Do you have the best smile on campus?

National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) at Volunteer State is a society where students can succeed with the help of others. Our website states, "The Society is founded upon the core beliefs that: one can achieve one's dreams with the proper support and dedicated action, and that we accomplish more together than we would achieve alone." We hold that mission very dear when we meet with our SNT groups once a week to discuss our goals with everyone in the group. With the increase in members here at the Volunteer State Campus, we want to share with others what we will be doing this semester. First of all we reached a goal by completing 6 pillars (goals). With the 6 pillars completed, the chapter at Volunteer State received a $1400 credit. With extra fundraising revenues to spend, the next step that our president Megan Sexton wants to pursue is to create a scholarship for high school students to attend Vol State. Also we have ideas for a candy gram event for Valentine's Day on the Vol State campus. So stop by the table near Valentine's Day to buy a gift for your valentine.

    

NSLS is participating in the S.M.I.L.E. foundation which stands for Simply Making Isaac's Laugh Eternal. Here is Isaac's story," Isaac was a typical teenager. He loved his truck, his dogs, his family, and all things outdoors. He was from a small town where he had many friends. Isaac was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in March of 2010, after a few episodes of non specified sicknesses. he was known to his doctors and nurses as quite the charmer and comedian. He possessed an unimaginable sense of humor and could turn nearly any situation into one to laugh about... including cancer.

Shortly after Isaacs's 17th birthday, his health began to decline. He was weakened by the increasingly aggressive treatments and confined to a wheel chair. It was soon discovered that Isaacs's cancer was becoming resistant to all of his doctors efforts. Isaac's leukemia was complicated by an extremely rare combination of translocated genes that had never been treated successfully in the other twenty documented cases around the world. His hopes for reaching remission and bone marrow transplant were dimming.

Isaac's battle ended on August 3, 2010, only four short months after it began. He never had the chance to be in remission. He had completed his job on earth and was called home.

Throughout those short four months, Isaac managed to change the perspectives of many around him. People he had never met were soon inspired by his story of strength and courage. His laugh and smile were infectious. He found pleasure in the simplest of things. he was amazed at the fact that he would, from time to time, received small gifts from total strangers. He hated attention, but loved it also."

 We here at NSLS want to make sure Isaac's story is never forgotten. With the motto, " allowing Isaac to just ‘go away’ is not an option" the SMILE Foundation was formed to help children with cancers and various other childhood illnesses. During the month of April we will be hosting the Smile contest. We will be taking pictures of the best smiles on campus and letting the students vote who has the prettiest smile. The winner will receive recognition for the prettiest smile.

-Stewart Parks, President's Ambassador and NSLS