More than 90 eighth and ninth graders were inducted into the Pursuit of Excellence Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society Thursday night at the Carthage Junior High School.

Chosen to speak this year was Deborah Swarens, a former Carthage Junior High School teacher and newly hired Carthage R-9 assistant superintendent of curriculum.

She urged the students to prepare to get themselves ready for the advancing technological wonders that will take over the not-to-distant future.

She gave them three skills they will need to be successful in the future:

1. Develop the reading, math and science skills necessary to be ready for the current technological age;

2. Develop the written, verbal, technological and people skills necessary to be successful;

3. Work harder than your teachers.

“Make no mistake,” said Swearens. “Your potential to earn is directly related to your potential to learn.”

Explaining the purpose of Junior National Honor Society and the five traits of the program were Andrea Westhoff, chapter president; Grace Wallace for scholarship; Kathryn Patterson for service; Lindsay Terry for Leadership; Stephanie Meyer for character; and Natalee Tubaugh for citizenship.

Eight grade inductees are: Angela Aguas, Yanett Aguero, Jayde Anderson, Brian Ayala, Morgan Barton, Sarah Bass, Victoria Bass, Jenny Bastin, Jacob Blankenship, Elizabeth Bougher, Allison Brownfield, Brooke Burrow, Carin Contreras, Alyssa Coss, Ashley Coss, Summer Creech, Kyle Dickey, Austin Douty, Sara Embrey, Chelsea Fairleigh, James Flanigan, Tara Francisco, Yoselyn Garza, Brittany Golden, Joshua  Hanna, Emily Harris, Rachel Jack, Michaela Joines, Olivia Jones, Brooklyn Lampe, Riley Ledford, Joy Loveall, Audrey Mathis, Rebecca McAfee, Malorie Menefee, Abigail Miner, Kaylee Morgan, Joshua Murphy, Kendace Patterson, Jessie Pendergraft, Ariel Pennington, Natasha Petersen, Nicole Renken, Garrett Roberts, Diana Rodas, Joshua Rosendale, Levi Ross, Matthew Roy,  Elizabeth Shannon, Richard Shivley, Hunter smith, Maggie Smith, Deborah Stevens, Marissa Stevens, Larry Swinehart, Chad Turner, Emily Vanlanduit, David Watson, Rachel Weaver, Rachel Wells, Charles Whitehead, Jessica Williams and Kelsey Williams.

Ninth grade inductees are: Stephanie Aguilar-Cuellar, Gladis Alvarado, Taylor Bearden, Adam Christian, Sarah Christian, Maria Contreras, Savannah Davis, Nathaniel Dixon, Margret Dolan, Morgan Edmonson, Hannah Evans, Jarrett Garber, Terrin Garber, Rueben Gilbert, Ian Gimenez, Michelle Harris, Monica Huinac, Joel Ikenberry, Brandon Jones, Estevan Maturino, Estuardo Mejia, Samantha Morris, Sarah Price, Luis Rodas, Juar, Mark Ryan, Kimiberly Saldana, Kyle Shaner, Veronica Sprenkle, Brady Strait, Cecilie Washburn, Andrew White and Keely Youngworth.

Current members are:
Sarah Anderson, Lucretia Baker, Tristen Bass, Jon Batchelor, Allison Bennett, Mark Burgin, Emilee Denefrio, A.J. Dolan, Natasha (Kiki) Eigenmann, Ryan Ferrell, Nick Freelend, Peter Frost, Alexandra Giett, Moises Giron, Seth Golay, Nathan Kelly, Shelby Kittrell, Logan Kunard, Emma Lambeth, Eric Lessman, Kasie Lown, Guillermo Luarca, Grace Madsen, Madeline Marsden, Billy Mendell, Stephanie Meyer, Hannah Oexman, Wilky Ordonez, Haley Parnell, Alexandra Patrick, Kathryn Patterson, Kendi Petersen, Nicole Petersen, Kerek Peterson, Reyna Pichardo, Brian Poston, Zachary Powell, Mandolin Smith, Shelby Smith, Levi Snyder, Quentin Sprenkle, Kyle Sutton, Amber Taylor, Lindsay Terry, Ashlyn Todd, Natalee Tubaugh, Kirsten Wagner, Grace Wallace, Andrea Westhoff, Joel Williams and Chad Wilson.