FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 12, 2017

Cheltenham High School receives National Student Council Award

Wyncote, PA For its exemplary record of leadership, service, and activities that serve to
improve the school and community, Cheltenham High Schools Student Council has been
awarded a 2017 National Gold Council of Excellence Award by the National Association of
Student Councils (NASC).

Receiving an NASC National Gold Council of Excellence Award reflects the highest dedication
on the part of the school to providing a strong, well-rounded student council program, said Ann
Postlewaite, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) student programs
director. NASC applauds the work of the National Gold Councils of Excellence and challenges
them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities.

To meet the requirements for the NASC National Council of Excellence Award, a student
council must meet a variety of criteria. In addition to basic requirements such as a written
constitution, regular meetings, a democratic election process, and membership in NASC,
councils demonstrate things such as leadership training for council members, teacher/staff
appreciation activities, student recognition programs, school and community service projects,
spirit activities, goal setting, financial planning, and active participation in state and national
student council associations. Those councils awarded the gold level have successfully
demonstrated the highest levels of leadership.

NASC is proud to award Cheltenham High School for excelling in meeting said expectations,
through community-building and non-profit events such as blood drives, Easter Seals,
Thanksgiving Charity Baskets, dance planning (Homecoming and Spring Fling), football game
fundraisers, and a wide array of many more activities. Cheltenham High Schools Student
Council has repeatedly demonstrated their drive and commitment to bring unity and
selflessness to their school, and to commemorate their success the NASC awards them with the
gold level.

Lose the Shoes is an annual Student Council-run barefoot soccer tournament that raises
money for Grassroots Soccer, an organization that funds AIDS education in Africa. Grassroot
Soccer is a nonprofit organization that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize
communities to stop the spread of HIV. They continuously improve their innovative HIV
prevention and life-skills curriculum, share their program and concept effectively in utilizing the
popularity of soccer to increase their impact. The tournament simultaneously raises money,
awareness and student engagement. Held at the end of the school year, Student Council signs
up students in teams of three to four to play in the barefoot soccer tournament. They pay to sign
up the team and the money is donated to grassroots soccer. At the tournament, Student Council
provides players with t-shirts, food and sells red ribbons to raise more money. Pugg Goals are
borrowed from the soccer teams, refs are recruited from the gym classes and Student Council
members and fields are set up in the front field. Every player gets a t-shirt comes with sponsors,
another way of raising money for Grassroots Soccer and promoting local businesses. The
tournament was held in a double-elimination tournament format, so that each participant
maximizes their participation Around hundred students and faculty come to play and to watch as
the tournament comes to a final championship.

The Rivals Game is a twist on the annual football game with our rival high school, Abington
High School, in which the game would raise money for pediatric cancer. The Cheltenham
Student Council collaborated with Abington student leaders to organize student and community
engagement through creating t-shirts, having speakers who lives were affected by pediatric
council, and event publicity. T-Shirts were designed by student leaders from both schools, in
which Cheltenham had their school colors on their shirts, and Abington had their school colors
on their shirts. Buying a t-shirt allowed for admittance to the game for free, and all of the money
raised went to Four Diamonds, which is an organization that fights against pediatric cancer.
Students from both schools game to decorate the stands before the game. At halftime, there
were speakers from both communities who had experience with pediatric cancer. There were
representatives from the media there who covered the history of the rival game, which has been
played since 1915, and the details of the schools coming together to battle pediatric cancer. At
the game, there were stands with representatives from each school who were selling raffles,
baked goods, ribbons and t-shirts to raise money. Overall, students and the community was
proud to be engaged in an effort that raised awareness and money for an important cause like
pediatric cancer and to celebrate a century-old rivalry.

Mr. Cheltenham Pageant and Spring Fling is an annual Student Council Friday-Saturday dual
event held every spring. The Mr. Cheltenham Pageant is a pageant that has eight senior boys
competing for the Mr. Cheltenham crown. Senior boys who want to participate fill out an
application and are voted on by the Student Council so that participants reflect the diversity of
the high school. Additionally, there are applications for senior girls to become hosts of the
pageant. Participants come to weekly dance meetings to held the dance committee make
decorations as well as work on campaign posters and the shoeboxes in which people will vote
for them. Before Mr. Cheltenham, the host and participants run through a dress rehearsal with
Student Council. The Mr. Cheltenham Pageant is open to the entire community. At the pageant,
the participants have an opening monologue, a talent, a question and answer, a swimsuit and a
formal wear; they are judged by a panel of four faculty judges chosen and voted on by Student
Council. Each judge has one vote, and the student body has the fifth vote which is decided on at
the Spring Fling dance which is the following Saturday. Spring Fling is a Sadie Hawkins Dance
and is open to every student The winner of Mr. Cheltenham is announced halfway through the
dance after all students have voted.
About NASC
Since 1931, the goal of NASC has been to help all student councils become more effective
organizations. NASC represents middle level and high school councils nationwide. It creates the
opportunity for students to become effective leaders, thus encouraging and influencing a
positive school climate. NASC is a program of the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (NASSP). For more information on NASC, visit www.nasc.us.

About NASSP
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of
and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders
from across the United States and 35 countries around the world. NASSP administers the
National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and
National Association of Student Councils. For more information about NASSP, located in
Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

To learn more about the National Council of Excellence Award, visit www.nasc.us/ncoe.

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School contact:
DiAnne Cabe, Assistant Principal of Student Activities
Phone: 619-476-3352
Email: dianne.cabe@sweetwaterschools.org