Honor Your Future Now Parent’s Resources from the National Junior Honor Society & National Honor Society
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Disclosure: This post brought to you by the National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society. All opinions are my own.
Middle school marked a HUGE change in my childhood. Not only did I start learning more about myself and my educational pursuits began taking root but I was also nominated and accepted into the National Junior Honor Society. It was a HUGE deal and our school made it the celebration of the year. We had a special ceremony, a special field trip, and a half day off of school! Now that I’m older and have children of my own I can fully appreciate the resources that the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society provides like this Parent’s College Checklist. I am a big pre-planner and even though my son still has another year until he hits middle school my mind is already drifting towards the future and how I can help to prepare for it now. Did you know that the majority of college admissions officers (72%!) recommend students start preparing for college before or by ninth grade?
The National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society have launched their “Honor Your Future Now” campaign to help encourage students (and their parents!) to start thinking about their future NOW! That doesn’t mean you obsess about it though – careful planning and preparation now can give you goals and resources to utilize in the future! Considering things like scholarships for good grades, character building, volunteer service, and job experience are all beneficial to incorporate throughout your child’s middle and high school years. It actually aligns with the Honor Society’s pillars:
- Leadership
- Character
- Service
- Scholarship
- Citizenship
Here are a few IMPORTANT tips for your kids:
*DON’T WAIT! It doesn’t matter what grade you are in or what career you might be interested in (even if you don’t know what that is yet!) it’s SO important to develop skills and experience to help you be a well rounded individual.
*STRIVE for Good Grades! Good grades are not easy to come by for everyone and sometimes it’s just downright difficult. But the important lessons you learn through perseverance, hard work, organization and study skills will stay with you forever.
*BE a Leader! Even if you are not a natural born leader developing important skills like resourcefulness, problem solving, team work, and leadership qualities are extremely valuable throughout life.
*Build your CHARACTER! I cannot say enough how vital this is! Above all strive for honesty, integrity, high standards and showing respect for others. Common courtesy and a strong character can redefine your life and make you stand out.
*GIVE BACK! Work HARD to get where you are, then give back to others who can’t! Join volunteer programs, START programs for your community and give back to those less fortunate or who don’t know how to use a skill you have. Teach others what you have been taught!
*Find YOUR Voice! Not your parent’s voice, or the voice someone else thinks you should have. Find YOUR voice! It takes time and experience sometimes and sometimes others just fall into it. Be UNIQUE and understand your role and rights as a citizen.
Visit the Honor Your Future Now page for tools like:
- Preparing for College Checklist
- Parent’s College Checklist
- 10 Tips for Success (by Hill Harper – a grad of Harvard Law School)
- Community Service Idea Starters
- A Letter of Advice from Director of the National Honor Societies Jonathan Mathis
New Resources for NHS Student Members (2015-2016 academic year):
- NHS Scholarship Program
- NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award
- College Admissions and Financial Aid Planning Support
- Scholarship Search Tool
- State Summits
My children are currently in 4th & 1st grade so you might be thinking it’s too early to consider resources for college – but it’s NOT! As their parent I am  looking into savings plans for college, keeping an eye on parent checklists to consider as they approach middle and then high school studies. For them specifically I am striving hard to instill the LOVE of reading, the LOVE of learning, and the desire to succeed academically – but above all – do the best that they can no matter what!
