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Thanks for the feedback about NJHS...here's my initial request and the =
replies I received.  I'll be sharing this with our Leadership Team.

QUESTION:

We have a parent group interested in having us form a National Junior =
Honor Society at our middle school.  We have teachers opposed to this =
based on the middle school philosophy of encouraging all students to feel =
success and helping them all to build their self esteem.

We do have team sponsored achievement celebrations that include academic, =
attendance, citizenship, and improvement awards on most of our teams.

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has formed a NJHS at their =
middle school, or who have other academic achievement recognition programs =
you are proud of.  I'll post of HIT of replies.


RESPONSES:

I see nothing wrong with an NJHS. Maybe that can inspire some kids to be =
better students and achieve in the classroom. I'm all for self-esteem, but =
I have a son who is in fifth grade, and he says self-esteem comes from =
knowing he is loved and his straight A-plus average. No one pushes him to =
do well. It comes from him. But he is tired of seeing the teachers spend =
so much time and attention on discipline and not enough on achievement. =
Honor those young men and women who put school at the top of the priority =
list.
                Chris Collins chris.collins9@gte.net


I did not help form it, but my son was inducted to NJHS this year.  He is =
an eighth grader.  He felt very honored and the ceremony was a handsome =
affair with candles, a description of each inductee, recognition of =
parents and teachers and the speakers encouraging all students to strive =
to meet such
goals.

The philosophy of, as you wrote, "encouraging all students to feel success =
and helping them all to build their self esteem" is very nice, but I see =
no harm in recognizing deserving students for outstanding academic and =
service achievements.  These are not perfect kids, but they are kids who =
get good
grades, are helpful, respectful and concerned for the welfare of others. =
They often get lost in the waves of students who misbehave and need =
attention and also in the emphasis on athletic achievements.

Why wait until h.s. to give such recognition?  I think with today's =
pressures, students need it earlier rather than later.
                Julia Steger, Librarian, Clifton Middle School, Covington =
VA


Dear Cindy:  I am the sponsor of the NJHS here at our middle school.  We =
have found it to be very successful as it does recognize those students =
who have leadership potential as well as high grades.  We are involved in =
many community projects and donate our funds to worthy causes.  We run the =
school
store and take part in producing the morning news show.  Even though we =
too want to minimize the "competition" among students, the faculty feels =
the need to also recognize those who go above and beyond what is expected. =
 We usually induct around 25?30 7th graders in the spring and about 20?25 =
8th
graders in the fall.  If you have any further questions, please do not =
hesitate to contact me.  My e-mail address is:  diane_downie@pac.odedodea.e=
du


I am the advisor for our JH Honor Society (was formerly the HS advisor, =
then did both for one year, and dropped the HS to work exclusively with =
the 7th/8th graders ? they are _much_ more enthusiastic and willing to do =
things for community service, leadership, and fundraising activities. =
Because the organization emphasizes leadership skills as well as academic =
achievement ? unless your school provides leadership opportunities to all =
middle school students ? belonging to Honor Society gives members a leg up =
for positive involvement with their school and community that will help =
them when they get into high school. While promoting self-esteem is a =
worthy endeavor, it seems counterproductive to deny students, who are =
often the nonjocks or other "popular" students, the opportunity to gain =
some excellent leadership and service experience, plus recognizing their =
scholarship ability.

Linda Klemp, LMS
Montesano Jr.?Sr. High School
303 N. Church
Montesano, WA
lklemp@monte.wednet.edu
360?249?1924


Our Middle School has one ?I believe it works in a similar fashion to the =
senior high organization.   Our HS, however,  is no longer following the =
national guidelines and too many students have been admitted to make it =
mean anything.

 I know one of the recognition's we use at MS at the end of year is =
something like highest GPA? awards are given in each subject area and =
recommended by staff.   Also presidential Physical  Fitness Awards are =
given.     AASL has a new award that librarians can give for Information =
Literacy that may be worth considering.

D. Marger
Line Mt. H.S.
Herndon, PA
marger@ruralife.net


We belong to the National Junior Beta Club.  They let you set your own =
standards.    http://www.betaclub.org/  Our current standards are All A's =
and B's and a "passing" grade on our state
test.  Beta runs a nice little state convention with academic and talent =
competitions.  They include crafts, map making, spelling bee, math =
competition, trivia bowl, tower power (build tower from straight pins and
straws in a time limit. Tallest tower wins) and more.  Our club has about =
100 members and we take 20 ?30 to convention each year.  They have a =
blast. We do bunches of service projects here at school and are quite =
active.  I hope you find what you need.

Heidi Lewis
School Library Media Specialist  and Beta sponsor
Guinyard Butler Middle School
Barnwell, SC  29812
library@barnwellsc.com


Just a personal note.  Dustin was inducted into the JrNHS in NC.  At the =
time it was a great thing for him to receive recognition.  Not very many =
students in his school were academically oriented and he was struggling =
with a new school and friends, etc.  It was really a boost.  Just one =
parent's point of view.
Sue

Sue Taylor, Teacher Librarian
Great Lakes Elementary School
Holland, MI
tgrsat01@westottawa.k12.mi.us


We chartered a National Junior Honor Society at this middle school about 9 =
years ago.  I am the chapter advisor.  Overall, I think it has been a good =
experience for the students. It certainly has fostered many opportunities =
to teach about character, since every year there is at least one person =
who has the grade but has not shown the other four qualities of character, =
leadership, citizenship or service required to be invited to join. We =
never single a person out, but we always stress to the whole student body =
that grades alone do not get someone in to Honor Society.  We also have a =
nighttime scholarship banquet for any 8th graders (and parents) who have =
stayed on the A or A/B honor roll their four years in this school. =
Scholarship parties??ice cream, pizza, etc. are scheduled for the other 3 =
grades??my Honor Society students help to host these. Athletes are honored =
at a special night banquet for them and their parents. Students of all =
grades are given awards for everything from perfect attendance to service =
awards to straight A's in a rather lavish awards day ceremony each May.  =
Add to this the DARE parties/awards, the recognition of school "heroes" in =
our Character Counts program, UIL participation in all areas, the Pride =
Pins awarded by each teacher every six weeks in a special program and I =
believe almost every child in the school is recognized for some sort of =
accomplishment either as part of a group or individually.  We, too, try to =
help each middle school child to enhance their own self esteem.  NJHS is =
just one small part of a much larger effort here at C.O. Wilson. Sorry for =
the length of this message, but when I started thinking about all the =
different ways we try to recognize students, it went long.  I probably =
left some out, even then.
Donnah Phillips
Library
C.O. Wilson Middle School
Nederland, TX


We have an NJHS chapter at our school and it works well. We recognize =
other academic achievements, so why not do this.  Our group is strictly =
service oriented?we raise funds for the Humane Society, do clean?up and/or =
landscaping at the local soup kitchen, do a book drive for an elementary =
reading readiness program, etc.  The students have also landscaped around =
our school and several times have helped me in the library by moving books =
and/or reading shelves.  They do one fun trip a year for themselves.

Hope this helps,
Beth Pounds, Librarian
Beasley Middle School
1100 South 18th Street
Palatka, FL  32177

pounds_b@firn.edu


We have a NJHS at our school.  Selection includes academic, as well as =
service requirements.  The students are viewed as leaders, and set the =
standard in many community service endeavors.  I highly recommend it!

                        Cindy Fiegenbaum
                        LIS Bear Creek School
                        Lakewood, CO =20

Hi, My  name is Kristen Prevedel and I'm a 7th grade teacher at Gorman =
Middle School in Colorado Springs.  I am also the school sponsor of NJHS.  =
THis is my first year teaching as well as being my first year as sponsor.  =
I have seen some pros and cons with NJHS.  Some of the pros are that NJHS
encourages not only good academic scores, but also rewards leadership, =
good citizenship, character and community service.  It is a chance for =
students in your school to get involved in the community and do some extra =
service. Some of the cons are students tend to be enthusiastic to start =
but tend to
drop it later on.  The sponsor has to put in quite a bit of work to get =
the program started as well as to schedule community service activities.  =
There can also be hard feelings from those students who don't make it even =
though they have the grades.  If you have any questions feel free to =
contact me.
(719) 579?2615
Kristen Prevedel



Cindy Dobrez, Librarian
Harbor Lights School
3600 N. 152nd Ave.
Holland, MI 49424
thlckd01@westottawa.k12.mi.us
616-738-6884 phone
616-738-6791 fax

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