Excerpted from the National Junior Honor Society website:

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) elevates a school’s commitment to the values of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. These five pillars have been associated with membership in the organization since its inception in 1929.

Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in NJHS activities. NJHS chapters are found in all 50 states, US Territories, and around the world. Chapter membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.

Five main purposes have guided chapters of NJHS from the beginning: to create enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership; to encourage responsible citizenship; and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. These purposes also translate into the criteria used for membership selection in each local chapter.

St. Stephen Protomartyr established its NJHS chapter in the spring of 2022. Students in Grades 7 and 8 are eligible to become members.