NEHS

 This last month Eliza went through the process of applying for the National Elementary Honors Society. It was a long application process where she had to list specific examples of how she has shown responsibility in service, community, and leadership. I have mixed feelings about this because what 9 year old has "appointed or elected leadership positions" to list? All the same, she really put a lot of effort into this application. Aside from filling out the long list, she had to ask for 2 letters of recommendation. Also, she had to write an essay that had a long and specific writing prompt. AND she had to do it all. We could give suggestions, but she had to write and fill out everything.

 Then, there was this awkward time when her teacher threatened to not let anyone in the class join because one kid put a sticky note on another's back that said "kick me." That situation got totally out of hand with so many threats and lectures. Fortunately she didn't follow through with that particular threat. Cause seriously I would have gone all mama-bear on her for not letting my kid in this organization after she put so much time and effort into the application. Not to mention there is seriously no way she put the sticky note on Teagan's back.

 *Deep breath* Anyway, the ceremony was really sweet and formal with kids lighting candles from the four pillars of the Honor Society. Service, Responsibility, Leadership, Scholarship. Eliza picked to light her candle from scholarship because she thought it represented her best. I think she could have picked any of them. She's amazing.

 She is lighting the candle in this picture. I am so blessed to have such an wonderful girl. Last week, as a family we were studying in the new "Come Follow Me" manual and did the activity of making a jar with slips of paper in it that are ideas of how we can help do "the Father's work." So we all brainstormed ideas, wrote them on slips of paper, and each morning this week we drew them to see what we were going to try to do that day. One day, Eliza drew "speak kind words." Apparently, at school that day, the slip of paper got dropped out of her pocket, and her teacher found it. The teacher shared with the class the next day, how it inspired her to speak more kindly. Eliza told the class that it was her's and explained a little bit about what we were doing. Mrs. Perks asked Eliza to share what was on her slip the next day. She even told Eliza to write it on a special board, and they looked up a quote to go along with it. Mrs. Perks said that she could do this everyday. Pretty cool.

NEHS Essay

by Eliza Pearson

The National Elementary Honor Society's goal is to serve. My definition  of service is quite simple. The two most important things are that you are helping others and your motive for serving.  It is not service if you are trying to benefit yourself or get praise. Service, too, requires sacrifice- time, energy, money, etc. Something else I really like about service is that it makes you and the people you are serving happier.

                One reason I want to be in this year's Kyrene Monte Vista NEHS Chapter is because I want more opportunities to serve others. I love to serve! I think it is fun. There is also a good chance I will get to tutor. I think that would be fun for me to interact with younger kids and educational. Also, I would be good at it because I have two younger sisters I help all the time.  Further, I would like the chance to improve our school and community. I believe that if everyone worked hard to improve those, the world would be a better place. Finally, it would be good to develop the feeling that hard work can be enjoyed.

                School is very important for two main reasons. Obviously, one is learning. I think that there are two different kinds of learning--education and life lessons. Education is learning things like PEMDAS (the order of operations) and spelling. Life lessons are things like learning how to manage strong emotions: things you will use forever. The second reason is that you can interact other kids your age. You can learn to collaborate, get along, and work with others. You need these skills to be successful in life. It is important to contribute to the community because other people will have greater happiness. For example, if we look out for our neighbors, our neighborhoods will be safer.

                Lastly, I intend to make service a part of my life. I will look for people to serve every day because Henry B. Eyring once said, "When you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time. " If lots of people are considerate and put other's needs before their own, we can make a difference. I like this African proverb: " If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have never spent the night with a mosquito.''  I will practice serving others now. I want to make service a habit.  I will serve as much as I can in my life.