Help your students empower their futures and hone beneficial soft skills with the #Futuready suite from the National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). These self-guided modules have been customized to help students prepare for wherever life may take them. In addition to the #Futuready tutorials already released—Goal Setting, Time Management, Self-Management, Exploring Careers, and Mastering Interviews—NHS and NJHS have four new videos to get your students thinking about their futures.
Fundraising
The first of the new modules looks at fundraising for a cause. What causes do your students feel strongly about? Do they already have a charity in mind, or do they need help finding one that fits their passion? This module encourages students to look at the steps it takes to get started—setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) goals, considering the ways donations will be collected, and creating ways to raise money from selling products to hosting a raffle. With this framework, students will feel empowered to make a difference.
Building a Business
Do any of your students have an entrepreneurial spirit? The Building a Business module looks at what it takes to begin this journey—starting with creativity and hard work—and guides students through focused questions to determine how their ideas can be successful. What are they interested in? What are they good at? What are some problems they encounter on a daily basis? From there they can evaluate the answers to these questions and move toward possible solutions. For example, someone who loves dogs, is responsible, and doesn’t feel like they get to spend enough time outside might consider starting a dog-walking business in their neighborhood. The video also addresses competitors, supply and demand, and consideration of startup costs.
Storytelling for Impact
In order to be a leader who can inspire positive change, you need to be able to connect with people—and the most effective way to do so is with the power of storytelling. This module looks at different approaches to storytelling and how to weave elements together to create a persuasive argument, inspire someone to action, or invite someone to join a cause. Students will also learn how to put those skills into practice. Once students have honed these narrative-crafting talents, they’ll be better equipped for the road ahead.
Finding Your Purpose
The final module of the new #Futuready series goes live this April, and it’s about looking inward, helping students identify what drives them, and knowing how to direct their path and make decisions based on that purpose. The module asks students what they love to do, what they are good at, and what problems in the world they would like to solve. Combining those elements can give them a clearer idea of how to focus their energy toward that purpose. Then, the video encourages students to create a blueprint for their lives, looking ahead at what a fulfillment of that purpose might look like.
The best part about this series is that it can be shared with the school community—faculty, guidance staff, students, and parents. These resources are easily accessible at www.nhs.us/futuready and www.njhs.us/futuready.