The college application season may be winding down, but students can still find value in watching “Virtual NHS: College Application Essay Writing Workshops.” A series of both live and recorded sessions, this new college admission preparation opportunity debuted in the fall exclusively for NHS members and personnel at affiliated schools.

One session still remains to air live. Previously aired sessions have been recorded for viewing at any time. Encourage your 10th- and 11th-grade members to participate in the upcoming live workshop and watch recorded sessions on demand. Even a senior member still working on college applications is welcome to tune in.

These sessions are interactive, hands-on opportunities with writing prompts to allow viewers to walk away with tangible material.

To help you maximize your time, we’ve compiled an overview of the sessions, which are also available by visiting www.nhs.us/virtualnhs.

Recorded Sessions

Perfecting the Personal Statement

Writing about oneself can be difficult, but it’s important for a college applicant to know how to tell his or her own story. This session features guided activities and writing strategies to help applicants shine.

Have ’em at Hello: Mastering Opening Statements

College applicants need to stand out from the crowd. This session provides strategies that show students how to start off strong, as well as tips on approaches to avoid, in order to catch the reader’s attention.

Discover Your Voice

Each college application essay is as unique as the student who writes it. When successfully done, a student should be able to create a personal inventory and map out important ideas. Viewers will learn techniques to discover their voice and empower their writing.

Upcoming Live Session

Wednesday, December 14, 7:00–8:00 p.m. (ET) Sharing Your Story Through Scholarship Application Essays

What do scholarship providers look for in students’ scholarship applications? This session explores essay questions from current scholarship applications and highlights winning essays from previous years. Registration for this session is now open at www.nhs.us/virtualnhs.

As winter break approaches, why not set aside time for yourself to watch a session? You know how ambitious your members are. Wouldn’t you like to know that you helped one or more of them get into college or earn a scholarship because of a tip you learned and shared? In fact, why not make copies of this column and share it with your members? —

NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award Program Opens for 2017 Nominees Soon

NJHS advisers: Who are your outstanding members—the ones you know you’ll be hearing about for all the right reasons in years to come? Consider nominating those members for a 2017 NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award.

A total of 500 winners will be selected to each receive a $500 college savings award. The nomination process will open January 30, 2017. Get a jump-start by considering suitable nominees now. Learn more about the award and the 2016 winners at www.njhs.us/oaa.

Will you be attending LEAD DC or LEAD Chicago? If so, be sure to stop by our booth to get tips on ways to quickly and smoothly step through the application process.