MEMBERSHIP MINUTE
Student Points and Degree Levels WHY THEY MATTER FOR PROGRAMS AND STUDENTS When high school students join the NSDA, they embark down the road to Premier Distinction, the highest degree level in our Honor Society. Below we share a breakdown of student membership at each degree level and what it all means for students and programs!
WHY POINTS MATTER FOR PROGRAMS updated 12/17/2018
WHAT IS STRENGTH?
A school’s total strength is equal to the TOP 3 active, paid coach degrees plus ALL the active, paid student degrees. Only members with an email address attached to their account can contribute to a school’s strength, so make sure your members provide an email address! An email address can be entered by a student when they sign up for an account or it can be added by an advisor or a coach with permissions when creating an account from the student roster. For an example of strength, please see the illustration below.
WHY DO DEGREES AND STRENGTH MATTER?
Degrees are the basis for most of our school recognition, including earning charter status and club awards. Strength also impacts the number of entries a school can take to the district tournament.
STUDENT ROSTER
Remember, all active, paid students with an email address attached to their account contribute to total strength, as represented by the blue highlighting below.
NAME
DEGREE
ACTIVE
STRENGTH CONTRIBUTION
Amir Akbari
Merit
+1
Bethany Baird
Honor
+2
Carlos Cortes
Excellence
+3
Diana Deng
Premier Distinction
+8
Erik Engebretsen
–
+0
COACH ROSTER
Remember, the top 3 active, paid coaches with an email address attached to their account contribute to strength, as indicated by the blue highlighting below.
NAME
DEGREE
ACTIVE
STRENGTH CONTRIBUTION
Fatima Farooqi
Merit
+0
Gemma Gupta
Excellence
+3
Hyun-Ae Han
Superior Distinction
Inari Irving
Special Distinction
Jorge Jiménez
Three Diamonds
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL – TOTAL STRENGTH
+0 +5
|| Strength contribution: Each degree from an active, paid student adds another point to
a school’s strength. School strength is used to determine most NSDA school recognition, including earning charter status and club awards. Strength also impacts the number of entries a school can take to the district tournament. Check out our illustrated guide to strength at www.speechanddebate.org/what-is-strength (shown at left). || Student award eligibility: In addition to school awards, points also determine a student’s
eligibility for special NSDA awards, such as the Academic All American award. || Reward for hard and honorable work: Earning points can provide motivation for
students to keep building their skills in the face of obstacles. Plus, points aren’t limited to competition activities. Many service activities are also eligible for points in our Honor Society (see opposite page).
+ 10 = 32
For a full table of degree values, please visit page 13 of the High School Unified Manual.
|| Show distinction: Each additional degree level is another feather in a student’s cap and
moves them into a smaller circle of NSDA members.
DEGREE LEVEL Merit Honor Excellence Distinction Special Distinction Superior Distinction Outstanding Distinction Premier Distinction
MILESTONE
POINTS
JEWEL
25
Silver
97.84%
75
Emerald
66.56%
150
Sapphire
45.62%
250
Ruby
32.54%
Students become eligible for the Academic All American award, earned by only 1% of NSDA members each year.
500
Double Ruby
17.86%
750
Triple Ruby
10.79%
Students receive a personal note from NSDA Executive Director J. Scott Wunn congratulating them on reaching the highest degree level.
1,000
Quadruple Ruby
6.57%
1,500
Quintuple Ruby
2.49%
Students join our Honor Society and become eligible to compete at the district tournament and wear NSDA honor cords or insignia.
Students become eligible to judge Middle School competition at the National Tournament.
% OF MEMBERS WHO ACHIEVE*
* Degree level percentages are based on 2018 NSDA high school student membership statistics. 16
ROSTRUM | APRIL/MAY 2019