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National High School Activities Week
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| October 14-20, 2007 |
The NFHS National High School Activities Week is a week set aside to recognize and applaud the efforts of student participants, coaches, sponsors, officials, fans and all those who make our programs an integral part of education. Below is a list of the week's activities and ways you can promote these programs in your school and community.
» background information (PDF)
» testimonials (PDF)
» case for high school activities (PDF)
» ad slicks (PDF)
National Be a Sport Day
Sunday, October 14
Purpose: A day to encourage awareness and discussion about the importance of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity to the conduct of interscholastic programs.
What you can do:
• Make up positive cheers, chants or songs
• Print bookmarks with sportsmanship ideas and ask the school library to slip them into all books
• Hand out incentives to faculty, staff and students caught being a good sport
• Use table tents in the cafeteria, reading lounges or library for sportsmanship messages
• Welcome visiting teams with an announcement over public address system
• Make posters for contest
• Cheer good plays by opposing team
National Fine Arts Activities Day
Monday, October 15
Purpose: A time to focus on the students, coaches and sponsors involved in fine arts programs.
Note: Although the FHSAA does not sponsor fine arts activities, we encourage you to promote your school’s fine arts programs!
What you can do:
• Recognize fine arts participants at pep rally
• Have reception for students interested in joining fine arts programs; invite current participants
• Create magnetic posters for display on lockers of students involved in fine arts
• Present program to elementary school or judge “American Idol” program at local nursing home
• Invite local actors or musicians for performance with students
• Do feature story in school newspaper
• Present drama skit during lunch
• Have a fine arts participant read the morning or afternoon announcements
• Have former band members return to play with current band
• Have former band members who are parents return to play with current band
National Officials Day
Tuesday, October 16
Purpose: A time to salute the nearly 500,000 individuals who serve as contest officials and judges.
What you can do:
• Host breakfast for officials who help in sports and fine arts
• Class competition of “You Make the Call” and feature questions regarding sports rules
• Conduct roundtable discussion with students, officials and parents
• Donate sportsmanship book or video to library on behalf of officials
• Send certificates of recognition and appreciation letters to officials
• Post signs thanking officials
• Provide NFHS sportsmanship cards to all officials who work contests at your school
• Present the NFHS Sportsmanship-Ethics-Integrity Award to deserving officials
National Youth Health Awareness Day
Wednesday, October 17
Purpose: A time to promote education and prevention efforts that encourage healthy lifestyles.
What you can do:
• Post FHSAA “Nothing Beats Hard Work” posters in prominent places
• Offer pre-game meal with nutritional analysis
• Hold student workshops on health issues; recognize school nurse, trainer and team doctor
• Offer students opportunity to “shadow” health professionals
• Create and display bulletin boards and posters dealing with healthy lifestyle issues
• Ask students to prepare resource directory of community agencies
• Read a “health tip of the hour”
• Hold assembly with guest speakers, such as nutritionists and local health officials
National Coaches Day
Thursday, October 18
Purpose: A time to recognize the contributions of high school coaches.
What you can do:
• Ask non-coaching faculty to serve as “coach of the day” to give them different perspective
• Honor different coaches and advisors each hour of the day
• Recognize coaches and sponsors and their families on public address system during events
• Invite retired coaches to attend practice or event
• Play “Name that Coach” – clue game
• Send letters or e-mails of thanks to a coach, sponsor or advisor
National Fan Appreciation Day
Friday, October 19
Purpose: A time to thank the spectators who support activity programs throughout the year.
What you can do:
• Offer tailgate party with hot chocolate (or soda, depending on the weather) and refreshments
• Offer free program to “selected fans” (based on school colors or some other criteria)
• Give Booster Club members coupon for free soda and popcorn
• Introduce parents of players and cheerleaders during pre-game ceremony
• Give school shirt to most avid fans (student and adult)
• Present chair cushion to a dedicated adult fan
• Dress up in your school spirit outfit
• During the course of the season, acknowledge season ticket-holders by name
National Community Service/Participation Day
Saturday, October 20
Purpose: A time to give back to your community and show your appreciation for their support of your programs. This day also can be used to promote fundraising efforts that support interscholastic programs.
What you can do:
• Organize clean-up crews to help schools damaged by a hurricane
• Volunteer to participate in the NFHS/Special Olympics “Make the Point” program
• Recognize business partners in program or announcements at contests or events
• Offer a beneficial service to business partners, i.e. clean parking lot, cut grass, etc.
• Offer free admission to event to representatives of program advertisers
• Hold open house in gymnasium; invite alumni, businesses and media to attend
• Learn more about high school activities on the Internet at www.nfhs.org
• Do radio (school) and TV PSAs (community access) with activities participants
• Offer school souvenirs at auction
• Put announcement on school marquee