NHS Informational Meeting

1. Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Von Steuben MSC NHS Informational Meeting

2. You have been invited to attend this meeting because you have already met these NHS requirements: SCHOLARSHIP by maintaining a weighted, cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.5 by June 2014 and SERVICE commitments have extended beyond those required as part of your course work. *Please note that these service requirements will be revised in the future to address the new Service Learning Project Component Congratulations!

3. The National Honor Society History • Founded in 1921, The National Honor Society is an elite group of students who represent the individual members of a school’s student body who have proven themselves as outstanding models of scholarship, service, leadership and character.

4. National Honor Society Eligibility Criteria Candidates are exemplars in each of the four tenants of the organization • Scholarship • Service • Leadership • Character

5. SCHOLARSHIP • Members of the National Honor Society are committed to the pursuit of knowledge. • As life-long learners, they see every experience as one to learn from. • Scholars are perseverant amid challenges and routinely self-advocate to clarify their understanding.

6. NHS members routinely perform voluntary service within the school and community "with a positive, courteous and enthusiastic spirit.” Members embody a sense of genuine altruism. SERVICE

7. LEADERSHIP • Participation in a variety of engaging extracurricular activities in which you have demonstrated your ability to display positive leadership qualities in your school or community activities • Leadership roles DO NOT have to be formally appointed. Your ability to act as a leader will be evaluated based on the evidence you provide using examples when you have • positively promoted a service learning activity, campaign, club or organization, • remained focused on finding creative solutions when challenges arise, • dedicated yourself to seeing your projects through to completion

8. CHARACTER • NHS members consistently display good character traits, including, altruism, cooperation, honesty, reliability and courtesy. • NHS Members are model students • Any student involved in a Category 5 or 6 violation resulting in 3 or more days of suspension will be immediately dismissed from NHS • Failure to attend two general meetings or service commitments will result in a short probationary period followed by dismissal from NHS

9. VON STEUBEN STUDENT LEADERS • You’ve worked very hard to get where you are today; you should be proud of your accomplishments! • If selected, National Honor Society students are widely recognized as an elite group of young people due to the rigorous requirements for membership. • Therefore, a contingency of your membership is your voluntary participation in a number of school-related activities which are designed for you to share your “secrets to scholastic success” with our underclassmen and women as well as visitors. • Requirements for membership: will include a regular peer-tutoring commitment, acting as student ambassadors during Von Steuben’s public events, and leading the way in addressing existing gaps in community service learning.

10. Requirements for Membership If invited to join Von Steuben’s chapter of the National Honor Society, these are the membership requirements: • Maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher  for the duration of your membership • Be an excellent school citizen (no involvement in a Category 5 or 6 violation that results in 3 or more days of suspension) • Volunteer at school activities such as Open House, and High School Recruitment Fairs, and the annual LifeSource Blood Drive • Proactively pursue teachers to opportunities to provide peer tutoring here at Von Steuben • Be willing to seek out, organize and lead activities to mutually benefit fellow NHS members as well as the community you’ll serve

11. 2014 NHS Narrative Instructions:The Cover Sheet • Be sure to complete the COVER SHEET and include it as the first page of your narrative. This narrative essay provides the Faculty Council evidence of your qualifications for membership, while completion of the cover page ensures your anonymity during the selection process. • ONLY THE COVER PAGE WILL CITE YOUR NAME. Please include your STUDENT ID # in the upper right corner of EACH page of your narrative.

12. NHS Candidate Information: • The cover sheet is also used to gather relevant information about you, such as your height and weight for ordering induction ceremony gowns or your lunch period to determine your availability for peer tutoring • Please be sure to complete the student activity schedule to log provide both the faculty advisors (and yourself!) an idea of your availability to commit to additional extracurricular activities and service projects.

13. Student Activity & Commitment Schedule Sample:

14. NHS Narrative Essay Guidelines: • Use Times New Roman, single- spaced, 1 inch margins and no more than two pages to document your experience. • Each category title should be in all CAPS and BOLD. • Include concise, but fully elaborated, evidence articulating how your experience illustrates each category. • It is strongly recommended that completed work should be read by another person and spell checked before submitting. Follow this format for your narrative:

15. NHS Narrative Considerations: • Refer to relevant and recent experiences both in and out of school to illustrate your claims about the value your scholarship, leadership, service, and character. • While humility is a noble trait, this is a time for an honest and reflective appraisal of your work as a scholar, volunteer and leader

16. NHS Membership Contract • Active participation in school activities; maintaining fidelity to all your commitments • Provide a minimum of 15 hours of documented peer-tutoring taking place at Von Steuben throughout the school year • In addition to the tutoring, complete a minimum of 20 hours of service learning through NHS approved service projects • Attend all monthly general NHS meetings • Be committed to creating and leading a NHS-sponsored activity • Should you miss a meeting due to extenuating circumstances, it is YOUR responsibility to notify either Ms. Arendt and/or Ms. Kwan of and obtain the information you missed due to your absence

17. 2014 NHS Narrative Scoring Rubric

18. RECOMMENDATIONS • FOUR (4) recommendations are required to support your narrative • TWO (2) Von Steuben Faculty Recommenders • TWO (2) Extra-Curricular Recommenders • These are non-familial individuals who can vouch for your participation and character in a variety of extra-curricular activities such as coaches, supplemental instructors, tutors, religious leaders, employment supervisors, etc. • These must be returned in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature across the flap bearing the recommender’s signature to Ms. Kwan’s office (room 109) no later than Wednesday, September 17, 2014 by 4:30PM

19. To print your own copies of the recommendation form to distribute to your recommenders, please visit the NHS tab on vonsteuben.organd look under “Selection Materials.”

20. The 2014 NHS Selection Process • NHS candidate forms must be uploaded on the Google Drive and shared with BOTH Ms. Arendt AND Ms. Kwan • (amarendt@cps.edu and skwan@cps.edu) • Subject : “NHS Candidate: Your First & Last Names, Student ID # and your Division #” • Submission Deadline for all Materials is Wednesday, September 17, 2014, 11:59pm

21. 2014 NHS SELECTION • Completed applications will be reviewed by the Faculty Council (the principal-appointed teacher NHS selection committee) • You will notification in writing of your status* by October 01, 2014 *Please note that Principal Lemonereserves the right of final approval on all candidates and decisions of the Von Steuben Chapter of the National Honor Society

22. QUESTIONS or CONCERNS? • Please direct any questions you have to either of the faculty moderators or any of the 2014-2015 NHS Officers: • Ivelis Colon, President • Sandra Mucino , Vice President • Sylvia Frank, Activities Coordinator • Beatriz Jimenez, Secretary • Thank you and good luck! (Don’t forget to proof-read your narrative )