TASC NewsBlast February 2019 Texas Association of Student Councils1833 South IH-35, Austin TX 78741 | Terry Hamm, Director | 512-443-2100 ext 8517 | terry@tassp.org

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines:Feb. 13 Deadline to submit table talks proposals for HS Annual Conference

Feb. 13 Deadline to submit Top Ten Projects and Top Ten Video applications for HS

Feb. 15 Deadline to submit Final Candidate information for state office

March 1 Deadline to nominate students for the TASSP Teens Serving Texas and the TASSP Academic Excellence Award

March 1 Share a Smile Day—Great way to continue our work toward mental wellness: Resolve to Rise—Change Lives.

Now Begin working on your state report forms for ML and HS. If you do not turn in anything else, please, please submit your Community Service Report. TASC needs that data!

Now Review resumes and platforms for candidates for state office. Both the student and the advisor sit on the state board and make decisions for this association. You need strong, knowledgeable advisors and students.

TASC High School Annual Conference

Don’t miss this highlight of the year!• Register now for strong programming for

High School StuCo members

• Register now to prepare your members for the coming year.

• Register now to access special sessions for advisors

• Register now to hear two outstanding keynotes: Kevin Laue and Carlos Ojeda.

• Register now to give your council the leadership edge. REGISTER NOW!

News You Can UseShare this newsletter with your students. (Hint, it’s posted on the TASC website.)

• Update your profile on the TASC website. - Log in and go to the “Member Center” - Click on “My Profile” under the name badge. Select “edit” and make any needed changes. - Click on “organization” (your school). Select “edit” and make any needed updates AND upload your constitution.

• New advisor for the coming year? - Go to “Join or Update” today. Select Advisor Change/Addition form - New primary or co-advisors can add themselves, or you can edit the advisor for your council.

To-Do List for February:

• Nominations are now open for Texas Advocacy Project’s 5th annual Teen Ambassadors for Hope program. Please nominate one or more talented teens by February 18th and help us spread the word about this opportunity! Selected Ambassadors will receive training on healthy relationships, online safety practices, and leadership skills.

• This spring, Say What! is offering a variety of kits designed to assist your youth group with advocacy efforts, education, protecting the environment, and living a healthy lifestyle. Texas Tobacco-Free Kids Day (TTFKD) will be held March 20, 2019. TTFKD is an annual awareness day for youth to expose and combat the tobacco industry’s powerful marketing strategies aimed at youth. So, join Say What! and the thousands of youth across the state to educate, rally, and encourage living a tobacco-free lifestyle. Just don’t forget to request a Say What! Mini-Grant Kit, Visit http://txsaywhat.com/mini-grant-kits to see a detailed list of mini-grant kits available for request. (This includes information about vapes.)

• If you know of any college students or recent graduates looking for an internship, please share this opportunity with them. Applications for internships with Growing Leaders are due February 15th.

• Drive Clean Texas is dedicated to helping our Texas teens understand the impact they can have on vehicle emissions and how they can help protect our environment. Take advantage of our new and updated lesson plans that will help your high school students understand how their actions can help keep Texas skies clean.

• Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program is a FREE, easy to implement, flexible program for you. Easily integrate the 6-lesson, 10-lesson or 12-lesson track, which are aligned to many national standards -- including 21st Century Skills, Literacy, Social Emotional Learning and Project Based Learning. As a result of the lessons, students will be fully equipped to Now Go Lead. Through individual and group activities, students will work through the lessons and a service project. Then, share their story through the Lead2Feed Challenge and enable them to win a grant for their charity or school.

• My Name My Story is an organization that develops changemakers based on the belief that stories inspire empathy, and empathy drives change. We deliver curriculum to middle and high school students to teach them 21st Century skills of empathy, teamwork, and innovation in order to create the next generation of changemakers . One of our goals is to teach your students not only how to co- exist together, but to co-create and collaborate together.

• To fight mental health stigma, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas System of Care and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission are sponsoring the 2019 Mental Health Awareness Creative Arts Contest, which opens Dec. 10 and runs through March 11, 2019.• Learn how to host an Oxfam Hunger Banquet.• Learn about Project Heart with Ottor Cares. The programming, valued at over $500, is available free. This program is available for 4th – 12th grade.• Check out Take Care of Texas for ideas on neighborhood beautification.• Carry the Flag educational program has programs for elementary, middle, and high school students. Contact donna.kee@carrytheload.org to bring the program to your school. Download the campus guide here. • Access free student leadership resources. One is Five Research-Based Methods to Help Teens Beat Stress and Anxiety.• Download five secondary lesson plans: The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership in grades 6-12.

Follow us on Twitter: TASC_StuCo Are your members following the TASC Facebook page? There are frequent postings of scholarship opportunities as well as ideas for great activities. Find information here first!

TASC is on Instagram: All you have to do is click on the Instagram App. Then you click on the star icon at the bottom.

• Check out TASC on Snapchat.• Share this newsletter with your students. (Hint, it’s posted on the TASC website.)• There is a brand-new link to Resources for Middle Level advisors, thanks to Lisa Gilbert, ML Elected Advisor

to the Board.• Your TASC Board of Directors: You can find names and email links to members of the TASC Board of Directors under the

About Us Tab on the website. Please contact any one of them with concerns, suggestions, or items you want to see on a Board meeting agenda.

• Press Releases: You can find sample press releases under the Resources Tab on the TASC website. Share the good news about your council’s achievements.

• Are you making use of the TASC Advisors Resource Guide? It is available under the Resource tab/Advisors.• Explore TASC Virtual Workshops under Events on the Website. We post all handouts and materials from conferences.• Anyone can donate to the TASC Scholarship Fund in memory or in honor of an individual. (Under About Us/Donate).

• 5CONFERENCE INFORMATIONNAME BADGES /WRISTBANDS

Each registered delegate and invited guest will receive an official conference name badge and TASC wristband. To ensure student safety, these items must be worn at all times. The conference wristband is admission to all conference sessions. Those without a TASC wristband will be required to leave. Additionally, the color of the wristband will determine the rotation to be followed for breakout sessions on Day 2 afternoon.

DRESS CODEThe TASC Board of Directors requests that all attendees follow the TASC Conference dress code. No shorts of any type are to be worn to any conference activity with the exception of the night at Six Flags. Hats or caps are not allowed in the building, and all shirts and dresses must have sleeves. Security will help monitor dress code.

STUDENT DROP-OFF/PICK-UPIn order to ensure delegate safety, vehicles carrying del-egates will not be allowed to stop and unload in the front of the Convention Center. All vehicles will be directed to the appropriate parking lot and will NOT be allowed to load or unload in the drive in front of the building.

PARKINGParking is available at the Arlington Convention Center. Please display the parking pass e-mailed with registration materials. Parking passes at Six Flags are provided with your park admission ticket.

GENERAL SESSION ENTRY AND SEATINGDoors to the General Session will open approximately 30 minutes to one hour before session start time. Any school group may enter the room and secure seating, but the room will not have any activity until 15 minutes be-fore the official start time. Schools may reserve seats for theirdelegationONLY.At least one person from the del-egation must remain with marked seats at all times. Any item used to mark seats reserved will be removed if there is not at least one person from the delegation present at all times. Please fill the seats in the middle of rows first. Do not leave empty seats. Do NOT run in the Convention Center. The fire marshal prohibits standing at the sides or back of the auditorium.

ELECTRONIC DEVICESWhile you are invited to update your status and tweet about conference activities, we ask that advisors and stu-dents silence their phones and follow rules of business etiquette in the use of cell phones and tablet computers. Please be a model of consideration and respect for all at-tending conference sessions.

STUDENT BEHAVIORWith the convention attendance totaling almost 4,900 delegates, it is necessary that advisors sit with their stu-dents during the general assemblies and monitor and control excessive noise. Even a few whispers in the au-ditorium create a lot of noise. Always treat speakers on stage with courtesy and respect. Please ensure that your students remain seated during performances. Walking from the general assembly area to the halls is distracting.

LUNCH ON DAY TWOLunchonDay2isonyourown.Adiningguideisavailablewith some restaurant discounts as is a list of restaurants that deliver. Some schools choose to have lunch delivered and eat on the lawn on the north side of the Convention Center. There are also concessions available in the Con-vention Center. Be sure to allow time for balloting. Bal-loting closes at 1:20, and afternoon sessions begin at 1:30. The general session room is open for seating after 12:30. Please do not sit in the Convention Center halls.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCESThe use or possession of alcohol, tobacco or other illegal drugs is strictly prohibited. Any student found in pos-session or under the influence of these substances will be sent home from the conference without delay at the expense of the student, his/her parents or the student’s school. Both the student’s principal and parents will be notified, and local authorities may be contacted.

CONFERENCE SAFETYAll conference attendees are expected to respect the rights and safety of others. Weapons of any type are strictly prohibited at TASC functions. Any person found in the possession of an item that is used as a weapon or exhib-iting irresponsible behavior that endangers the health, safety, or welfare of him/herself or others will be sent home from the conference without delay at the expense of the student, his/her parents or the student’s school. Both the student’s principal and parents will be notified, and local authorities may be contacted.

TASC ON SOCIAL NETWORKS:Facebook: TASC_StuCo TASC_StuCo AlumniTwitter: TASC_stuco Instagram: TASC_stucoSnapchat: tascstuco

Download the TASC mobile app and allow “push notifications” to get conference updates, announcements, and more!

TASC: Building a better world - one student, one council, one school at a timeShare this newsletter with your students!

2018 – 2019 TASC State Theme and Service Project• The TASC state theme for 2018 – 2019 is Resolve to Rise.• The TASC state service project for 2018 – 2019 is Resolve to Rise – Change Lives

and centers on mental wellness. See the State Officer video about the project here.• It does not take a huge project to contribute to the TASC State Service Project

regarding mental wellness. Small, consistent, intentional projects designed to promote connection and caring can be powerful.

• Take a Look at the “Hi, How Are You Day” Project. Take the time to talk with someone you know. Just say, “Hi, how are you?” See page 4.

Hi, How Are You?