Hendrick Hudson High School Inducts 42 New Members into National Honor Society
During an induction ceremony held in the school auditorium on Sept. 17, 2024, Hendrick Hudson High School welcomed 42 new members from the Class of 2025 into the Half Moon Chapter of the National Honor Society. The school has a long and distinguished history with the National Honor Society, having inducted its first class in 1933, and each of the new inductees signed the original register as part of the ceremony.
The event was attended by family and friends of the inductees, as well as advisor and social studies teacher Steve Purcigliotti and Principal Lauren Scollins.
Four students were inducted as new officers: Alex Soltowski (President), Aaron McLaughlin (Vice President), Walker Piccolo Hill (Treasurer), and Greta Arnold (Secretary). Each student captured the essence of one of the four pillars of the National Honor Society: Scholarship, Service, Character and Leadership.
Piccolo Hill quoted Francis Bacon while reviewing Scholarship: “Knowledge is power,” he said.
McLaughlin evoked Mahatma Gandhi on Service: “You must be the change you want to see in the world,” he said.”
On the pillar of Character, Arnold recalled a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Character is higher than intellect,” she said. “A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.”
Lastly, Soltowski quoted Vince Lombardi on Leadership: “Leaders are made, they are not born,” he said. “They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
This year’s inductees selected social studies teacher Andrew Lupien, who had taught 30 of them previously, as their Influential Educator. Lupien’s keynote address praised this group of students for their potential as future leaders and encouraged them to follow the pillars of Scholarship, Service, Character and Leadership on their path to success.
“I hope I have offered something positive in our time together,” Lupien said. “But it is you who have given me more than I could have asked for. This peer group, which has largely followed each other through the advanced classes and extracurricular clubs for many years, has inspired me.”
Purcigliotti, who also taught a number of the inductees last year and has several again this year in AP Microeconomics, saw similar qualities and capabilities in this group.
“I’m excited to once again be their advisor,” he said. “I’m looking forward to interacting with them again. I told them I want them to be empowered. This isn’t Mr. Purcigliotti’s or Mr. Lupien’s National Honor Society — it is theirs.”