Blog

It's often stated when a huge prize is at stake in a Powerball or Mega Millions game: "You gotta be in it to win it." The same is true for the various recognition programs offered by the National Honor Societies. But unlike the lottery, these programs are not a game of chance and, frankly, these...

Your Students Could Become YouTube Stars! October is National Principals Month, which means it's time for students to show their appreciation for their principal. One way for them to get involved is to create a fun, unique video about how great their principal is. In addition, students are encouraged to show their principal some love...

When planning your many activities this year, it is our hope that you are incorporating efforts related to the NASSP Student Programs National Initiative, Global Citizenship. The five strands associated with our national initiative—awareness and perspective, civic engagement, empathetic actions/personal wellness, equity, and positive social change—encourage students to have an impact beyond their immediate community,...

We all know how much goes into managing a chapter of National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, or student council. It can be a daunting task, particularly when your membership reaches more than 100 students. As a chapter adviser for the last seven years, I've seen membership grow and finally plateau at about 115...

There is plenty of media out there discussing what students cannot do, like write in cursive or dial a rotary phone. However, we teachers know a secret: When given the opportunity, there are amazing things that our students can do. That is why the National Honor Societies (NHS and NJHS) exist—to empower students to use...

Change is coming our way. With the passage and early implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal government is working to move schools forward after No Child Left Behind and help states offer fewer, but higher-quality tests. Part of this plan is the "Innovative Assessment" pilot, designed to allow states to develop, try,...

As a busy adviser your time is especially valuable, so we've rounded up tips and resources just for you that only take 10 minutes or less Type to Relax Suffering from writer's block? Bring up that news article or guilty-pleasure read that you've been meaning to get to and type out the words in a...

Make-A-Wish Week The Rangeview High School Student Leadership organization in Aurora, CO, hosted its second annual Make-A-Wish Week in February. Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. Rangeview Student Leadership raised funds for a 4-year-old girl named Sloane, who is fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Sloane's wish...

2016 graduate from Kailua High School in Kailua, HI, and undergraduate at Hawaii Pacific University Zachary Espino epitomizes what it means to be a student leader. He was heavily involved in both student council and the National Honor Society (NHS) during his high school career. He realized his leadership potential through his participation in both...

Student Week Objective Students will plan a weeklong series of events to build a greater school community. Materials A large piece of paper or a digital space (like a Google Doc) for students to brainstorm, task-analyze, and assign responsibilities. (Additional materials will vary depending on activities planned.) Time Required Two to three 20-minute council or...

Principals deserve encouragement all year long, and there is no better time to boast about your favorite principal's prowess than during National Principals Month. Extend a bit of public gratitude to your principal on social media this October using the hashtag #ThankAPrincipal. Source: www.principalsmonth.org This year's LEAD Conferences (www.leadconferences.org) are right around the corner. Plan...

Today's National Honor Societies are far more than an honor roll. NHS and NJHS members and affiliated schools have access to an array of college admission and planning programs and resources; leadership development events and opportunities; and service-planning tools. In fact, you may be surprised to learn all that the National Honor Societies offer. Your...

The 2016 NASC Warren E. Shull Advisers of the Year took to the stage to accept their awards at the NASC National Conference this past June in Portland, OR. About the Winners Daniel Bailey from Pine Ridge Middle School in West Columbia, SC, was named the Middle Level Adviser of the Year. He consistently nurtures...

Get Out That Video Camera This October, your students have a great opportunity to become YouTube stars and show public appreciation for their principal. In honor of National Principals Month, students are asked to create a short video singing their principal's praises in a creative way. Encourage your chapter or council members to get started...

Welcome back! We hope you are energized and ready for an exciting school year. We are thrilled to announce the focus of the NASSP Student Leadership Advisory Committee's new national initiative. The committee members worked hard to select an initiative in which all NASC student councils and NHS and NJHS chapters will be able to...

Generation Z includes those born between 1994 and 2010. They've not yet entered the workforce, but they're already making themselves known as a group that has strong values and believes in giving back. In fact, according to a study by Millennial Branding, 77 percent of high school student respondents are either extremely or very interested...

Did you know students could lend their voice as implementation of a historic piece of education legislation is being crafted? Congress enacted a new federal education law in December 2015, which was momentous not only because it entirely replaced the unpopular No Child Left Behind Act, but because for the first time it requires middle...

Involve students in the election for the benefit of themselves and the country When researchers for the Brookings Institution asked 4,000 high school students about politics last year, a majority said they had no faith in the political system, and less than 10 percent said they'd ever consider running for office. Their comments were telling:...

Getting buy-in from principals, community members, and parents One cannot deny that school is a busy place. With classes, new learning initiatives, sports, clubs, celebrations, and of course, National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, and student council meetings, students and staff are constantly juggling multiple commitments. Meaningful experiences outside the classroom, such as the...