Boothbay Region High School celebrated the induction of 14 members to the National Honor Society Nov. 8. Principal Dan Welch welcomed parents and community members, introduced master of ceremonies Faith Blethen and thanked NHS Advisor Karol Clark and former advisor Alan Crocker for putting the event together.

Blethen called upon four current members to speak to each of the qualities that makes an NHS student and to light a candle for each tenet. Riley Sullivan presented "Scholarship"; Bayly Gaughan-Carrasco, "Service"; Olivia Paolillo, "Leadership"; and Savannah Sedivy, "Character." Current members Lilley Harris, Reagan Cola, William LaBrecque and Alexandria Lane presided over membership book signing, pinning, handing out certificates, and induction, respectively. 

The last four lines of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “If—” – only a snippet of Blethen’s recitation of the entire four stanzas – sums up the message of hard work and perseverance expected of the NHS member: 

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!"

Through his congratulatory remarks, Superintendent Keith Laser echoed that message, including the membership’s prestige and the high bar it sets for future students.

“You've been selected to become part of this organization, because you have a high grade point average, you have dedicated some of your time to services in your community, you've displayed leadership by taking important roles in your school and your community ... Most importantly, you have been found to be deserving of this special recognition ... You have joined some very elite company.”

Many leaders and celebrities became members, including Gerald Ford, Alan Alda, Meryl Streep and Carrie Underwood, Laser said.

“There are many more, but you can see by that list that you're joining some really elite company with a lot of accomplishments in their lives and the same is going to be expected of you.”

Current members: Faith Blethen, Reagan Cola, Bayly Gaughan-Carrasco, Lilley Harris, William LaBrecque, Alexandria Lane, Olivia Paolillo, Savannah Sedivy and Riley Sullivan.

New members: Ashley Abbott, Chloe Arsenault, Lauren Barclay, Madison Barter, Hunter Crocker, Alexis Davison, Henry Drapeau, Blake Erhard, Madison Faulkingham, Gerald Gagne, Hali Goodwin, Rowan Kristan, Tim Norton and Will Perkins.