RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

"I am truly honored and grateful to receive the grant from the National Society of High School Scholars. This support goes beyond financial assistance; it is a heartfelt affirmation of our commitment to promoting social-emotional learning and wellness for our campus community. Your grant will enable us to provide students with crucial counseling resources that address their emotional and mental health needs. It allows us to further expand our social-emotional learning initiatives with a unique focus on mindfulness as a complement to their educational journey. Thank you for believing in the mission of school counselors and for investing in the future of our students. Your support helps us create a culture of wellness within our campus community."

"Working with NSHSS has empowered me to be a creative and compassionate teacher. As an educator, it can feel like I'm always trying to perform an infinite number of miracles with a finite supply of loaves and fishes. The grant I received this year from NSHSS has quickly been converted into a garden for our environmental science elective targeted towards kids with learning disabilities. For this and so much more, I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to the people and organizations that made this possible. Let's keep the miracles flowing!"

"NSHSS is incredible. They are at the forefront of supporting schools, students, and educators. Having a group that truly cares about equity and access for students to achieve is praiseworthy in a world where people don't always see the value in education."

"The importance of offering AP classes has been well documented-study after study reveals that students who are challenged with college level classes have more persistence, better study habits, and greater financial flexibility if they pass the rigorous exams. An AP course structured with a bedrock in the inquiry arc allows students to experience learning at a collegiate level long before they enroll in an undergraduate institution. However, it is the underlying impact that offering college level classes has on an entire school community, whether enrolled in AP classes or not, that makes advanced placement a necessity for any high school. I have been teaching AP World History for four years to mostly freshman students in the south side of Chicago. Preparing students for a high stakes exam was not the reason I got into teaching. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the importance of inquiry and student choice, which allows students to see themselves in the history of the world. When I first began this journey of teaching AP World it seemed impossible to get the majority of my students to pass the exam for college credit, and at the same time fall in love with history as I had long ago. My passion for learning stems from asking tough questions about the hard truths of world history, and then searching for my own answers with the research skills I learned from my professors or teachers. I also knew that passing an AP exam for many of my students is a game changer in a higher education system where costs have skyrocketed for families. With the grant from NSHSS I will be able to better serve the needs of my students by curating a robust research library and bypass frustrating paywalls of the elite research databases. Thank you NSHSS for providing that rigor for my students!"

"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for awarding me the $500 School Cash Club Grant for 2024, Wave 1. I am truly honored to receive this support from such a prestigious organization. I am particularly excited about using these funds to purchase books for my students, enabling me to continue our book club over the summer following the 2024-2025 school year. By encouraging students to keep reading during the break, I aim to foster their love of literature and help prevent any loss of reading skills. Again, Thank you for your generosity and for supporting my efforts to promote literacy and a lifelong love of reading among students."

"Dear NSHSS, I want to thank you for providing this grant to help my students in the BSU and ASU so they may continue their work in cultivating a sense of belonging for students of all identities at our school. It warms my heart to know that NSHSS truly sees the value in investing in our youth. Please keep making dreams come true and never cease pouring into our greatest natural resource, our youth!"

"I am incredibly grateful to have just received the NSHSS $1000 STEAM Educator Grant. This grant is an invaluable resource that will help me enhance the learning experience for my students in ways I couldn’t have imagined before. With this support, I am eager to introduce new, engaging projects that will deepen my students' interest in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. Receiving this grant has not only motivated me to push boundaries in the classroom but has also reinforced my belief that we, as educators, are capable of inspiring the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders. I look forward to implementing these exciting new ideas, and I want to express my sincere thanks to NSHSS for believing in my vision and supporting educators like myself. This grant is a powerful reminder that organizations like NSHSS play a crucial role in shaping the future of education, and I am honored to be a part of that journey."

"It's great to be part of NSHSS and their efforts to support students and educators across the globe!"

"Mr. Ukaegbu began his teaching career in the United States, specifically in California, but later transferred to Maryland where he landed at Duval High School, Prince George's County Public School. Though he has taught various subjects, his expertise lies in Mathematics and Physics. He possesses a deep understanding of Math concepts and delivers them with enthusiasm."