Attend the VIRTUAL National Student Council Conference
Your student leaders have experienced a lifetime of historical events—and now it’s their turn to make history at the virtual 2021 National Student Council Conference July 22–25. Our theme, “Student Leaders Making History,” will feature a lineup of speakers who have all made history in their own ways to inspire students to create meaningful change in their communities (see page 9 for details). This year’s conference is open to all student leaders, not just National Student Council members, and individuals can register on their own—making the event more accessible than ever before. Spread the word and encourage your student leaders and advisers to register at www.natstucoconference.org.
Celebrate Student Achievement
Congratulations to the chapter, council, and student recipients of NHS, NJHS, and NatStuCo award programs in 2021! The NHS Scholarship awarded $2 million among 600 distinguished seniors. The NJHS Outstanding Achievement Awards honored 500 students with $500 in college savings accounts. The National Council of Excellence Award program recognized over 250 middle level and high school student councils that consistently provide quality leadership activities and service to their schools. To learn more about the award programs and see the lists of winners, visit the NHS, NJHS, and NatStuCo websites.
Take Action Against Childhood Hunger
Join the fight to end childhood hunger in America by participating in the National Initiative—a collaboration between the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the NASSP Student Leadership Advisory Committee, and No Kid Hungry. The National Initiative has new resources to empower students to fight food insecurity and advocate for the support their peers need, including a step-by-step guide for how students can set up meetings with local elected officials, an action bank with activities to advocate on food insecurity, and an advocacy letter template for contacting policymakers. Visit www.nassp.org/national-initiative and share these resources with your students today!
Dates to Remember
June
16 Registration deadline for National Student Council Conference
22–25 National Student Council Conference
29 NatStuCo Founded in 1931
30 National affiliation renewals and year-end reports due
Highlight Your Wins
This school year was unlike any other, but you never stopped giving back—and we want to hear all about it. Count up your hours volunteered, dollars raised, and donations collected in the annual report by June 30. This report helps us better support your chapter or council by using real data from your service activities—and it helps you celebrate your chapter or council’s wins! You’ll also receive a 20% discount on your summer purchases in the NHS, NJHS, and NatStuCo stores. Get your year-end report link now at www.nhs.us, www.njhs.us, or www.NatStuCo.org. And don’t forget to keep your affiliation current! Visit www.nhs.us/renew, www.njhs.us/renew, and www.NatStuCo.org/renew by June 30 to renew online.
Student Leader Spotlight: Blast Off Tutoring
Sixteen-year-old Mitchell Meyer from Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District in Plainview, NY, recognized a problem when the pandemic began. NHS students—who typically earn community service hours by working in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, food pantries, and serving other community needs—were having difficulty completing their community service hour requirements due to COVID-19 safety protocols. He developed a free interactive website, Blast Off Tutoring, that connects students across the United States with volunteer tutors. Any student with expertise in a subject can volunteer (and earn service hours in the process), and other students get the additional instruction support they need. Visit https://blastofftutoring.com to learn more.