On April 18, 2025, the Hollis Brookline High School (HBHS) National Honor Society delivered 15 hand-built benches to the local Beaver Brook Association for their annual chapter project.
The HBHS National Honor Society (NHS) Chapter comprises 100 members, four student officers and two teacher advisors. Members are selected annually based on their demonstration of the four core NHS pillars: scholarship, leadership, service and character. “Potential NHS Members should have strong leadership skills, be active in both the school and outside community, be of strong character and represent HBHS in a positive manner,” said NHS advisor Melissa Moyer.
At HBHS, applicants are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.700 or greater and fill out a candidacy form that requires at least 12 hours of community service over the past two years and two community recommendations. After completion, the NHS Faculty Council determines NHS membership for each candidate, and an induction ceremony is held each fall.
Each year, the current NHS cohort chooses a chapter project to focus their service efforts on. For the 2024-2025 school year, the chapter decided to work with the Beaver Brook Association (BBA). “When the officers got together, we were inspired to pick a chapter project with a direct, local impact because we thought it would be the most meaningful,” said NHS president Kate Berrigan ‘25. “We decided on Beaver Brook because they are a prominent part of our community.”
The Beaver Brook Association is a non-profit nature education center and conservation area located in the nearby New Hampshire towns of Hollis, Brookline and Milford. “Since Beaver Brook is right here in Hollis, the project also helped strengthen the relationship between our school and the local community,” said Berrigan.
Through 35 miles of trails and year-round programming, BBA promotes natural resource management and environmental awareness. In support of this mission, the HBHS chapter of NHS worked to build benches to replace the current, deteriorating ones. “[This project] supports our mission by making our trails enjoyable. It gives people a place to rest, to sit down and enjoy wildlife, the scenery, the sounds and the views,” said BBA Natural Resources Manager Brandon Rackliff.
Over the last few months, NHS members worked tirelessly to fundraise and collect donations to make the project a success. Specifically, the officers worked in partnership with Mark Barchard, a member’s father, to secure a generous donation of all wood and hardware used from Milford Lumber. “This was such a large donation that set us up to be successful not only for this chapter project but future ones,” said Moyer.
On April 13, 55 NHS members volunteered their time to construct the benches at Hollis Brookline Middle School. For many, it was an enjoyable experience. “It was really fun to build the benches and to work together with a community of like-minded students,” said NHS member Lizzy Butland ‘25.
On April 18, NHS members delivered the benches to staff at Beaver Brook. The team at BBA was very appreciative and impressed with the students’ work. “They did a beautiful job on the benches,” said Rackliff. “They’re exactly what we expected.”
As a non-profit organization, BBA heavily relies on donations and fundraising, and continues to rely on volunteers to support various projects and upkeep. “If it wasn’t for the volunteers, we wouldn’t have half of what we have here,” said Rackliff. “Volunteers are extremely important, and we’re very fortunate to have a lot of volunteers help.”
Beyond the tangible impact, some NHS members feel a greater sense of achievement and fulfillment that will stay with them even following the conclusion of the project. “It’s rewarding to know our chapter left a mark that the community will enjoy for years to come,” said Berrigan.
