Make Your Case For Lead
LEAD Conferences are energizing weekends that provide advisers and students alike with leadership training, motivation, and networking with peers from around the country. LEAD offers support tools at www.leadconferences.org/toolkit, which outline for your principal, administrators, or school board the numerous benefits of students and advisers attending a LEAD Conference. Begin your plans now to sharpen your skills, engage in meaningful collaboration, and share innovative ideas about serving your community—and leave with everything you need to enhance your leadership. More details on upcoming LEAD Conferences are available at www.leadconferences.org.
Virtual Leadership Development
The NHS/NJHS #Futuready series provides vital online learning resources to help students hone their leadership skills. This collection of worksheets and videos has been customized for you and your students by middle level and high school educators. With the newest modules, Public Speaking and Persuasive Speaking, students can learn how to get their message out to a large number of people at once and make a compelling case. Access the resources at www.nhs.us/futuready and www.njhs.us/futuready, and share them with faculty, guidance staff, students, and parents.
Your Feedback Wanted
We understand that for many of you, the school year has been upended. In this difficult time, it’s still important to celebrate your chapter’s or council’s wins and for us to capture a record of the work your students did this year. Please take some time to add up your hours volunteered, dollars raised, and donations collected to share in the year-end report. You will need your unique school affiliation number to complete the report, which is found in your NASSP online account. This information about your council’s or chapter’s activities this past year provides invaluable data to help the national office enrich the student experience. The deadline to submit is June 30. Complete the report and earn a 20 percent discount from the NHS, NJHS, or NatStuCo store that can be redeemed June 15–August 15.
Top Volunteers Honored
The top youth volunteers in each state and the District of Columbia were honored by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards at its 25th annual and first-ever virtual celebration in May. In addition to their $1,000 scholarships, each honoree also received a $2,500 donation to direct toward the local coronavirus response efforts of a nonprofit of their choice. Some of these honorees were already hard at work responding to the needs arising in their communities from COVID-19, from providing meals for people dealing with food insecurity to creating fun activities for children home from school. This annual program, sponsored by Prudential in partnership with NASSP, honors students in grades 5–12 for making meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service.
Dates to Remember
June
Warren E. Shull NatStuCo Adviser of the Year winners announced at the National Student Council Conference
29 NatStuCo founded in 1931
30 National affiliation renewals and adviser year-end report responses due
July
Application process opens for the Outstanding Service Project Awards
22–24 National Student Council Conference
August
Application process opens for the National Council of Excellence Awards
NHS Chapter Spotlight: Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Every year, the National Honor Society at Wisconsin Lutheran High School partners with the school’s student council to raise money for a cause. The theme this year was “Hand in Hand With Haiti” to provide the Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti with food, school supplies, uniforms, shoes, books, and three new classrooms. With an annual fundraising goal of at least $10,000, students held lollipop and bake sales for the student body, in addition to selling bracelets in the colors of Haiti’s flag. Other events included a rose sale, Kings of the Court (volleyball tournament), silent auction, Mario Kart tournament, and Walk-A-Thon. Members also sought company sponsors to match their fundraising efforts so they could donate even more.
Recognizing Student Achievements
Congratulations to the recipients of NHS, NJHS, and NatStuCo award programs in 2020! The NHS Scholarship awarded $2 million among 600 distinguished seniors. The NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award honored 500 recipients with $500 in a college savings account. The NHS and NJHS Outstanding Service Project awarded six NHS and five NJHS projects that made a significant impact through service. The National Councils of Excellence Award recognized almost 300 middle level and high school student councils that consistently provide quality leadership activities and service to their schools. To learn more about the award programs, see the lists of winners, and get inspiration for future projects, visit the NHS, NJHS, and NatStuCo websites.
National Student Council Conference Going Virtual
The 2020 National Student Council Conference—originally scheduled to take place at Eaglecrest High School in Centennial, CO—will be moving forward as a virtual event. Occurring on July 22–24, the new online conference will feature peer networking, nationally renowned speakers, breakout sessions with small groups, and tailored workshops designed to push student leadership to new heights. And with the virtual event free to attend, it’s the perfect opportunity for your advisers and student council members to “Rise Up and Lead.” Visit www.natstucoconference.org for more information.