As you join fellow advisers in that collective sigh of relief for the end of another school year, it’s a good time to recap this year’s activities for the National Honor Societies and suggest some look-ahead options.
#Futuready
The NHS/NJHS #Futuready suite of visual guides and videos launched this year. Its modules are designed to train students to hone soft skills that are critical to success in life, regardless of the path taken. Direct students to these modules, and remember that as an NHS- or NJHS-affiliated institution, #Futuready is available to your entire school. Visit www.nhs.us/futuready or www.njhs.us/futuready for access.
Tip: Spend time over summer break planning how you can integrate the series into chapter meetings or classroom curriculum.
College Admission Planning Webinars
In 2017–18, NHS and NJHS hosted six webinars exclusively for members and parents. Did your members miss them? All are available for viewing on demand. Share links with your counseling staff, too, so they can hear from admission and financial aid experts, including representatives from Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, and the office of Federal Student Aid. Visit www.nhs.us/webinars or www.njhs.us/webinars.
Tip: With your officers, develop a plan over the summer to promote the webinar series in the year ahead. Suggest they watch archived webinars to become familiar with the topics.
Virtual College Application Essay-Writing Workshops
These highly interactive, hands-on workshops feature writing prompts to give your NHS members an edge when applying for college or scholarships.
Tip: These tools can be accessed 24/7. Suggest your rising senior members spend time watching these workshops over the summer at www.nhs.us/virtualNHS.
The NHS Scholarship
The National Honor Society Scholarship program saw an 18 percent increase in applicants over the prior year. The program awarded a record sum, with $1.5 million disbursed among 500 winners.
Tip: The application will reopen in October. Summer is a good time to identify strong candidates. Give them a head start by recommending they prepare an essay to address how they embody the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
Adviser Online Community
In its first full year of operation, the community provided a forum for 1,900 NHS and NJHS advisers to discuss everything from member selection to motivating students. With nearly 3,770 posts covering more than 700 topics, the community is brimming with wisdom from your peers.
Tip: The community will be open all summer long. Log in and peruse the discussions, or start a thread of your own. Not a member? Join now! Visit https://community.nassp.org.
For Your Planning Purposes
Looking Ahead
July: The Outstanding Service Project Award application opens
October: The NHS Scholarship application opens
November 2–4: LEAD Conference Orlando
Late January 2019: NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award nominations open
February 1–3, 2019: LEAD Conference DC
March 22–24, 2019: LEAD Conference Chicago
Throughout the year: College admission planning webinars air. State Summits will be staged—watch for one happening near you!
Be sure you and your members follow NHS and NJHS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for real-time news on activities and opportunities throughout the year.