NHS and Tri-M: Honored to Serve

Buffalo High School is committed to helping its students become the best they can be. This includes providing them with opportunities to serve their community, something that National Honor Society (NHS) and Tri-M do wonderfully. NHS focuses on supporting the Buffalo community around us, contrary to Tri-M, which focuses on supporting the music community of BHM schools.

This year has been eventful for both of the service-oriented organizations at Buffalo High School. To name a few accomplishments, for the first time, NHS members helped with a Buffalo Community Middle School (BCMS) Fun Night. They received requests for members to help with over 50 community events. Members collected 186 pints of blood for the American Red Cross over 3 blood drives and recruited 60 first-time student blood donors. Students raised money for the District 877 scholarship fund as well.
“It’s just really cool to put that effort in for somebody else, and not really expect anything in return,” Avery Russek ‘26 said.
Key highlights for Tri-M are: successfully growing the music program for next year, marking a key milestone in their outreach, and hosting a movie night in the Performing Arts Center.
The impact NHS and Tri-M have on students, schools, and local communities is truly profound.
“I think a lot of students start just feeling like it’s an extracurricular that they can put on their activities resume,” Christina Cox, an NHS advisor, said. “And once they start doing the work and providing the service, I think they start recognizing the impact that they can have within their community and their school. And it’s a really big deal, and it’s a really fun thing to watch people recognize for themselves.”
Even though both organization have had success, they have not been without problems. NHS has had attendance issues this the year, which can end up affecting plans and activities.

“I think we always work to create an engaging experience for students, which can be challenging when we have a group of about 150 every year,” Cox said.
Tri-M has struggled because the pandemic greatly constrained the organization’s performance opportunities.
“Since Covid, Tri-M is running under the national level right now,” Russek ‘26 said. With the end of the school year nearing, both groups have had their final meetings of the 2025-2026 school year. In those meetings, members discussed goals for the next school year.

Tri-M leaders discussed adopting successful NHS strategies for their own organization.
“One of the biggest things is making it more like NHS,” Lilah Dongoski ‘27. “So each of us leaders are going to be getting a group of kids in Tri-M.” This will help leaders keep everything more streamlined. Tri-M leaders are also aiming for a more focused group next year.
“I really hope next year there’s more people that are more passionate about it.” Russek ‘26 said. “I think this year we had a really great building year for next year. I think next year is gonna just go above and beyond the expectations that we had this year.”
NHS leadership calls on new members to drive the future with continued dedication to service.
“I hope that the juniors carry forward a pride for being a part of NHS,” Hailey Hathaway-Oxley ‘26 said. “And also pride for being selected as executives.”
Ultimately, the success of the 2025-2026 school year goes beyond just the hours served or events performed. It lies in the lasting impact NHS and Tri-M have made on the culture of Buffalo High School. By fostering a culture of service, these organizations have set the bar high for future leaders, leaving a legacy of mentorship and community spirit that will resonate for years to come.