Every NHS member must plan and implement one service project. Follow these steps for success. Success makes you look good and in tern makes our chapter look good. You are expected to be leaders in the school. Both the school and community have very high expectations of you. Your projects are very visible. Take the time now to read these steps. Everyone will benefit if you do. Complete each step in order, trust me, I wrote this page based on my observations of many preventable problems. Finish one step before moving on to the next. Remember, not every project is as successful as the last. Stuff happens. Things change or take too long. People let you down. One thing I can assure you is that you will learn something valuble from leading a NHS project. Learning is success in and of itself.

• Print this for your records. Refer to it often. Bring it to all committee meetings.
• STOP! Don't do a project unless you are willing to see it through to the end. Many projects require cleanup or follow up. Do not continue unless you are willing to write a project report (usually 1-2 pages). Read this bullet again.
• Form a leadership team of 1-3 students. You'll want to pick someone to work with that complements your style or makes up for some weakness you may have. Leadership teams of 2 seem to be most effective, primarily due to communication issues. Establish a mechanism for effective communication, e.g. email, cell, hallway every block 2, etc.
• Let me know who the project leadership is and your plan for communicating with each other.
• Let me know how you will update me on a regular basis as to how the project is progressing.
• Read all prior reports for your project.
• Find and talk to any project leader from years past. Ask for critical advise.
• Contact the other important players involved in the project. Typically this includes teachers, principals and leaders of outside service organizations. Trust me, your project will have some important adult(s) that is critical to your project, and it is not me. If you can't figure out the important adult(s) to coordinate with, then see me.
• Set at date, time and place. Be sure to include the important adults in your decision making process. Do not continue until you have done this. Sometimes this takes time.
• Come up with a general plan of the what, when, where, who, why, and how for your project. You can work the details out later. Again be sure you included the critical adults in the process and decisions.
• You must fill out one of three forms for approval prior to moving ahead. If any part of your project occurs outside the school building, you need to bring me a completed Field Trip form (now called School-Sactioned Trip Request) for approval. (This does not include your planning and preparation activities, just the event itself.) If any part of your project occurs inside the school during the school day (7:30-2:30), bring me a Fundraising Request form for approval. (This includes tables during lunch, activities in halls or in front of the school, etc.) If any part of your project occurs on school grounds before 7:30 AM or after 2:30 PM, bring me both a Fundraising Request and Building Use form for approval. I have copies of all forms in my room or you can get them from the main office. The Building Use for is available in the APO. Forms seem like a big pain, but usually it is just one quick form to fill out. Don't proceed until you have done this.
• Now... the fun begins
• Announcements - don't put an announcement in for MM until you are positive that you will be able to start your event on the day and time you state. Make sure all the people helping you already know what to do and are ready to start on the date/time you state.
• Key to success: communication and participation. Be sure to communicate with ALL the various stakeholders in your project often. If all NHS members take each project seriously, contributes and does their part, then the project will succeed and we'll earn the respect we deserve as emerging professionals.
• OK, I am not quite done with this page :)

Project Report Template/Checklist (.doc)