What is NTHS, and why have so few students heard of it? The National Technical Honor Society recognizes students in career and technical education classes, but it still remains largely unknown to many at East Leyden. Mrs. Maldonado, a Preschool, Education Academy 1, Education Academy 2, and Child Development teacher, is also the sponsor of the Educators Rising Club and the National Technical Honor Society at East Leyden.
“NTHS is called National Technical Honor Society, and what it represents is an honor society for the CTE classes, meaning family and consumer sciences.” Maldonado said. NTHS recognises students taking career and technical education classes, such as family and consumer sciences, culinary, business, and industrial technology. Membership in NTHS is not open to just anyone; students must be nominated by a career and technical education (CTE) teacher.
“I think the fact that it’s not student-initiated, that it’s teacher-initiated, so a teacher has to think, Wow, you really stepped up and went above and beyond the expectations. So I would like to nominate you.” Maldonado said. To be considered for a nomination, junior or senior students must be taking a career and technical education class, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, have no suspensions or major behavioral issues, and have good attendance.
Although it is often confused with the National Honor Society, NTHS is separate with its own criteria and focuses on CTE. “I think people are like, What even is this? It’s a super secret society,” Maldonado said. That “secrecy” makes NTHS feel unknown to students due to the honor society nomination being teacher-initiated; it’s not necessarily something you see in the list of clubs on the Leyden website and want to try out for.
“It really sets you up for skills that you need to work in the industry,” Maldonado said. In addition to recognition and opportunities to gain new skills, NTHS focuses on career development, professional growth, and leadership. Nationally, the organization awards $300,000 in scholarships each year and also offers students opportunities to build resumes, attend career fairs, and leadership workshops.
Gabriella Zujko stated that she accepted the NTHS nomination “because I wanted to connect with people pursuing similar careers as me.” For students, it’s an opportunity to not only be recognized for their achievements but also a way for them to connect with peers who have the same career goals.
When asked what the most rewarding part of leading NTHS is, Mrs. Maldonado said, “I just love recognizing and celebrating students’ successes.”
As NTHS continues to grow at East Leyden, Mrs. Maldonado hopes more students learn about the organization and the opportunities it has to offer students. With a focus on leadership, student recognition, and career-focused experiences, NTHS prepares students for success after high school.
