National Junior Honor Society

Where has the time gone?  This year has flown by and the NJHS members have been busy.

We began the year with our Bully Prevention Training.  All new members learned techniques to stand up to bullies and some ideas on how to intervene when they witness a bullying situation.   This was followed later in the year with  the National Mix-It-UP at Lunch event… which encourages students to learn more about each other to help prevent bullying.

Students have been busy with volunteer work.  We volunteered once again to help out at the Bike MS Ozark Ride.  This is always a fun event.  Many of our members volunteered with the annual Shelby’s Run to raise money for St. Jude.    Students are volunteering to help out at the Fun Walk to raise funds for Simply Love.  - This event is on May 11th, we’d love to see you there.  -  Students will also be volunteering at the Spring Fling, which has just been rescheduled for May 17th.

The students have organized a few events of their own as well.  We held a “Fill the bus”  Supply drive.  We held our 3rd annual Christmas Door Decorating Contest… the doors looked amazing.  I didn’t know the ducks could pull a sleigh, or that Santa was a cast member on Duck Dynasty.  On March 14, we held a PI Day Assembly where students competed in a Pi Obstacle course and won the opportunity to Pie and administrator.  I was amazed at how much pie Jessica was able to rub into Mr. Fenske’s face.  Mr. Fenske, Mr. Parker, and Mrs. King were all liking the lips, chins, cheeks… I think there was even some pie in their hair.  Currently the members are working feverishly to prepare for a visit into the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes for some MAP Motivation.    We are excited to visit the classrooms to inspire our fellow blue jays.

Can you believe there are more events to share?  The members adopted a family during the KTTS Christmas Crusade – We were able to donate many hygiene its to help the cause as well as providing some stylish, brand new clothes for the family.  A few of the members volunteered to go shopping with me for the clothing and gifts.  It was a very memorable trip.

The students aren’t working all the time.  We found time to play miniature golf and ride go-carts.  We went to a play sponsored by Springfield Little Theater.  And held our 3rd annual Christmas Lock-In.  The students exchanged gifts, a few learned how to play Spoons, and competed in wacky obstacle courses at 1:00 in the morning.

Our induction ceremony saw the largest group of new members yet with 25 new inductees (more than our current membership).  The faculty was proud to have so many outstanding young people to recognize with the honor of membership.  I can’t wait to see the ideas, energy, and elbow grease these students will put to use in the future.

Sarah Moulder (adviser)

Many parents have asked that I add a calendar for activities and meeting to the blog.  Although I have been unable to get a calendar that will actually display activities  added to the NJHS blog there is good news.  I found that I can create this calendar using a different web tool.  Follow the link here, or on the side bar to view upcoming events, activities, and meetings.

The first quarter of the school year has flown by and National Junior Honor Society has been plenty active.  The students volunteered at the Ozark Bike MS Ride in September.  Members created skits and organized a Bully awareness assembly.  Held a “bully free” awareness week for the middle school, and helped the Middle School student body participate in the National Mix-It-Up at Lunch Day.

This is the second year we have participated in the Ozark Bike MS Ride and the students really enjoy helping out.  A highlight for all of the students involved was meeting (or seeing again) Robin Creemer.  We even had a member bike in the event this year.  We are so proud of Colton for the money he raised for the MS Society and the endurance he displayed riding in the cold and rain.

The members are jumping head first into their Bully Free campaign.  The week of October 17th the students organized a Bully Free week.  The purpose of the week was to educate the student body about bullying.  Monday began with a Bully Information assembly.  The members shared plans for the Bully Campaign through out the year, and provided examples of bullying that occurs at our school.  The members had created and performed skits and the audience had to determine which situations were bullying.   Tuesday the student body participated in the National Mix-It-Up at lunch day.  Students were assigned mixed lunch groups where they associated with students that they normally would not.  Mixed by age, gender, and interest the groups had some students meeting for the first time.  Some of the group members had known each other for years, but had never had a conversation.  The students had a great time getting to know each other better and are anxious to try it again.  Wednesday the students belatedly participated in Megan Meier Day by dressing in black & white.  Thursday the students wore “fire attire,” dressing in the colors of fire to accentuate the bully free slogan – Bullying is like a fire, you be the water.  We ended the week, Friday, with stories and videos that brought to light the serious consequences of bullying.

I am proud of the National Junior Honor Society members efforts so far to end bullying in our school.  I think their campaign is off to a good start and I know that they have some great ideas to help put out the fire of bullying.

Coming up, the members will be participating in a school beautifiaction event – cleaning up the middle school for Shelby’s Run.  Many of the members are participating in Shelby’s Run a local initiative to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Hospital on November 19th.  We will be organizing a letter writing campaign for soldiers spending the holidays overseas.  Letters are collected for Shoebox for Soldiers.  The students will be organizing a Christmas Door Decorating Contest for the Middle School and possibly another toy drive.  The members have a lot of ideas for this winter, and I am excited to see these ideas blossom.

Sarah Moulder

(advisor)

This year the NJHS members are off to a great start.  It is looking like it will be a very active year.  Our members have many ideas for service projects including: an Anti-bullying campaign, volunteering at the Ozark Bike MS Ride, organizing a “Mix-It-Up Lunch”, educational and inspirational assemblies, and volunteering with the Special Olympics. 

A vast majority of the members were able to attend the Peer Empowerment training held at the beginning of August.  Members are excited to make an impact on our school.  Our focus is on Bully Intervention.  The students created a slogan: “Bullying is like a fire, you be the water”, posters, and are planning an assembly to help their peers determine whether a situation is bullying or friendly teasing.

This month (September) members are volunteering at the Ozark Bike MS Ride on September 17th and 18th.  They will have their 1st assembly the week of September 20th and have planned a bowling night for September 23rd.  We will also be selling Pizza at the Middle School sporting event once again this year.  Our first home game is September 26th.

I am excited to see all the good this group of young people are going to do this year.   They are off to an impressive start.

- Sarah Moulder (Advisor)

We are holding a Peer Empowerment Training Day for our members August 11th from 8 am to 4 pm.  We will focus on two topics for the day:  Bully Intervention and Peer Mediation.  Invitations are in the mail. 

Bullying is an increasing problems in schools and Clever Middle School is no exception.  Bullying can be reduced by significant amounts depending on how student witnesses react.  National Junior Honor Society Members are in a powerful position to be part of the bullying solution. 

Take a Stand.  You can improve our school!

What a group!  Our 2nd annual induction ceremony went great!  Twelve new members were inducted into the Clever Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society on March 1st. 

The current 13 members directed the candle lighting ceremony, giving speeches, welcoming new members, and providing refreshments afterwards.  I am so proud of this group of students.  This was the first time that the Middle School conducted the ceremony (last year the High School students inducted our first members) and they did a great job. 

Thank you parents, and family for attending.  A big THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to the students for your hard work and a job well done.

Ms. Moulder

We are very excited to induct our new members into the Clever Middle School National Junior Honor Society.  The induction ceremony will be held Tuesday, March 1st at 7:00 pm in the Middle School Gymnasium.

Middle School students are wearing the gold stars that Robin Creemer made for every student and faculty member.

The month of December was a very active.  The holiday season included a guest speaker, lock-in, toy-drive, and the start of a fundraiser. 

Just before Thanksgiving we invited a guest speaker to present to the entire middle school.  Robin Creemeris a remarkable woman that has lived the majority of her life withMS.  She carried the torch through the Arch in St. Louis for the 2002 Winter Olympics.  She shared her inspirational story about her life withthe volunteers at the Ozark Bike MS Ride, and with the entire Middle School on November 19th.   The obstacles she has overcome, her perseverance, and positivity through it all are remarkable.  The students and faculty were glued to her words and many were touched.  

The month of December began with a Lock-In held at the middle school.  The students had great time playing hide-n-seek, hall-skiing, and watching movies.  We enjoyed a gift exchange and picked up trash along the walking trail.  It was a fun time for myself, the members, and the volunteer shaperones. (Thank you Mr. Bloxom and Mrs. Green)

The following week we kicked off our Toy-Drive.  Students brought in toys to dress up in special ways each day.  The most participated day was Hat Day, when students that had brought in a toy were allowed to wear hats throughout the school day.  We brought in quite a haul of toys which went to underpriveleged families in our area.

Finally during December we began a new fundraiser selling spirit items at select basketball games.  Currently we are selling cheerphones (mini-megaphones) for $3 and cheerpoms for $2.  We will be selling them at the following high school home games:  January 6, January 27, February 11, and February 18.  Stop by and support both the Clever Athletes and NJHS.

At the beginning of January, students that have met basic eligibility for National Junior Honor Society will receive candidate packets.  In order to meet basic eligibility standards students must not have received a discipline referral during 1st semester, and must have a 3.0 GPA (all As and Bs). 

Receiving a candidate packet does NOT mean that the student is a member of NJHS, instead it means that they are eligible to try to become a member.  Included in the candidate packet is everything a student will need to try to become a member, including a letter of explanation.   Any student receiving a candidate packet that does not want to try to become a member, should complete and return the declination letter.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Moulder.  Phone: 417-347-4820   Email:  moulders@clever.k12.mo.us

On September 19th the NJHS volunteered at the Bike MS Ozark Ride. We volunteered by cleaning off tables and catering to the riders and the other volunteers. While we were there we meet a woman named Robin who has had Multiple Sclerosis for most of her life. She made angels for all the volunteers who were working there. We had a lot of fun volunteering at the Bike MS Ozark Ride.