Each year, NEHS challenges its student members to make a difference by completing 20 hours of community service. Imagine the impact—if every registered member participates, NEHS students will collectively contribute an astounding 1.7 million hours to improving the lives of others. This would be a monumental achievement, showcasing the power of our community.
We believe in the power of individual initiative and community awareness, so NEHS is not prescribing a specific social service project. Instead, we encourage each student and chapter to identify and address the unique needs within their community. Some students may choose to support the elderly, migrants, and veterans, while others might focus on aiding the unhoused, disabled individuals, and other marginalized groups. Whether working solo or as a team, students have the flexibility to make a meaningful impact in their own way. While literacy-focused projects are encouraged, they are not required; any form of community service is valuable.
Chapter social service activities might include:
- Creating a Little Free Library at the school
- Book swaps and book drives
- Working with younger students through tutoring and library support
- Writing a children’s book
- Creating a school or community newspaper, magazine, or journal
- Creating ELA-themed bulletin boards
- Starting a book club for students and/or family members
- Creating multimedia resources for the school
- Developing projects with NEHS chapters nearby and around the world
- Developing projects with ELA Honor Society chapters
Even more examples of outstanding community work have been published on our NEHS Museletter blog.
To ensure the success and safety of participants, we ask that Chapter Advisors and school principals are informed of and approve all service projects and community work.
We want to celebrate and share your incredible efforts! We invite students to capture the essence of their community service projects through high-quality photos. Selected images proudly will be showcased on NEHS social media, highlighting the profound impact our members are making in their local communities.
Funding is available to support chapter service projects through the NEHS Chapter Project Grant.
