Nodaway Valley inducts 13 into National Honor Society

Students being inducted into the National Honor Society last Tuesday evening at Nodaway Valley High School were able to hear from an old friend who gave the keynote address.

Retired educator Jeff Fahrenkrug, who was a favorite teacher of many at the middle school for years, came back to address the inductees as part of the ceremony. Some inductees were unable to make it to the induction ceremony, so a picture of the inductees will be printed at a later time.

Those in this year’s class of inductees is Delaney Blomme, Hana Brown, Bailey Carstens, Mylee Comstock, Makinley Edwards, Ava Ford, Ashlyn Gutierrez, Ben Hoover, Joanna Larson, Kaylee Larson, Liv Laughery, Trent Warner and Maddie Weston.

“I just have a smile from being here, it’s so good to be back,” Fahrenkrug told his former students.

Fahrenkrug said that 50 years ago this year, he was inducted into the National Honor Society at Carson-Macedonia High School, now a part of Oakland Riverside.

“I remember getting that letter saying you’re going to be inducted into the National Honor Society. I was so excited and proud because the National Honor Society is such a distinguished and prestigious organization,” Fahrenkrug said. “First of all, I’d like to say congratulations to those being inducted tonight. To those already in it, job well done.”

Fahrenkrug recapped the history and mission of National Honor Society. He talked about its four pillars: scholarship, service, leadership and character. He said even he, in retirement, needs to remind himself occasionally of the implications these pillars have on the course of his life today.

“If you look at the emblem of the National Honor Society, you see that in the middle is a torch. That torch is symbolic for the search for truth. On each side of the torch are letters. They represent the four pillars of the National Honor Society,” he said. “If you’re a leader of an organization, you’ve got to have character. If you’re running a service project, you have to have leadership skills to get it organized. I could go on and on with different examples. Even though they’re four different pillars, they work together simultaneously.”

Fahrenkrug pointed out that the students in National Honor Society have already used the four pillars of the organization in various ways as young adults.

“Character, service, leadership and scholarship don’t stop when you get out of school,” Fahrenkrug added. “For those of you who will be graduating in two months, carry these out into whatever you’re going to do after high school, whether it be the workforce, college or the military. Take these pillars and use them in the future. For those who are being inducted tonight, build on what these seniors have done before you.”

Now a resident of Treynor, Fahrenkrug retired in 2020.