NASSP and The Education Plan® are proud to congratulate the recipients of the 2023 National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA)!
“Winning this award has been a personal goal for several years,” said Ryan Harries, an eighth grader at Montessori Academy of Broward in Pembroke Pines, FL. “I appreciate being recognized by this national organization for my many accomplishments and recognize that there are many exceptional individuals who share this award with me. It is wonderful to be recognized with these other recipients!”
This marks the eighth year that 500 NJHS students from across the country were selected to receive $500 scholarship awards in the form of 529 accounts with The Education Plan. To date, $2 million in scholarships have been awarded to 4,000 middle school students nationwide. Studies show that if a family has as little as $500 saved for college, a child is three times as likely to go to college and four times as likely to graduate.
“The strategic partnership between NASSP and The Education Plan is based upon our shared commitment to helping students realize their education goals and ease the burden of student loan debt,” said Natalie Cordova, executive director of The Education Trust Board of New Mexico, which administers The Education Plan. “We are proud to acknowledge such an accomplished group of students and their families.”
NASSP, which sponsors NJHS, created the Outstanding Achievement Award to recognize middle level students who have demonstrated their commitment to the five pillars of NJHS: scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
“These Outstanding Achievement Award winners have already used their love of service to make a difference within their schools and communities,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “These student leaders have engaged in efforts to prevent suicide, built beds for kids who need them, and in one instance, even used a prized pig to advocate for youth agriculture programs. We hope this recognition and investment in their education supports their leadership growth and reminds us all about the power each student has to change the world.”
For more information about the NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award and to see a complete list of winners, visit www.njhs.us/OAA.