Leadership for Student Activities - May 2015, NHS & NJHS Edition - (Page 30)

Things to Do MAY JUNE AND Help Prevent Skin Cancer. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention annually dubs the Friday before Memorial Day, "Don't Fry Day" to encourage sun safety awareness. This year, the day falls on May 22. To celebrate, involve student leaders in choosing or designing a sun‑protective hat or warm weather long‑sleeved shirt, or organize a fundraiser for the addition of shade trees/structures on school grounds. For more ideas, visit www.skincancerprevention.org. Get Fit. Physical activity reduces the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Yet many children don't get the recommended amount of physical activity. Support the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May. Organize an outside event where student groups get together for activities like synchronized hula hooping, team obstacle courses, relay races, etc. For more information on the benefits of physical activities, follow @fitnessgov on Twitter. Be Safe. Involve student groups in helping to prevent injuries due to distracted driving during National 30 leadership for student activities Safety Month in June. Doing other activities while driving-like texting or eating-increases your chance of crashing, with almost one in five crashes (18 percent) resulting in injury. Encourage the student body to celebrate safety by taking a safe driving pledge, or host a speaker series with public health and safety experts to discuss the hazards of distracted driving. Go Tech-Free. Sometimes we're so busy documenting moments on our smartphones and mobile devices that we forget to experience them. Challenge students to go without their electronic devices by sponsoring an event such as the Tech Timeout Academic Challenge, an exercise designed to provide participating students and their families a better understanding of their dependence on technology. Following the challenge, have students discuss their experiences and evaluate their outcomes. To learn more about the Tech Timeout Academic Challenge and how your school can participate, visit http://techtimeout.com/ academicchallenge. Focus on Mentoring. Those who volunteer as a mentor learn a lot about themselves while improving their self‑esteem, confidence, and communication skills. Commit to reaching goals for volunteer recruitment and fundraising for quality mentoring programs. Share examples of your group's support for mentoring on social media or host a mentor appreciation event for mentors and mentees to attend. For more information, visit www.mentoring.org. Pizza and a Book Swap. Host a small pizza party where students bring in books they've read as admission tickets. Have students swap books to encourage summer reading, and offer extra slices or candy for those who bring in leadership books. Host a discussion about the best leadership books and make suggestions for future reading, such as Tribes, by Seth Godin, or Drive, by Daniel H. Pink. Summer Food Drive. Though many children receive free or reduced‑priced lunch during the school year, fewer have access to the program during the summer months. Find out if your local Feeding America Food Bank operates a summer food program using the food bank locator at www.feedingamerica.org/ find‑your‑local‑foodbank. Organize an end‑of‑year drive around your community needs. http://www.mentoring.org http://www.skincancerprevention.org http://www.techtimeout.com/academicchallenge http://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Leadership for Student Activities - May 2015, NHS & NJHS Edition

Editor’s Note
Questions & Answers
Take Note
From the Director
Structural Strength
Maintaining Leadership Momentum
What Matters to Your Community?
Lessons for Leaders
Activities Exchange
Things to Do

Leadership for Student Activities - May 2015, NHS & NJHS Edition