October is National High School Activities Month

October is National High School Activities Month
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact: Elliot Hopkins

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 20, 2012) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has designated the month of October as National High School Activities Month to help schools throughout the nation promote the values inherent in high school athletic and performing arts activities.
Started in 1980 as National High School Activities Week, the NFHS expanded the celebration to a month last year to provide additional time for the 19,000-plus high schools to hold special activities at the local level.
“National High School Activities Month is an opportunity to remind the public that already in place in every community is a comprehensive program addressing society’s most current concerns,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and educational services.
Hopkins noted that high school activities help meet these issues by:
·         Finding and nurturing the best effort of each young participant;
·         Encouraging students to stay in school, perform better academically and become better citizens;
·         Demanding respect for fair play and appreciation for the equitable application of procedures, rules and regulations;
·         Providing healthy lifestyle instruction; and
·         Challenging racism, sexism and classism through the active pursuit of teamwork and school spirit.
Four specific-emphasis weeks are planned within the month-long celebration: National Sportsmanship and Fan Appreciation Week (October 1-6), National Performing Arts Activities Week (October 8-13), National Coaches/Sponsors/Advisors/Officials Week (October 15-20) and National Community Service/Youth Awareness Week (October 22-27).
“High school sports and activity programs provide one of the best bargains in our community and nation and will continue to do so as long as our nation supports them as an integral part of the education of our young people,” said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. “Not only do these programs teach the more than 11 million young people who participate in them valuable life skills lessons, such as ethics, integrity and healthy lifestyles, they also provide the best entertainment value in our nation.”
The NFHS has provided suggested activities for schools during each of the week-long events. All materials for National High School Activities Month, including The Case for High School Activities, are available on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org (About NFHS/About Us Resources/2012 National High School Activities Month Materials).
 
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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.
 
 
 
MEDIA CONTACTS:          Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900
                                         National Federation of State High School Associations
                                         PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
                                         bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org
 
 
 
Bruce Howard
Director of Publications and Communications
National Federation of State High School Associations
PO Box 690
Indianapolis, IN 46206
317-822-5724
317-822-5700 (Fax)
bhoward@nfhs.org