Cary High School teacher Becky Thacker is proud of the 32 juniors and seniors inducted into the National Technical Honor Society earlier this month.

This is Cary High’s fourth year in the national program, which is open to upper classmen who get good grades and have taken two career and technical education courses.

The NTHS is primarily a community service organization, and students decide which activities they want to participate in each year. Thacker said students work together throughout the year to make a difference.

Q: What does membership in the honor society mean for a student?

The group has monthly meetings to decide which projects to take part in.

The honor society distinction means that students will wear purple and white cords at graduation and get NTHS stickers on their diplomas. They can participate in special webinars and apply for scholarships through the national organization.

We have some really good kids who are really motivated and interested in doing good things. I feel so fortunate.

Q: What are the students doing this year to help the community?

(Last week), they are participated in a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk on Cary High’s track. A lot of student organizations (were) out there supporting the cause.

This is our third year doing the Adopt-a-Soldier program. We find a Cary High graduate in the military and send care packages overseas. In the past, we have done an Adopt-a-Marine program, but this year, our graduate, Whitt Richards, is a soldier in the Army, and he is serving in Afghanistan.

He went overseas in the spring, and our students (sent) the first package to him on Oct. 30.

We send snack items like soup, tuna, fruit cups, trail mix, Pop-Tarts and beef jerky. We also send hand wipes, eye drops, cough drops, instant coffee and ground coffee.

The soldiers can throw the items in their backpacks when they head out. Sometimes, we ask Brownie troops to write letters and draw pictures to send along, too.

We are involved with the Miracle League of the Triangle, the Good Shepherd soup kitchen in Raleigh, and the Race for Life each spring.

I like for the kids to pay it forward and be very involved in community activities.

Q: Does the group do anything to help other students?

Yes, we are involved in the “Read a Book, Get a Book” program with Kingswood Elementary and the Cary Rotary. Our students are matched up with students at Kingswood. The program goes on throughout the year, and the Kingswood coordinator works with our students’ schedules; they can be as committed to the program as they want to be.

At the end of the year, we hold an ice cream social, and the elementary school students treat our students like rock stars. It’s really good.