Please Wait a Moment
X

Junior/Secondary Handbook

Promoting Your Chapter

How can I encourage students to participate in NHSDA? 

The best way to encourage students to begin working towards their NHSDA induction is to simply increase awareness of your school’s chapter and the benefits of joining NHSDA. Be sure that students and parents know that you have an open NHSDA Chapter, and that you are dedicated to helping interested students achieve their award of induction. Reaching out to individual students who may be interested, including NHSDA sections in a monthly newsletter or performance program book, or announcing your established NHSDA Chapter at a company meeting are all great ways to increase involvement.

Please feel free to include the mission statement and other information provided to current Chapter Sponsors on the NHSDA website as you work to promote your chapter.

Sample Performance Program Book Statement: 

Sample Dance School is excited to announce our official sponsorship of a Secondary Chapter in the National Honor Society for Dance Arts! The National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) is a program dedicated to recognizing dance students for their outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in the field of dance. NHSDA also strives to foster an appreciation for dance as a true art form, worthy of recognition and prestige.
 
Those interested in being inducted into NHSDA should contact Chapter Sponsor Annie Anonymous (555-555-5555, studio@sampledanceschool.com) for more information regarding induction requirements.

Including your induction ceremony as part of your end of year performance is an excellent way to promote your chapter. This allows inducted students to receive recognition appropriate to their accomplishment, and also provides an opportunity for younger students to see this achievement and make the decision to strive for NHSDA induction themselves.

If your institution includes students in both grades 6-8 and grades 9-12, opening both a Junior and Secondary Chapter is an excellent way to increase involvement and studio retention rates. There is no additional charge for opening a second chapter, but students inducted into the junior chapter are then able to work towards the next step of being inducted into the studio’s secondary chapter.

You can offer an NHSDA “Class”. It can meet weekly or less often. The class could consist of technique sessions, rehearsals for benefit concerts, service projects, workshops, etc. It is a great way for your students at different levels to bond and learn from each other.

Who can join my NHSDA Chapter? 

Students must be enrolled at the school hosting the Chapter and earn at least 10 of their 15 required points (Junior Program) and 20 of their required 30 points (Secondary Chapter) at their home chapter. This is to make sure that the Chapter Sponsor is fully able to oversee the process of earning points and can testify to the student's character. It also serves as a marketing tool for you to be able to advertise that you offer the NHSDA program to your students.