Monthly Update


	Scholarship Deadlines Presidential Classroom ●November 15, 2005 - extended deadline to apply for financial aid for Presidential Classroom Programs. Visit our partnership pages for more information. November 30, 2005 - NSHSS Academic Scholarships (Claes Nobel Scholarships and National Scholar Awards--$1,000 - $5,000). Log into the member area of the web and select the "Scholarships" tab under "Member Resources." Fill out the application and click on the "Update Scholarship Information" button to save. You have until November 30 to update the application. Semi-finalists will be selected after the deadline and notified by mail with a request for personal statement and educator recommendations. Final winners will be announced in early March. Also, make sure that your contact information and GPA are updated on your profile in the member area. Projects Abroad December 31, 2005 - Deadline to apply for free Projects Abroad program scholarship. Projects Abroad and The National Society of High School Scholars have teamed up to offer a scholarship for up to a three month placement in any of Projects Abroad's 16 destination countries, including but not limited to Russia, Peru, South Africa, China, and Thailand. The scholarship is open to any member of the NSHSS--for more information and NSHSS member comments click here: www.nshss.org/partners/projects_abroad.htm February 1, 2006 - Robert P. Sheppard Leadership Award ($1,000): Application May 1, 2006 - NSHSS Academic Paper Awards ($250 each): Application Please visit FastWeb to search for more scholarships. The members-only site of the NSHSS also has other scholarship resources.

	November 5 2005: Member Event - University of Oklahoma NSHSS members and family are invited to attend a special event hosted by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in Oklahoma City on Saturday, November 5, from 1-4 p.m. at the prestigious Petroleum Club downtown. As always, events are free to our members and their families.
	This occasion offers a great opportunity for you to meet Advisory Board Chair Claes Nobel, senior member of the Nobel Prize family, and to socialize with fellow NSHSS members. Mr. Nobel will address the group, as will Dr. Dr. Joseph J. Ferretti, Senior Vice President and Provost of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Refreshments will be provided. The program will be followed by an optional campus tour of the nearby University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, a series of seven health-related colleges located close to the state capitol. If you did not receive an invitation via email and are interested in attending, please call 1-866-343-1800. To check out recent member events, please visit the website at: www.nshss.org/RSVP/events.asp NEW Scholarship Recipient: NSHSS/Presidential Classroom Public Service Award Congratulations to NSHSS member Jade Le, of Anaheim, California, who has been named the 2005 recipient of a scholarship for members who have participated in a Presidential Classroom Program. Jade attended the Future World Leaders Summit in July 2005, where she distinguished herself as a leader As the current president of Rancho Alamitos High School Student League, she has earned the respect of fellow students through her dedication and hard work, especially in motivating others to participate in a host of community efforts. She also is a wonderful representative of her school in the Vietnamese-American Youth Alliance. The annual deadline is August 1. (www.nshss.org/scholarships) Connect with other members in the NHSSS forums. Chat with members from around the globe. Visit the Member Connection Section.

If you would like to be considered for the monthly Member Showcase, please click here.

Margarita De La Paz Hollywood, Florida South Broward High School
"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." --Thomas Jefferson

Chris DuVall Tahlequah, Oklahoma Tahlequah High School
"A person who has never made a mistake never tried anything new." --Albert Einstein

Alencia Johnson Fredericksburg, Virginia Stafford High School
"Success is not winning; success is trying and giving your best."

Erin Colleen McRee Glendale, Arizona Excelsior Academy Home School
No matter what I'm doing, either now or in the future, my goal is to be a useful person.

Darnell Hassan Stith Newark, New Jersey Technology High School
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?" --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Visit the NSHSS Scholar's store and check out our selection of great recognition items like honor cords and lapel pins, available only to members. Shop in the member section of the web site or print out an order form.


	Check out NSHSS partners For more information on NSHSS partners and member benefits they provide please visit our Partners Page at http://www.nshss.org/partners Get Ready for College! Go Online for College Information Now! The National Society of High School Scholars is happy to provide you with an online resource full of college information. My College Guide, published annually and now available online, has information on almost 100 colleges!. To access My College Guide online, go to www.mycollegeguide.org/nshss. The new 2006 issue has articles on how to reduce stress when applying to colleges, studying abroad, and taking the guesswork out of college admissions. Also, you'll find out why engineering is such a hot major now. Best of all, you can request college information right online by going to: www.mycollegeguide.org/request. You'll also then be automatically entered to win either an iPod mini or an Olympus digital camera. My College Guide is a great place to start your college search!

	NSHSS Student Council members are eager to share their experiences and wisdom with other members. You can meet the Council members at http://www.nshss.org/council/studentcouncil05.asp, and if you have questions for a council member, email studentcouncil@nshss.org with the Council's member's name in the subject line of the email. Attending College Abroad Ewurafua Addo-Atuah University of Buckingham, England 2007 (accelerated class) Hi everyone! I am writing from the library of the University of Buckingham in the historic town of Buckingham, which is about an hour and 30 minutes from the London, the capital city of Britain. I study law and French at the University of Buckingham and I am enjoying my studies, but there is a lot work to be done by the students since Buckingham practices an accelerated system under which students may graduate in 2 years instead of the usual 3 or 4 years for undergraduate degrees in the UK. So, if all goes well I hope to graduate in December 2007. Read more... How to Complete a Successful Science Fair Project Katherine Van Schaik Harvard 2008 "Some of the most important scientific discoveries have come from 'accidents' and unexpected results." Council Member Katherine Van Schaik has competed in 11 science fairs at the local, national, and international level, most notably the 2002 and 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fairs, where she won 5 awards, including a Best of Category Award in Environmental Science. Read more... Growing Into Your Own: The College Experience Andrew Thompson Northwestern University 2009 When I first stepped foot this fall on Northwestern's scenic campus, nestled gently between the Lake Michigan shoreline and the bustling Chicago scene, I could feel a pervasive sense of excitement in the air. My fellow classmates in the Class of 2009 shared high hopes for our futures, with the full understanding that the opportunities available to us are limitless. Regardless of our future career aspirations, we understood that our campus community would provide us with an environment which fosters our personal growth that ultimately full-circle into adulthood. Read more... "Work Hard, Play Hard"-Succeeding at Penn Garrett Bruer University of Pennsylvania 2009 School of Engineering and Applied Sciences As the fall breeze sweeps through the city of Philadelphia, I find myself among the happy and hard-working students of Penn. With a class of freshmen hailing from all 50 states and 72 different countries, it's no wonder I was so excited to begin college. As the first few weeks rolled by, I began to establish myself on campus, joining several of the diverse groups at Penn ranging from Glee Club to Wharton China Business Society. Of course, one cannot forget the classes. I plan to major in Materials Science Engineering and currently follow a related course, Economics, Chemistry, Advanced French, and upper level Calculus. The Social Scene is bountiful as there can never be a dull moment here at Penn. I have found college to be both exciting and stimulating trying to balances work and play, which is the motto of Penn: "Work Hard, Play Hard." Read more...


	Claes Nobel School of Distinction Award NSHSS salutes the Codman Academy, a young charter school in Dorchester, Massachusetts, for graduating its first class of four-year seniors this year, all of whom were accepted to four-year colleges. Dorchester's first charter high school, the Academy opened in September 2001 with a founding class of 29 ninth graders. The school was created in response to a strong community need for a college preparatory, small high school in the Codman Square/Four Corners area. The principal and teachers are determined to prove that they can help improve educational opportunities for low-income minority youth. The school has been featured on National Public Radio for it strong success record during its short history. 100% of students who took the MCAS English Language Arts test in Spring 2003 passed and 68% passed Mathematics. In Spring 2004, 100% of students passed the MCAS English Language Arts test, with 67% receiving Advanced or Proficient. 80% passed the MCAS Mathematics test. Admission to the school is open by lottery to all Massachusetts residents with priority given to Boston resident students entering 9th grade. http://codmanacademy.org/ To nominate your school for consideration, please email Dr. Susan Thurman at susan.thurman@nshss.org with an explanation of why your school deserves this recognition. Be sure to include your name and contact information, the school's name and city, and a link to the school's website.

	Update on Katrina Relief Anya Rasulova Brown University 2008 Coming from Uzbekistan, there are always new things that surprise me about the United States. Sometimes it ranges from small things such as shopping and slang to bigger issues such as political correctness, diversity, and gender issues and much more. However, a recent (sad) event that surprised me the most was the hurricane Katrina. Not so much for the natural disaster but the unity that the entire country and many people have shown to alleviate the problems that Katrina caused. Not only did I have to watch the news to learn about different organizations and their response to the disaster, but I observed much in my own school--Brown University. The student body has been incredibly active in fundraising through concerts, sales, and performances, and actual volunteering in the area. Brown hosted many students from the area as well. Read more... Editor's note: If you have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita, or have stories to share about relief efforts, please email your comments to editor@nshss.org.