Fall 2026 New Ambassador Meet & Greet | NSHSS

Summary

The Fall 2026 Ambassador Meet & Greet introduced new and returning NSHSS Ambassadors to the program’s community, leadership structure, ways to participate, and upcoming onboarding dates. Presenters emphasized that there is no single “right” way to be an Ambassador: students can connect with peers, create content, volunteer, join teams, or develop their own projects.

Getting started

• Join the official Ambassador Slack workspace. Membership in Slack is required to be considered an active Ambassador. Program updates, applications, events, and opportunities are posted there.
• Read the community guidelines before posting. Update your profile with your graduation year, introduce yourself, and explore the channels.
• The presentation described these Slack spaces:
  • Ambassador Leadership Program: Official updates, deadlines, and program news.
  • #ask-a-senior: A place to ask Senior Mentors questions.
  • General and community channels: Introductions, conversations, and shared interests. Channel names may change, so check the workspace.
• Watch for the Ambassador Welcome Kit. It was expected to arrive roughly one to two months after admission, generally in October or November. A Slack check-in was planned for the end of November for anyone whose kit had not arrived.
• Complete onboarding with Senior Mentors. These experienced, second-year Ambassadors help new members learn how the program works. New members were asked to watch for an invitation to a private onboarding Slack channel. If it had not arrived by October 19, they should contact Anna.
• Attend Game Night if possible. The event uses Gimkit for NSHSS trivia and offers prizes. Presenters recommended it as a relaxed way to learn about the program and meet others.
• To remain active, Ambassadors should check Slack at least once every two weeks. Participation expectations vary by committee, and joining a committee is not mandatory.

Program timeline

• October 14: Meet and Greet and Slack introductions.
• October 15–19: Explore public Slack channels.
• October 19–30: New Ambassador onboarding with Senior Mentors.
• October 21 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern: “Meet the Committees” open house.
• October 22–November 1: Committee applications open.
• October 30: Onboarding Game Night, described as Halloween-themed.
• By November 11: Committee decisions were expected to be communicated.
• November 4: Clubs meet-and-greet Coffee Chat.
• November 4–22: Join existing clubs.
• November 12–22: Submit proposals for new clubs.
• December 2: Approved new clubs were expected to be introduced.

Ways to participate and lead

The speakers outlined several ways to make the program your own:

• Connect: Use Slack, Coffee Chats, Scholars Day, and Game Nights to meet other students.
• Create: Make short-form videos, contribute to social media, write blogs, or share student stories.
• Lead: Help plan activities, coordinate projects, support a team, or propose a club or other student-led initiative.
• Give back: Take part in volunteer opportunities shared in Slack and email, including some in-person events.
• Speak: Present at monthly Ambassador Leadership Meetings or contribute to Young Scholars webinars for younger students.
• Share your experience: Submit a written or video “Why NSHSS” story or leave an honest review. These activities do not require committee membership.

Public-speaking opportunities include presentations, project showcases, and discussions at leadership meetings, as well as offering advice to middle-school students through Young Scholars webinars. Interested students were directed to a speaker form and the relevant Slack channels.

Coffee Chats were described as informal spaces for community-building and conversation. Instagram takeovers are another option: an Ambassador shares a day in their life through NSHSS Instagram Stories, usually for a 12-hour period. Sign-up opportunities are posted in Slack.

Students can also nominate teachers or mentors for recognition and submit blogs for possible publication on the NSHSS website. Ambassadors may propose their own projects and recruit collaborators through Slack. If a project uses or is affiliated with the NSHSS name or branding, the speakers advised contacting Anna first for guidance.

Leadership structure and support

• The Ambassador Council helps guide the overall program.
• Committee leads coordinate specific areas, while committee members contribute to ongoing projects.
• Support teams help with particular activities and offer more flexibility.
• Clubs are separate, student-created communities built around shared interests.

Students do not need to move through a leadership “ladder” to participate. Leadership can provide practice in planning, communication, collaboration, and decision-making, as well as qualifying volunteer hours and experience that may strengthen an Ambassador Scholarship application.

For questions, students were advised to start with #ask-a-senior or their team lead. If an issue requires staff approval or remains unresolved, they can contact Anna or Kyla. Sensitive concerns should be taken directly to staff.

Ambassadors may eventually run for the Council. The process described was to apply, present ideas during a campaign, and have Ambassadors vote. Students were advised to aim for at least six months of active participation before applying and to watch for official eligibility rules and election dates.

Committees and support teams

The four committees introduced were:

• Content Creation: Short-form videos, creative themes, and authentic student stories.
• Social Media and Engagement: Responding to online conversations and sharing student perspectives.
• Slack Engagement: Welcoming peers, posting prompts, and helping keep Slack active and positive.
• Senior Mentors: Experienced Ambassadors who support and answer questions from newer members. Members need prior program experience before becoming Senior Mentors.

Students may join one committee at a time. Committees require applications and involve ongoing responsibilities and qualifying volunteer hours. By contrast, support teams generally do not require an application or prior experience, can be joined at different times, and may allow participation in multiple groups.

Other support teams described included:

• Game Nights: Developing games, organizing activities, and encouraging participation.
• Coffee Chats: Supporting informal discussions and community events.
• Newsletter: Researching, writing, editing, and suggesting articles based on community questions and relevant discussions.

Clubs

Existing clubs introduced at the event included:

• Photography
• Law and mock trial/debate
• Sports
• Literary Interpretation
• Aerospace Innovation

Clubs are independent of the Council, committees, and support teams. Students can join an existing club or propose a new one. The Q&A indicated that a proposal requires finding interested members and a co-lead in advance. The presentation also noted that the full process would be explained at a later leadership meeting.

Scholarships, events, and continued involvement

• The Ambassador Scholarship has three awards: $1,000, $750, and $500. The presenters said there are three winners per school year and that active Ambassadors in good standing may apply. The next application was scheduled to open May 1, 2027; applicants should check the official criteria and deadlines.
• Scholarship funds are paid to the student or their parent, rather than directly to the college. Recipients can decide how to use the award, including alongside other aid.
• Past winners were highlighted for building program infrastructure, supporting onboarding and peer mentoring, developing engagement activities, creating content, and leading initiatives.
• Ambassadors may volunteer at in-person events. Sign-up forms are generally shared in Slack about one or two months ahead. Students who already plan to attend an event were encouraged to contact Kyla or Anna.
• Involvement can continue after high school through opportunities such as the Collegiate Council and, eventually, the Fellows community.

Main takeaways

• Start by joining Slack, reading the guidelines, introducing yourself, and completing onboarding.
• Explore opportunities at your own pace; students are not expected to do everything at once.
• Committee participation is optional, but active involvement and meaningful contributions can help students build experience and community connections.
• Reach out to mentors or staff for help, and seek guidance before using NSHSS branding for a personal initiative.
• Look for official updates in Slack, where dates, applications, event forms, and opportunities are shared.

Speakers and people featured

Main presenters and guest speakers

• Kyla Evans — NSHSS Marketing Optimization Coordinator and Ambassador staff coordinator.
• Adaliz Ramirez — 2026–2027 Ambassador Council President and event host.
• Abdul Wadood Ahmed — Ambassador Program alumnus and Collegiate Council member.
• Cali Goode — Content Creation Committee lead.
• Madison Matute — Coffee Chats co-host.
• Arianna / “Devin” — Introduced herself as a Senior Mentor and newsletter support-team member; the transcript is unclear about which name she uses.

Other program contacts and leaders

• Anna — Ambassador staff coordinator; absent from the meeting.
• Priscilla Keith — Slack Engagement lead; unable to present because of technical difficulties.
• Sav Hopkins — Coffee Chats co-host, mentioned but not present.
• Sofia Chambers, Cristina, Shishir, and other Council members — Identified as Council leaders or members.
• Cali Goode, Abigail Labady, Priscilla Keith, and Cesca Celis — Identified as committee leads.
• Cristina Dos Santos and Hardik Aurora — Identified as newsletter support-team leads.
• Sarah Vasquez, Makenzie Maywalt, Sheylin Zometa, Lucia Acuna, Akyedzi Acheampong, Audrey Veal, Na’Kaiyah Strother, Rubylee Fisher, and Ekakshya Singh — Named as club leaders.