Many students enter their 11th or 12th grade year with one extracurricular goal in mind: to join the National Honor Society (NHS). For Janeyliz Baez, that was a dream of hers when she started thinking about applying in 10th grade, and she has excelled, ultimately becoming the club’s Corresponding Secretary because of her dedication to the club.

In her role, she facilitates communication between the school staff and NHS members. When entering her senior year, she knew that the club had a lot to offer and wanted to make the most of it, which she did by applying to the NHS Scholarship.

The NHS Scholarship has a rigorous application, entailing “two letters of recommendation, an essay, a resume, and a recommendation from the NHS PPCHS chapter advisor, Ms. Palacio,” Baez says. 

As a student leader, one of her roles being the Student Government Association (SGA) President, Baez exemplifies all four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. 

“I chose to apply for the NHS Scholarship because I have committed my four years of high school to the pillars identified in the NHS,” says Baez.

While reflecting on her time in the NHS, Baez comments, “The NHS has opened countless doors for me to plan events, network, and motivate those in my school, and remind them that what they do has an impact.”

After months of waiting, she was announced as a semi-finalist. “Winning the NHS Scholarship means an incredible amount to me. Being selected as a winner is an absolute honor and a reminder that hard work and dedication really do pay off. I have always had a passion for leadership, and this recognition only motivates me more to continue working towards my mission of helping the community.” 

As a semi-finalist, Baez won $3,200. She was also one of only three people in Broward County to have received the award.  

To enter the second round of the scholarship, Baez had to “upload a headshot of myself, a photograph of myself doing community service, and answer some questions regarding my plans for the scholarship and my feelings as a winner.”

For people who are thinking about applying for scholarships now, Baez has some advice:

As Baez furthers her education in the upcoming fall, she will continue to use the skills she has gained from NHS and apply them to the activities that she will pursue.