The Byron-Bergen chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) welcomed 15 new student members on April 6. The ceremony also honored the three latest inductees to the Byron-Bergen Alumni Hall of Fame: Jerry Hulburt (1980), Angela Mech (1995), and Lacy Morgan-DeVelder (2001).
The event began with a welcome and congratulations from District Superintendent Patrick McGee and Jr./Sr. High School Principal Ashley John Grillo followed by an address from Hulburt.
Hulburt is currently the President of a telecommunications equipment manufacturer in Texas. He is also the owner/operator of an early childhood learning center that provides a safe, loving learning environment for 250 children. In his address, he referenced a line from the Byron-Bergen school song, “Learn to live and live to learn,” as a motto that he has taken with him as a life-long learner. Hulburt had also visited the school earlier that day, observing classes and enjoying lunch with several students.
The traditional National Honor Society candle lighting ceremony followed. It acknowledges the high standards students in NHS must exhibit in knowledge, character, leadership, service, and scholarship. The new members were called individually to receive their honor and then the group took the NHS pledge.
The ceremony was followed by the induction of Mech and Morgan-DeVelder to the Alumni Hall of Fame. Neither were able to attend in person. Mech accepted the honor via video. She currently resides in Maine where she is a Forest Health Specialist specializing in identifying tree pests and diseases. Superintendent McGee accepted the honor of behalf of Morgan-DeVelder. She is a therapist and co-founder of the Coop Cup for Brain Cancer Research, which raises money for the Wilmot Cancer Institute.
National Honor Society membership not only recognizes students for their accomplishments, but also challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service. The organization has chapters in all 50 states, Canada, and beyond
Provided information. Photos by Gretchen Spittler
