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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
NHS Virtual College Fair Coming This Week
Tell your members to register for the NHS Virtual College Fair! It’s this Thursday, October 20. Attendees can save time and money as they begin to compose or narrow down a college wish list. Members or parents simply need to register at www.nhs.us/virtualcollegefair with your school’s affiliation number, then log in to the fair site from any computer or smartphone between 2:00 and 10:00 p.m. (ET) this Thursday. One booth will feature a virtual college application essay writing workshop. See the next item for more details.
Virtual College Application Essay Writing Workshops Introduced
The college application essay can be a source of anxiety for some students. Now, NHS is rolling out a series of virtual college application essay writing workshops. Hosted by field experts, these are highly interactive sessions with writing prompts. Attendees can walk away with tips to produce an effective finished product. Registration is now open for sessions through December. Past sessions can be viewed on demand. Tell your members to visit www.nhs.us/virtualNHS.
Alert your Members—“The FAFSA: What You Need to Know Now” Webinar
Help your members find college affordability options sooner. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) became available on October 1, three months earlier than ever. Completion of the FAFSA leads to many college financial aid opportunities. An NHS/NJHS college admission and financial aid planning webinar, “The FAFSA: What You Need to Know Now,” takes place on Wednesday, October 26, 7:00-8:00 p.m. (ET). Register at www.nhs.us/webinars or www.njhs.us/webinars. (Also, log in to the Adviser Resource Center on the NHS or NJHS website under “Publicizing NHS/NJHS Programs & Services” for a copy-and-paste email, take-home flier, and sample social media posts to help you promote it.)
Your Members Could Win a Celebrity Shoutout
Ask your NHS or NJHS members: How will you #HonorYourFutureNow? Tell them to take a picture of themselves doing homework, on a college visit, engaged in a career-prep activity, or any other photo that captures their future endeavors. Then they should post it to Instagram tagging @nhs_njhs using the hashtag #HonorYourFutureNow any time through February 25, 2017. One randomly chosen winner will get a personal shoutout from Miss Teen USA 2014 K. Lee Graham and another will get a shoutout from Ben J. Pierce on his YouTube vlog. Suggest your members follow NHS and NJHS on Instagram @nhs_njhs for details.
Apply for an Outstanding Service Project Award
The Outstanding Service Project (OSP) award program recognizes NHS and NJHS chapters that have made significant service contributions at the local level. For this year’s award, 10 NHS and 10 NJHS projects will be selected. Please visit the OSP section of the NHS and NJHS websites for this year’s new criteria and access to the online application.
Last Call! National Principals Month Video Contest Ends October 28
Have your students produced a video to share the awesomeness of your principal with the world? Tell them to celebrate National Principals Month by submitting that video to the Principal Props Video Contest. Submissions are due by Friday, October 28. Entrants are eligible to win a $200 Best Buy gift card. See rules here.
2016-17 NHS Scholarship Program Opens November 1
This year, $1 million—disbursed among 400 members—will be awarded to outstanding NHS seniors through the prestigious NHS Scholarship Program. The application process will open on November 1. On that date, NHS advisers can log in to the website to download the 2016-17 application instructions. Distribute the instructions to all eligible seniors and your school principal. The application deadline for students is February 1, 2017. Recommendations must be submitted by February 10, 2017. The entire process is completed online. Email [email protected] with any questions about the application process.
LEAD Conferences: The Early Bird Gets the Savings
Take advantage of special early-bird registration rates for LEAD Conferences this year. To save, register by October 21 for Denver, by December 19 for Washington, D.C., and by January 13 for Chicago. Special Honor Society adviser training and other new Honor Society customized programming are planned for this year. Visit the LEAD website to learn more about each destination.
Call for Presentations at LEAD
Are you or your chapter members interested in presenting a workshop at a LEAD Conference? NHS and NJHS advisers and student leaders have a wealth of experience, amazing project ideas, and effective strategies that have led to successful programs and events. Please share it! Apply today to be a LEAD Conference presenter.
Teaching Tolerance
In the midst of this intense political season and ongoing issues related to race, justice, and policing, teachers are asking an important question: How do I teach about the election, keep marginalized kids safe, and promote respectful behavior? Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, can connect educators to the resources they need to promote civil discourse in their classrooms. Visit their website for resources to promote civility.
Especially for Texas NJHS Members…
Give your NJHS chapter and your school a leadership edge and build positive school climate. Attend the Texas Association of Student Councils’ 2016 TASC Middle Level State Annual Conference, November 4–5 in San Marcos. The event includes motivational general sessions by Kevin Laue and Camfel Productions, breakouts and discussion groups, and adviser and student leadership training. Register online or on-site.
HONOR SOCIETY TIPS AND TOOLS
Nonselection and Appeals
When a student is not selected for membership, does your chapter have a formal appeals process in place? The national office encourages doing so, including a deadline to register appeals with the school principal. This procedure allows the principal to hear parents’ concerns and review nonselection decisions to ensure the chapter’s policies and procedures are in compliance with NHS and NJHS national policies. The procedure should be in writing and easily accessible to parents and students. Visit the Adviser Resource Center on the NHS and NJHS websites for more guidance on this subject.
About Other Recognition Programs
Throughout the year, the national office receives inquiries from parents, students, and advisers about membership invitations received by mail. These invitations are sent by other organizations not affiliated with National Honor Society or National Junior Honor Society, but are often mistaken for official invitations to join. Some may bear names similar to NHS/NJHS, though there is no infringement on the NHS or NJHS copyright.
These letters confuse both students and new chapter advisers. Please note, the national office does not mail any letters, membership materials, or other solicitations to students. There are no fees paid to the national office by students to join the National Honor Societies. (If a chapter opts to charge membership dues, those are paid only to a local chapter following induction.)
If students ask about these letters or invitations, please inform them that all membership materials are distributed to students by your school chapter only. Any other materials received by mail or email are in no way affiliated with NHS or NJHS.
National Student Project Database
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There are more than 5,000 project ideas available at your fingertips! Log on now to the National Student Project Database on the NHS and NJHS websites for ideas from other schools and to submit your own successful projects!
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Is there something you’d like us to include in next month’s Honor Society News? Email your ideas or suggestions to [email protected].
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