MOOSEHEART, IL - When he arrived at Mooseheart as an eighth grader, Kristofer Barnard went to the National Honor Society induction ceremony -- an impressive event on the Child City campus, conducted within the majestic House of God -- and liked what he saw.

“I thought to myself, I’d like to be up there and make everyone proud,” Barnard said.

Now a senior at Mooseheart High School, Barnard realized that dream on Thursday, Nov. 15, when he became the latest inductee into the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society.

“It was a little nerve-wracking, especially being the only one up there,” Barnard said.

Sponsored by , Brookfield, FL Lodge 1676, Barnard said he has worked hard to reach the academic standards required of the National Honor Society.

“In my freshman year, I wasn’t doing so well in school,” Barnard said. “I really applied myself after that.”

Barnard is a member of the Mooseheart football team, wrestled for two years and is an academic standout. He is also active in the leadership of the school’s NJROTC program, is a morning tutor at the school and is a member of the Peer Ministry team at the House of God.

“I do a lot of things on campus to help out,” Barnard said.

Barnard said he intends to attend college after graduation from Mooseheart in May. He hopes to become an occupational therapist.

Janet Fregulia, Grand Chancellor of the Women of the Moose was the guest speaker at this year’s ceremony, and she mentioned that, “what makes the difference between a person of significance and person of mediocrity is that slight edge of excellence.

” Fregulia recalled her parents -- both the children of immigrants and neither of whom had the benefit of a high school education. But she said, “they were able to succeed in life, and it’s all because they had a goal and a dream. They did not let what had previously been in their lives stop them from achieving the success and the excellence that they deserved.”

And to Kris Barnard, Fregulia said: “I congratulate you, young man. You’ve got your head on straight. You know where you want to go and you’re always willing to help others help reach their goals as well.”

Mooseheart has a long history with the National Honor Society. The school’s chapter within the organization was formed in 1921 -- the first chapter chartered in the state of Illinois and just the fifth nationwide.

The National Honor Society requires honorees to have at least a 3.2 grade-point average, to earn an ACT Test score higher than 21 and to demonstrate overall accomplishment in ``Character, Scholarship, Leadership and Service.”

Mooseheart Child City & School is a 1,000-acre community and school for children and teens in need of a secure home, located just south of Batavia, IL, between Illinois Route 31 and Randall Road.

Founded in 1913, Mooseheart is supported completely through private donations - the great majority of which come from the 1.1 million men and women of the Moose fraternal organization, in more than 1,900 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters located throughout the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is located on the Mooseheart campus.

Since its founding, Mooseheart has operated a complete, accredited kindergarten-through-high-school academic program, plus art, music, vocational training and interscholastic sports. It is an extremely nurturing and student-tailored program, with an average student-teacher ratio of 12-1.

Mooseheart students who complete their studies with a 3.0 GPA or better (4.0=A) are eligible for up to five years of annually renewable scholarship funding, covering tuition, room and board in an amount comparable to that required for an in-state student at an Illinois public university.

Mooseheart is currently home to nearly 250 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children are, for whatever reason, lacking a stable home environment. Mooseheart boasts its own U.S. Post Office and a branch of Fifth Third Bank.

In addition to Mooseheart, Moose International also supports Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville, FL founded in 1922; and conducts more than $90 million worth of community service programs annually.

Founded in 1888, the Moose organization has long offered its members an opportunity to do good for others while celebrating life, with family, social, and sporting activities. For more information on the Moose organization, visit the websites at www.Mooseintl.org and www.Mooseheart.org or call 630-966-2229.