The NEHS Chapter Spotlight project shares examples of outstanding literacy work being undertaken by chapters around the world. Categories for submission are Academic Focus; Community Engagement; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Collaborative Projects. In this edition, the Veni, Vidi, Scripsit Chapter at QSI International School of Shenzhen in Shenzen, China, shares details about their Comedy Night event. Submissions for Chapter Spotlights will be open December 11, 2023 through January 8, 2024.
NEHS Comedy Night at QSI Shenzhen, China
The annual NEHS Comedy Night at QSI Secondary was a major success! The room was filled with chuckles, laughter, and cackles as performers put on a lively show for all to enjoy. There was a turnout of 32 audience members and seven comedians, many more than anticipated! NEHS members meticulously planned the event, paying close attention to the advertising, formatting, and presentation of the Comedy Night.
Comedy Night is an hour-long event in which students and teachers have the opportunity to display their comedic talents and/or pass on their favorite one-liners to an excited yet respectful audience. The event follows the classic standup comedy format where comedians take the stage one-after-the-other, perform their sets, and welcome an uproar of laughter in the process.
Four proactive NEHS members in the “planning committee—Angel Wu, Nitya Menghani, Micah Agustin, and Megan Sullivan—were responsible for organizing the successful event. The planning process began during an NEHS meeting where the four members volunteered to organize the event; the Comedy Night was relatively easy to organize, as the overarching structure and format had already been established previously. The difficult part was finding willing participants to share their jokes, as many students were inexperienced in standup comedy. NEHS president, Simon Law, pitched the idea that all members should try and talk to at least one person that they believed would be willing to partake in the event. Mrs. Clark, the NEHS Chapter Advisor, also reached out to teachers to spread the word of the event, in hopes of teacher participation. This strategy was rather successful and there were more student and teacher participants than the planning committee had predicted.
The advertisement of Comedy Night was also an essential factor in finding participants and audience members. After all, if the student body was not aware of Comedy Night, the turnout of audience members would be significantly lower than what it was. The planning committee planned ahead and designed an eye-catching poster that was displayed around the school and showcased on the school news.
On the day of the event, the student and teacher comedians rehearsed their sets as audience members filled the spacious room. Each set would follow the pattern of chuckles, singular guffaws, and ultimately an eruption of laughter as the comedians hit the audience with the punchline. There was a diverse set of comedians, each expressing their uniqueness through their sets. One comedian taught the crowd how to speak like a true Bostonian, while others shared their philosophical and existential crises through humor. While many of the people in the room that night came from different backgrounds and cultures, we were all able to share our laughs together. The annual NEHS Comedy Night is truly a crucial event in creating a tight-knit community within our school. The Comedy Night teaches people that no matter how different we may seem, laughter connects us all.
Stephen Chen holds the distinguished position of Historian for the National English Honor Society at QSI Shenzhen. With a voracious appetite for knowledge and an insatiable curiosity, Stephen is an avid researcher and reader of nonfiction literature. He possesses a keen eye for detail and is a master of the art of debate, always willing to engage in intellectual conversations. Additionally, Stephen is an accomplished writer, proficient in various forms of creative writing. His multifaceted skill set makes him a valuable asset to the National English Honor Society and a shining example of academic excellence at QSI Shenzhen.
Chapter Spotlights
NEHS encourages chapters to participate in the Chapter Spotlight opportunity, sharing outstanding literacy work being done at the chapter level across the society. Chapters are asked to send information and documentation in any of the categories listed below. The NEHS Advisory Council will select the best of the submissions as “spotlight” chapters that will be recognized through NEHS social media outlets and the NEHS Museletter blog; selected chapters will receive a $50 award and a certificate.
All chapters submitting documentation of their excellent work automatically become eligible for the Outstanding Chapter Award presented in the spring. Chapters are limited to three submissions in a year, and each submission should be from a different category. Chapters must submit evidence of their work by attaching documents, including pictures and/or videos, to the submission form. Submissions may only be made during designated periods throughout the year (see schedule below). Only active chapters may send submissions; inactive or suspended chapters must become current with fee payments and members enrollments before submitting projects. Members of the NEHS Advisory Council will review submissions and select the “spotlight” chapters.
Categories
1. Academic Focus
This category will demonstrate how a chapter works to establish or maintain a project focused on supporting the academic growth of a target audience within their school or local community.
2. Community Engagement
The purpose of this category is to demonstrate how NEHS chapters are focused on promoting life-long learning and the celebration of reading, writing, film, and the arts in their local community.
3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This category will demonstrate how NEHS chapters are promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in various forms within their school or local community.
4. Collaborative Projects
The purpose of this category is to demonstrate how NEHS chapters are working with other NEHS chapters, other high school Honor Societies, or Sigma Tau Delta and Sigma Kappa Delta chapters on collaborative projects impacting their school or local community.
Application Dates
Applications for the winter 2023-2024 Chapter Spotlight cycle will be accepted December 11, 2023 through January 8, 2024, with acceptances announced February 29.
Learn more about contributing a Chapter Spotlight!
Past Chapter Spotlights
The Woodlands College Park High School
Socastee High School
Instituto Blaise Pascale
Livonia Churchill High School
Heritage High School
Bear Creek High School
Best-Shirey-Little Chapter
