National Conference Report 2005
Washington, DC
More than 950 students and advisers from NHS and NJHS chapters around the nation gathered at the Crystal City Hyatt Regency Hotel on November 11 -13 for the 13th National Conference of the Honor Societies. The weekend was filled with motivational and informative speakers, informative workshops, opportunities to share ideas and to be recognized with national awards.
Friday kicked off early in the day for the competing teams in the NHS Scholars' Bowl® and the new NJHS Scholars’ Bowl. Starting at noon, teams gathered to take the competition’s Qualifying Examination. Each member of the five-person team took a test in either English, General Knowledge, Math, Science, or Social Studies. Teams were then assigned to their competition rounds that began later in the day. Click here to learn more about the NHS Scholars' Bowl®. The NHS Scholars' Bowl® is sponsored by Pearson Prentice Hall, the nation’s leading publisher for secondary education (www.phschool.com).
One of the purposes of the national conference is to expose chapters (both students and advisers) to post-secondary education opportunities. The primary vehicle for this is through our partnerships with the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) – more information about these two groups is featured below. In addition, a variety of colleges and universities are invited to support the conference by providing information about their institutions. Advisers are provided a bag containing a complete set of forms from the participating higher education groups to take back to their schools, and student delegates are given the opportunity to pick up copies (if extras were provided) during the first day of the conference. We are grateful for the support from these colleges and universities – click here to access the complete list of participating schools for 2005.
The opening general session for the conference brought welcome from our local hosts, the Honor Society chapters of the District of Columbia. Our emcees, Kelcie Glass and Langston Tingling Clemmons, NHS members from the Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, gaveled the conference to order.
Prior to the main speaker, delegates were introduced to Carmella La Spada, Executive Director of the White House Commission on Remembrance, www.remember.gov . Ms. La Spada’s office helped facilitate participation in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, November 10. Peabody Veteran’s Memorial High School (MA) was selected to represent all 22,000+ Honor Society chapters at the ceremony.
At our opening session, Patricia Tucker, Assistant Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools welcomed the audience to the nation’s capital. We were also honored to hear from Dr.Gerald Tirozzi, Executive Director of NASSP (parent organization to the Honor Societies) as he commended the students for their achievements and chapter advisers for their hard work maintaining their chapters.
The speaker for the Friday night general session was Joe Martin, creator of www.rwuniversity.com and a motivational speaker with a fascinating story to share with all the delegates. Mr. Martin’s presentation was sponsored by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, featured on www.nscs.org.
Following the general session, delegates adjourned to participate in the Conference Service Project. Janessa Largent, a student from Minnesota and one of the national winners of the 2005 Prudential Spirit of Community Award, organized the delegates in making remembrance bracelets to send to U.S. troops serving overseas as a way to say thank you for their service to the country. With the help of conference delegates, Janessa reached a new milestone for her project – surpassing the mark for 200,000 bracelets made. For more information about Janessa’s project, visit www.harmsway4kids.com.
Saturday’s opening session featured the Phi Theta Kappa Forum, focusing on the theme: “Pursuit of the American Dream 2005: Ethnicity, Gender, and Religion – Implements or Impediments”. Our presenters were Professor Larry Polk, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and Dr. Jack Shaheen with Dr. Doug Foard moderating the session (pictured below). The presenters gave delegates many important points to consider regarding how ethnicity, gender, and religion affect our understanding of one another in today’s American society. Following the general session, delegates attended follow-up sessions with each of the presenters to further explore their area of expertise. May thanks to Phi Theta Kappa, the nation’s leading community college honor society, for sponsoring this event. Please visit www.ptk.org for more information.
The afternoon of the conference gave delegates the chance to hear presentations from a variety of workshop presenters covering topics that emphasized activities in service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
While students and advisers were attending workshops and seminars, teams competed in rounds for both the NHS Scholars’ Bowl and NJHS Scholars’ Bowl. The NJHS competition concluded Saturday morning; the NHS concluded later in the afternoon.
By 4 p.m., workshops, seminars and competitions had concluded and delegates regrouped for the General Session featuring the NHS Scholars' Bowl® finals, the Scholars’ Bowl awards ceremony, and the presentation of the 2005 Outstanding Service Project awards.
To start things off, Rocco Marano, National Secretary for NHS &NJHS and Director of Student Activities at NASSP, provided greetings and a warm welcome to all participating chapters (seen below).
The winning team for the 2005 NHS Scholars' Bowl® is Clear Lake HS from Texas (pictured on the left, below) who masterfully maneuvered through the round beating out C. Leon King HS (FL) who took 4th place in the competition, Marian Central Catholic HS (IL) who took third, and Conestoga HS (PA) who came in second.
In the NJHS Scholars’ Bowl competition, being held for the first time in 2005, Rodney Thompson Middle School from Stafford, Virginia was the national winner (seen on the right, below).
Following the recognition of all the winners in both NHS and NJHS Scholars’ Bowl competitions, ten chapters were recognized as the recipients of the 2005 Outstanding Service Project awards, pictured below with Rocco Marano and Rick Gregg, incoming chair of the NHS &NJHS National Council. See related story here.
On Sunday morning, delegates gathered for the Closing General Session. We heard first from NASSP President, David Vodila, principal of Red Lion Area HS (PA) who challenged the audience to take advantage of their education and to consider teaching or the principalship as careers. Mr. Vodila represents the 30,000+ NASSP members who make up the organization that created and today proudly sponsors both NHS and NJHS.
Next, the Kyker Award for an outstanding state association service project was presented to the Connecticut state NHS organization for their project in support of the “Greater Hartford Literacy Campaign”. Chapters from throughout the state collected money and books in support of this important adult literacy effort. Delegates from Connecticut and their Executive Director, Don Gates, Principal from Portland HS are shown receiving their award, below.
The National Adviser of the Year Award, known as the Rynearson Award in honor of the founder of NHS, Dr. Edward Rynearson, was then presented to Mrs. Barbara Baltrinic from Ellet HS in Ohio, seen receiving her award from David Vodila, below. See full story and photo on the 2005 award.
Our final speaker of the conference was Katy Ballenger who spoke on the topic, “’Make a Difference’ Isn’t a Cliché, It’s a Movement – Are You In?” Katy, a former Prudential Spirit of Community Award winner, challenged the delegates to go home and make the most of their lives through service to others. Her inspiring call to action was a perfect conclusion to an event filled conference. Learn more about Katy’s message by visiting www.katyballenger.com.
Students and advisers from 32 states and four overseas territories and countries participated in this year’s national conference. New friends, new ideas, and new meaning to being a member of NHS and NJHS were all developed during the weekend event. As the final gavel sounded on Sunday morning, farewells were made and many thanks were shared with all who were presenters at this year’s meeting as well as to all who attended.
Next year’s meeting will be held November 3 - 5, 2006 in Orlando, Florida. Information will be mailed to chapter advisers and posted in the “Conferences and Programs” section of www.nhs.us starting in March. All active chapters are invited and encouraged to join us for the 2006 National Conference.
Photos courtesy of Lyn Fiscus, Jeff Sherrill, and David Cordts.
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