MASC October 2024 Bulletin |
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MASC Membership is Open Advisors - Don't wait, join MASC early. Membership perks for advisor webinars, conferences, awards, and give your student council members a voting voice at the state level! Read the FLYER for the reasons your school should join MASC. Click on the graphic for details. |
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State Student Member on the Board of Education (SMOB):Webinar and Nomination Information Virtual SMOB Informational Webinar Thursday, 7:00 p.m. October 10Registration: Open now through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, October. 8 School SMOB Nomination Deadline: 5:00 p.m., Monday, November 18 Each public high school in Maryland is invited to nominate one student for the 2025-2026 student member on the state Board of Education. To inform and educate interested qualified students about this position, MASC offers a virtual SMOB webinar facilitated by the current, and past state SMOBs, including the 2005-2006 state SMOB and current president of the state Board of Education! Read about the position and register for the webinar by clicking on the picture to the left. Students may register themselves for this event. |
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Connect with Congress: Voter Education
7:00-8:30 p.m, Thursday, October 24, 2024Registration closes 11:59 p.m., Mon., Oct. 21 The State Legislative Affairs Coordinators are hosting “Connect with Congress,” a live virtual voter education webinar on Thursday, October 24th from 6:30-7:30 PM. This event will include an informational presentation from the League of Women Voters and a panel of Congressional |
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candidates in Maryland. Middle, high, and college students are encouraged to engage with prospective and current elected officials to discuss the importance of youth voting and youth perspective in policy. Click on the WEBINAR graphic to register. Students may register themselves for this event. |
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MASC Committees are Open!! Are you interested in making an impact in Maryland but not sure you have the time for a large commitment? Are there certain projects, events, or activities that you are passionate about? Join a committee! Led by the student staff members of the Executive Board, committees are a great way for students to get involved. All committees meet at 7:00 p.m., the third Sunday of each month (except in April, when it meets the second Sunday), so students may only join one committee. Committee applications will remain open until just after the Fall Leadership Conference. Click on the graphic to the left for details. |
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October Service Spotlight "Falling into Leadership" As leaves begin to turn and the temperature drops with the fall season, there are countless ways to engage your community! Friday Night Lights to pumpkin lattes, many of us cherish this vibrant season. But what truly enhances the fall spirit is the opportunity to give back. Embrace the season of gratitude by organizing fall community events and volunteer opportunities for your community and school members. Together, we can make a difference while enjoying all that fall has to offer! Click on the "Service Spotlight" graphic for project details. |
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October Green Goals & GreenCrabs It’s Spooky Season, MASC! Embrace a green Halloween and celebrate in an eco-friendly way. Reduce your environmental footprint and inspire others to do the same. From DIY costumes to composting your pumpkins, discover how to make your October spooky and sustainable. For sustainable tricks (and treats), check out this month’s Green Goals and join us in making a positive impact this Halloween! |
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MASC is excited to share the latest edition of GreenCrabs, our environmental newsletter. Published by our environmental affairs coordinators, each GreenCrabs issue features environmental news, service opportunities, scholarships, and more! Click on the graphic above to read the green goals and the Greencrabs newsletter. |
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Fall Leadership Conference
November 23, 2024 Registration Oct. 28-Nov. 15 MASC's first conference of the year is right around the corner. All schools, regardless of MASC membership, may attend! Don't miss the opportunity for student leaders to hone their leadership skills and network with others around the state. School advisors must register their school delegations for this event. |
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MASC 2024-2025 CALENDAR Keep up-to-date with the MASC 2024-2025 calendar. Please bookmark this Google Document as it is updated throughout the year with additional webinars and other special events. Click on the graphic to the left to see the Calendar! |
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Please note: Some school systems block access to documents on outside Google Drives. Consider using a personal device in accessing the MASC Calendar. |
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FUNDrive:
Fundraising for your School FUNDrive: Hey! MASC reached our fundraising goal last spring with FUNDrive®. Schools and organizations earn an average of $600! No door-to-door selling is required. Simply collect gently used items from your community (clothing, shoes, books, small household items, CDs/DVDs, etc.) and FUNDrive® will pay your nonprofit directly for those items. Sign up using our MASC referral link or scan/click on the QR code. This is a great, easy, eco-friendly fundraiser! As a bonus, by using the MASC referral link, you can support MASC too. |
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Support MASC by donating your old electronics! Safely and sustainably dispose of old electronics. Give back, save money, and make a difference all at once. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Click on the picture to the right for more information |
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MASC 2024-2025 Member School ADVISORS |
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MASC is offering advisor webinars in 2024-2025 to address topics of interest. Please take a couple of minutes to complete a SHORT survey so MASC may begin planning these events. Thanks to those advisors who have already completed the survey! Please note that this is a "perk" for MASC member school advisors - MASC Membership is now open for the 2024-2025 school year. |
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Click on the graphic above to access the Google Form. |
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| | Deadline to Register October 15th Foundations of Advising! NA4SA is offering the Foundations for Advisors program for the 2024-2025 school year, and welcomes the third cohort of new (or close to new) activity advisors to the world of Student Activities...and to YOUR National Association for Student Activities! Advisors will have the opportunity to earn up to 20 professional development hours. Each participating advisor will also be assigned a mentor advisor they can reach out to during the year. After the program, participants will receive a Credly micro-credential from NA4SA. Participants will also have the option of earning graduate credit for their participation.
Reach out to Karen.Crawford@mdstudentcouncils for a personal testimony - Mrs. Crawford participated in the pilot program and highly recommends this affordable program.
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| | NA4SA is looking forward to the 52nd annual National Conference on Student Activities (NCSA), December 6-8, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee! YOU are invited to attend this unique conference that brings together the Advocates, Advisors, Administrators, and Allies of Student Activities for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun! After NCSA 2024, you'll be inspired - and equipped - to make the most significant difference possible in the lives of your students, colleagues, and members of your school community! It is also never too early to start planning to attend this great National Conference Join other Maryland advisors (and MASC Executive Director) for a great weekend of outstanding speakers, fantastic workshops, and unbelievable networking! Check out the website for the schedule, hotel information, to meet the keynote speakers, and llearn about the scholarship available for new attendees! Anyone registering should use the special code KC24MD. | | |
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National Association of Student Councils (NASC) News |
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Join the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) In a landscape where every dollar counts, especially for schools managing tight budgets, the decision to invest in NASC membership is not just a cost, but a strategic investment in your students’ future. For $95, less than the cost of a single textbook, NASC is an essential resource for students, advisers, administrators, and your entire school community. Click on the NASC graphic for membership information. |
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Check out the NASC online events - some are for NASC members only (ie. NASC New Advisor Webinar Oct. 15) and some are open to any interested student or advisor (ie. Financial Aid 101 Oct. 17). Bookmark this URL and check it out every month! |
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The National Association of Student Councils Scholarship program recognizes high school juniors and seniors who embody the core tenets of NASC: leadership, service, student voice, and engagement. |
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This year, NASC is awarding $100,000 to high school juniors and seniors with a strong record of leadership in their school’s student council—$1,000 to 75 finalists and $5,000 to five national winners. Click on the Scholarship graphic above for information. National Council of Excellence Strong Student Councils are essential to strong schools. The National Council of Excellence (NCOE) Awards recognize and celebrate middle and high school Student Councils that meet high standards and demonstrate evidence of student service, leadership, voice, and engagement. Applications opened September 3, 2024 – submission deadline is February 14, 2025 – applicants receive information April 2025. |
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Registration is now open for the 2025 National Student Council Conference! Chicago - Jan. 31–Feb. 2, 2025 Participate in engaging workshops, listen to inspiring keynote speakers, and connect with fellow student leaders. Take your next step in leadership and amplify your impact! |
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Applications for workshop presenters for the 2025 National Student Council Conference are open! Deadline, Friday, November 8, 2024 Click HERE for full details. |
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Advisors register students for this conference and attend with their students. On or before November 4th, individual students who want to attend but whose school is not attending may reach out to MASC Acting Executive Director Karen.Crawford@mdstudentcouncils.org to join a state delegation (need at least five students for a state delegation). |
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Need Quick Information for Voting in Maryland? Rock the Vote is a trusted and effective 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people. Click on the graphic for Maryland Informaiton. |
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United States Senate Youth Program Maryland Deadline October 9 The United States Senate Youth Program, established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service. Current junior or senior high students, actively serving in high-level elected or elevated appointed leadership positions may be nominated by their school, and then can apply. |
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If nominated, rising high school juniors and seniors may obtain a USSYP application through their high school principals, school counselors and social studies teachers OR visit the Maryland State Department of Education website for the program brochure and memo/nomination packet. |
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2025 Maryland Legislative Page Program(Various deadlines in October and early November) During the 2025 Legislative Session, the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) will host student pages. Since 1970, Maryland's high school seniors have had the opportunity to learn about the legislative process by serving as student pages during the annual session of the Maryland General Assembly. Click on the picture for more information including the Page Coordinator in your school system. |
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Youth Service America is a resource center that partners with many other organizations committed to increasing the quantity and quality of volunteer opportunities for people between 5 and 25 years of age. They have GREAT service ideas, project sharing, grants, etc. Look specifically at the Youth Service Briefings (9.26.24) - The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is seeking youth ages 5 to 25 to apply for the 2024-2025 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarships - deadline November 5, 2024. Click on the YSA graphic for details. |
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Red Ribbon WeekOctober 23 through 31st Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America. Click on the graphic for more information and to see how your school can advocate against drug usage. |
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Free Webinars! Several free webinars are coming up that you don't want to miss! Students4Good Webinars (scroll through the page for many opportunities) • 7:00 p.m., October 3 - Be Nice, Be an Ally: Student speakers will talk about how they show awareness through global diversity, LGBTQIA+ awareness, and cyberbullying prevention. This is our time to show how we are all capable of doing something nice!
• 7:00 p.m., November 7 - Be Thankful and Give Thanks - Join Students4Good in November for a heartwarming Students4Good Meetup focused on gratitude and kindness. In the spirit of World Kindness Day and International Suicide Survivors Day, our student speakers will share how they embody and express thankfulness and support during this special month of giving thanks. |
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• 7:00 p.m., December 5 - Be Thankful and Give Thanks - As the year comes to a close, Students4Good Meetup celebrates the power of giving and appreciation. The student speakers will explore the profound impact of gratitude and the importance of recognizing Human Rights Month. Want to be a student panelist or speaker at a Student4Good webinar? Sign up HERE! |
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Data Proof for No Phone Policy: A No Phone Policy is meant to increase student attention, engagement, and academic performance. Considerable research shows that having a cell phone in class negatively affects student performance. Here are some key findings: Schools that restrict cell phone use see an improvement in test scores, especially among lower-achieving students. Dividing attention between a teacher and a device reduces long-term retention and impairs exam performance. Students who use phones during class recall less information, take less detailed notes, and perform worse academically. Simply having a phone present, even if turned off or face-down, reduces cognitive capacity.
Download #ICANHELP School District Policy Suggestions Guide today! (CLICK HERE) |
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The Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) Be a safety superstar and join the Maryland Center for School Safety's Students Advocating for Safety (SAS) focus group! As a member, you'll have the opportunity to make a real impact on school safety by sharing your ideas and recommendations with decision-makers. Apply today and help make your school a safer place for everyone. Applications are open year-round. |
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The Maryland Civic Education Coalition is a cross-partisan organization committed to building an inclusive coalition that brings together students, educators, experts, scholars, and community members who are committed to ensuring that all Maryland students have access to meaningful, hands-on, comprehensive civic education and service-learning opportunities. |
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Are your principal and assistant principals members of the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP)? Members enjoy access to members-only online research, liability coverage, reduced rates for the national principals' conference, and more! MASC is proud to collaborate with MASSP and present workshops at their conference on November 14-16,2024. Click on the graphic above to learn more and have your administrators apply today! |
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If this Bulletin was forwarded to you and you would like to receive it directly, please sign up with the link on this page. If you are a student who has graduated, please email Karen.Crawford@mdstudentcouncils to be moved to a MASC alumni list. If you are no longer an Advisor, thank you so much for your past work with our student leaders in Maryland. Please email Karen.Crawford@mdstudentcouncils and send the name and email of your replacement. |
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Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. |
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