Compass students can earn the National Distinguished Student Leadership Award (NDSLA) in recogition of their of sustained and exemplary leadership in two or more youth or community activities. The NDSLA is awarded annually, and students can earn it multiple years. Students can select from a medal, coin, pin, or patch. For many, earning one or more awards will be a noteworthy honor on a future college or scholarship applications.
The NDSLA is offered through Compass’s affiliate organization, Volunteer Scholars, which offers a secure, online portal to track completed community service activities which are reviewed for compliance the program guidelines
Compass students are offered an annual Elite-level membership in Volunteer Scholars at no cost which gives them access to the NDSLA along with the American Citizenship Award (ACA) and the American Volunteer Service Award (AVSA).
Non-Compass homeschooled students from northern Virginia* are offered two options: an annual Elite-level membership (a $179 value) for a reduced cost of $49.00 which gives them access to the NDSLA, AVSA and ACA, OR an annual Premier-level membership (a $99.00 value) for a reduced cost of $29.00 which gives them access to the AVSA only.
Compass and non-Compass homeschooled students should sign up on the Compass Special Event Registration webpage.
Eligibility through Compass
Compass Students
Compass students will receive a discount code which gives them Elite membership in Volunteer Scholars at no cost. Compass will pay for all costs associated with awards.
A Compass students is a homechooled student who was enrolled in at least one Compass class in the previous school year and at least Quarter 1 or Semester 1 of the upcoming school year, as measured by the August 31 cut-off for the Volunteer Scholars membership and award year.
Homeschooled Students from Northern Virginia Area
Homeschooled students in northern Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, Stafford, and Faquier counties, or Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park cities) who do not attend Compass will receive a discount code which gives them two options: Elite Membership in Volunteer Scholars at a discounted rate of $49.00 (regularly $179) or Premier Membership in Volunteer Scholars at a discounted rate of $29.00 (regularly $99).
Homeschooled Status
Homeschooled students receiving free or discounted access to Volunteer Scholars through Compass must be homeschooled for the award year that the volunteer work was performed (September 1 through August 31) and at least the term when the award is presented (late October). All candidates will be asked to submit their county’s homeschool acknowledgement letter (not NOI) demonstrating homeschool status for both years.
All Other Students (Non-Homeschooled, Other Areas)
Students from any other educational setting (public, private, parochial, virtual, hybrid, community college, etc) or homeschooled students from any area outside of northern Virginia should enroll directly through Volunteer Scholars.
Age
Homeschooled students ages 6 through 18 can earn this award. A student must be age 6 by August 31 (in other words, the student may have completed some activities while 5 years old, but must turn 6 by the end of the award cycle). A student cannot turn 19 before March 1 of the award year (in other words, the student was 18 for at least 6 months and 1 day, or “more than half”, of the award year.)
Adults ages 18+ may earn this award through Volunteer Scholars .
Required Award Ceremony
An awards ceremony will be held at 4:00 pm on the last Wednesday afternoon in October each year for the recipients of the prior year’s awards. Attendance at the award ceremony is mandatory for Compass students and northern Virginia area homeschooled students. Attendance shall be a condition of receiving your award. Check the date and plan for it in your schedule if you are applying for an award. Awards will not be given to students who do not show up for the ceremony regardless of reason.
All students earning this award through Compass are responsible for all other award guidelines and FAQs listed on the Volunteer Scholars website.
For more information or questions on the NDSLA, contact the Compass awards administrator at awards@compassclasses.com