By Emma DeSanty ’25
On Wednesday, April 29, 2025, Derby High School held its annual Honor Society Induction Ceremony inside the auditorium at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony honors the four honor societies here at DHS. They are the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, the Italian Honor Society, and the Tri-M Music Society.
The induction ceremony was open to parents, friends, family members, staff, current honor society members, and the new inductees. There were 59 total new inductees along the four honor societies. More specifically, there were seventeen in the National Honor Society, 25 in the Spanish Honor Society, twelve in the Italian Honor Society, and five being inducted into Tri-M Music.
Up first was the National Honor Society which is led by advisors Jennifer Ostrosky and Brian Nutcher. Nutcher has been an advisor for the NHS for 18 years. In an interview he says, “I enjoy being part of the top of the top of our school. It is rewarding to work with these students through their service projects and fundraising. I like that I have a part in this prestigious aspect of students’ high school careers.”
The other advisor, Ostrosky, has been an advisor of the National Honor Society for eleven years. She said, “Being an NHS advisor is about making a real difference in the lives of students and contributing to the overall success of the school. It involves guiding students, providing mentorship, and overseeing chapter activities that promote scholarship, leadership, service, and character.”
The National Honor Society is a nationwide organization in the United States that recognizes high school students for their outstanding achievements in five key areas. The four key areas are scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship. Each key area has a candle and each light of the candle comes from the mother candle.
Students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year. Membership is considered a prestigious honor and can enhance college applications. When asked what having the National Honor Society meant to the school community Ostroksy said, “Having a National Honor Society can bring a number of valuable benefits both for the students and the school community as a whole. NHS promotes academic excellence, fosters leadership development, boosts school reputation, encourages community engagement, and creates a culture of character and service.”
After the National Honor Society inductions were done and graduating seniors received their stoles and cords, Spanish teachers Francisco Salazar and Oriana Camacho Escalona were called up to introduce the new and current members of the Spanish Honor Society.
Salazar has only been an advisor for this society for three years but he does say, “I truly feel honored to be a part of this position and be able to nominate new inductees and present them with the awards.”
On the other hand, Ms. Camacho is a first year advisor and said, “While I participated in similar ceremonies as a student, experiencing this as an advisor gave me a whole new perspective.”
To get inducted into the Spanish Honor Society, a student has to have and maintain a grade of 90 or above in Spanish two or above. The honor society is growing and so are the plans for the society moving forward. Camacho says, “My primary goal is to inspire more students to join by showcasing how rewarding SNHS membership can be. I want every Spanish student to understand that SNHS isn’t just about grades – it’s about being a part of a vibrant community that celebrates Hispanic culture while developing valuable leadership skills.”
Salazar also said, “Most importantly, once members are part of this society, they are recognized as members for life.”
After all new inductees were inducted and graduating seniors received their red and gold cords for graduation, Italian teacher Hunter Sigona was called up to the stage to introduce the Italian Honor Society.
Sigona has been the advisor since he was hired at Derby High School back in November of 2021. He says, “It is quite the honor to be able to work with such a high achieving group of students.”
The Italian Honor Society is a little different than the other honor societies because each new member receives a pin and instead of each graduating senior receiving a cord, they receive a medallion to wear around their neck at graduation.
When asked what the Italian Honor Society meant to the school community Sigona said, “ I think the society serves as a reminder to the school that Derby once had a huge Italian-American population (close to 50% of the town), and that heritage created the foundation upon which our program is built on. It is also a showcase of the achievements by the students.”
Lastly, Sigona called up music teacher Nick Ruel to introduce the final honor society of the night, Tri-M Music.
Tri-M is the only honor society we have at DHS that one can be inducted to as a freshman, while others have to wait until sophomore or junior year. The society has a new advisor this year, Nick Ruel. When asked how it felt to become an advisor as a first year teacher Ruel said, “It was absolutely nerve racking. Not only was I new to the school community, but this was also my first time serving as a Tri-M advisor. Taking on that responsibility right away came with a learning curve, but I also saw it as an exciting opportunity. I’ve been lucky to work with a group of students who are passionate, motivated, and supportive. Their enthusiasm made the transition much smoother and helped me feel at home quickly.”
“Tri-M is more than just an honor society. It’s a way to celebrate music’s impact on individuals and the community. For the students involved, it recognizes their dedication and gives them a platform to lead and give back thought music. For the school, it reinforces the value of the arts and shows that academic excellence, leadership, and service are alive and well in our music program.” Ruel explained.
After speaking with Tri-M president, Vanessa Nguyen, about what being the president of Tri-M means to her, the quote that stood out to me the most was, “Being Tri-M president is very meaningful to me because it means that I get to represent DHS’s music department, which has been a big part in shaping me into who I am today, and having a job that impacts so many people makes me fulfilled.”
Nguyen also said, “The induction ceremony definitely made me feel nostalgic when realizing how far my friends and I have come over these past four years of being in Tri-M. It made me feel accomplished for having participated in fundraisers, community events, and more. I’m hoping for the future of the society and am excited to see what the current members and new inductees have in store for it.”
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