NHS Seniors: Apply Now

This year, $1 million in scholarships will be awarded to outstanding NHS senior members through the prestigious NHS Scholarship program, and your student could be one of them! Applications for the NHS Scholarship are now being accepted. Any NHS senior member in good standing is eligible to apply. Advisers, make sure you let your students know and tell them to visit www.nhs.us/scholarship to apply. The deadline is February 1, 2017.

Apply for the National Council of Excellence Awards

The National Council of Excellence Awards seek to recognize middle level and high school student councils that consistently provide quality leadership activities and service to their schools and communities. These awards distinguish outstanding student councils by guiding student leaders and their advisers through an application process featuring standards-based criteria and demonstration-based outcomes.

There are two levels of recognition: A student council achieves a National Council of Excellence Award when it has demonstrated that it meets all of the NASC requirements, and the National Gold Council of Excellence award is awarded to those councils that demonstrate the highest levels of leadership as well as meet additional standards as set by NASC. Councils can apply now for NCOE recognition. Visit www.nasc.us/ncoe for more details. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2017.

Get Rewarded for Outstanding Service

It’s estimated that millions of hours of community service are performed each year by Honor Society members. The Outstanding Service Project (OSP) awards recognize National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society chapters that have made significant service contributions at the local level. As a reminder, each project submitted for award consideration this year must be one that supports the ideals of Global Citizenship, the national initiative created by the NASSP Student Leadership Advisory Committee. Projects that reflect Global Citizenship are those that engage students to better understand their roles and opportunities as involved and informed citizens. The submission deadline is February 28, 2017. For more information, visit www.nhs.us/osp or www.njhs.us/osp.

Search for Scholarships with NHS Scholar Dollars

It’s that time of year again! With so many scholarships available, it can be a challenge to find specific ones that fit students’ achievements best. Get help with NHS Scholar Dollars, a scholarship search tool. Powered by the College Board and developed in partnership with the Get Schooled Foundation, this customized search tool expedites the scholarship search process for NHS members. It offers filtered results based on the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Advisers should alert chapter members and their parents about this resource and encourage them to visit www.nhs.us/scholardollars to start the scholarship search.

Approved Programs & Contests at Your Fingertips

Have you ever wondered about the legitimacy of a particular student program, activity, or contest? Every year, NASSP publishes the NASSP List of Approved Contests, Programs, and Activities for Students. It is designed to help teachers, parents, and students in making decisions regarding participation in outside programs. All programs, activities, and contests listed have met specified standards of educational value, organizational structure, financial support, promotional accuracy, and fair and appropriate adjudication. This year the list appears as an online database and has been updated for the 2016–17 school year. To browse, visit www.nassp.org/contests and sort by program or sponsor name, or filter by school level and discipline/type.

Honor Advisers Who Go Above and Beyond

It takes special energy and a high degree of commitment to be a National Honor Society adviser or National Junior Honor Society adviser. The fact that all this work comes in addition to one’s regular teaching responsibilities is even more impressive. Because such educators deserve special recognition, the Rynearson Award was created. An NHS and NJHS Rynearson national winner each will receive a $500 award. Principals can nominate their NHS/NJHS advisers or advisers can nominate themselves! The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2017. Visit www.nhs.us/rynearson or www.njhs.us/rynearson to access the online application.

Energize Your Leadership

Are you looking to sharpen your students’ leadership skills and improve your school culture and community? Leadership Experience and Development (LEAD) Conferences offer experiential leadership skills development to students and advisers of NHS, NJHS, and NASC. Training opportunities for both students and advisers will tackle a variety of topics, including leadership, student voice, civic engagement, service, and activities. Provide your students with the opportunity to network with their peers from around the country at LEAD Conferences in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, IL, this February. The final registration deadline for LEAD DC is January 13, 2017, and for LEAD Chicago, it’s January 27, 2017.

#HonorYourFutureNow

Have your students entered the NHS/NJHS #HonorYourFutureNow contest? Tell them to share their photos with us on Instagram that show how they’re honoring their future. Whether it’s pics of college visits over the holiday break, filling out college applications, or just doing homework—NHS and NJHS want to see it! Use the hashtag #HonorYourFutureNow and entrants will be eligible to win a shout-out from Miss Teen USA 2014 K. Lee Graham on Instagram or YouTube star Ben J. Pierce on his vlog! Students have until February 27, 2017, to submit photos.

Dates To Remember

DECEMBER

December 1: Warren E. Shull Award for NASC Adviser of te Year application deadline

December 19: Early-bird registration deadline for Washington, D.C., LEAD Conference

JANUARY

January 13: Regular deadline for LEAD DC registration, early-bird deadline for LEAD Chicago registration

January 27: Regular deadline for LEAD Chicago registration

January 30: NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award applications open

FEBRUARY

February 1: Deadline for NHS Scholarship student applications

February 3–5: LEAD DC

February 10–12: LEAD Chicago

February 15: Deadline for National Council of Excellence applications

February 15: Deadline for Rynearson Award nominations

February 15: NHS/NJHS college adminssion planning webinar: “Early Planning for College Affordability”

February 27: Deadline for #HonorYourFutureNow Instagram contest submissions

February 28: Deadline for Outstanding Service Project submissions