Assembly Planning Checklist

A successful National Student Leadership Week (NSLW) assembly is a great launching pad for an engaging and exciting celebration. Your assembly can communicate the goals and spirit of NSLW and motivate the entire student body and staff to join forces in service with you and student leaders. The following checklist can help you plan and hold a meaningful NSLW assembly.

Assembly Planning

  • Carefully consider potential assembly dates. Think about providing enough time between the assembly and NSLW to build up excitement, and try not to overlap with other events.
  • Place the approved date for the NSLW assembly on your school’s master calendar.
  • Plan meetings with student leaders and others to decide what the 2021 theme “Leadership Unlimited” means for your students and your community.
  • Select a master (or masters) of ceremony.
  • Determine roles of school leaders and others in the assembly.
  • Start publicizing the event in school and other media outlets: the school newspaper, PA announcements, social media, posters, etc. (See our sample press release—coming soon.)
  • Establish a cleanup committee.
  • Write a script that focuses on clear, timely, and audience appropriate messages.
  • Assess the assembly stage’s sound, technology, and lighting needs.
  • List required assembly supplies and equipment, and designate people to obtain them.
  • Rehearse the assembly program.
  • Create a detailed description of the entire program, including participants, timelines, learning goals, etc., and share it with the administration and faculty.
  • Develop and use an evaluation form.

Day of the Assembly

  • Double-check that all participants understand the assembly program order and their responsibilities.
  • Set up any audiovisual equipment (sound, lighting, etc.) at least one hour in advance and make sure it works!
  • Make arrangements at least one hour in advance for official guests to be met by a student guide.

After the Assembly

  • Meet the NSLW student cleaning crew at a predesignated place to start cleaning up the assembly area.
  • Post assembly video excerpts online on social media. Be sure to include the official event hashtag (#NSLW2021) so that we can share in your celebration!
  • Distribute evaluation forms among participants and summarize the suggestions.
  • Create an “NSLW assembly” folder, including the agenda, script, and evaluations for next year’s committee.

We hope you enjoy planning and participating in your NSLW assembly this year. Don’t forget to share your school’s NSLW activities using #NSLW2021!