunities is what I find most enjoyable.”

Her favorite focus of volunteerism, she says, is preparing candy table favors for holidays and special occasions at Yankton’s Cedar Village Assisted Living facility.

“It is rewarding to see how something so simple brings such joy to the residents,” she says. The residents look forward to the favors and truly appreciate her service. For her, it is a fulfilling way to help sweeten the lives of others in a small way.

Her service to the community goes beyond NHS; Kate’s service has supported other clubs and organizations around Yankton including Yankton County 4-H, Yankton Area Mental Wellness, Inc., Healthy Yankton, Sacred Heart Parish, Homeward Bound, Heartland Humane Society, Cedar Village Assisted Living facility, Maple Senior Housing, The Yankton Area Banquet, Yankton Community Library,  United Way agencies, and more.

She has also learned that volunteering not only affects others’ lives, but it affects her life as well.

“Volunteering offers opportunities to meet people, that you might not have met otherwise, who enrich your life. There is great satisfaction in seeing others’ lives improve or in bringing joy to someone through volunteer service,” she shares.

By helping others and donating her time, Kate has learned many valuable lessons that have improved who she is as a person. In addition, she has had special opportunities to work with the media including newspaper, radio, and television. However, the one lesson that stands out most to her; is to be grateful.

“Many people don’t have the basic necessities that I take for granted every day.”

Along with volunteering her time, she stays very busy balancing time between schoolwork, her job, and other activities she is involved in.

“Life is all about balance; we will always find time for whatever is most important to us."