LEAD Conference Delegates Give Generously to Haiti Relief

Marian Central NHS members with one of their many collection jars

Delegates attending the recent 2010 Leadership Experience and Development (LEAD) conference in Chicago donated $1,321.99 to the Red Cross for Haiti Relief projects. Almost all of the more than 800 students and advisers attending the conference voluntarily contributed spare change in the large collection jars displayed throughout the conference, which was held February 19-21 at the Westin Lombard hotel in suburban Chicago.

The collection drive was the idea of the conference host school, Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock, IL. NHS chapter members made signs to promote the campaign, provided announcements during general sessions, collected funds during breaks, and counted all of the spare change and bills. The results of the collection drive were reported at the conference's closing general session on Sunday, February 21.

Delegates donate under the supervision of Marian Central NHS members

A representative from the local Red Cross office, who came to express thanks for the donation, described this as being the largest school-based collection his office has received so far this year. The chapter will be adding their own local contribution and will send a check for $1,500 to the Red Cross.

Special thanks go to the NHS chapter president, senior Teresa Manion, and adviser Dr. Glenn Pinnau for their leadership in this effort.

LEAD conferences provide annual leadership training and development for students and advisers in NHS and NJHS chapters, as well as National Association of Student Council (NASC) member schools. Service projects like this collection for Haiti are a traditional part of these meetings. The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), which administers NHS and NJHS, is very proud of the generosity displayed by all those contributing to this project.

For more information about the upcoming LEAD conference in Phoenix in March or the 2011 conference schedule, visit www.nasc.us/lead for details.