This overview calendar is designed to help Chapter Advisors and student officers keep track of opportunities for ELA community members.
The following year-long outline may help organize chapter activities and help chapter members set goals. Remember, the more active the chapter is, the stronger it will be. This will mean that more students will be willing to join, contribute, and participate in its programs.
September 2025
- Select students for membership and communicate to students’ parents/guardians.
- Chapter Advisors enroll all new student members using the ELA Gateway platform.
- Hold elections for new Chapter Leaders.
- Chapter Advisors purchase Chapter Leader pins and membership pins from the online store (optional).
- Review or create chapter bylaws (with new officers and members, if possible) that agree with the ELA Honor Society Constitution.
- Set a yearly calendar of chapter meeting dates.
- Develop chapter activity ideas with Chapter Leaders and members.
- Begin reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Encourage student members to participate in the first Creative Challenge; submissions open September 29.
- Applications for fall Professional Support Grants open September 29.
- Applications for Classroom Library Grants open September 29.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event to celebrate World Teacher’s Day on October 5 or Hispanic Heritage Month (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
October 2025
- Begin chapter meetings.
- Hold induction ceremony.
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Encourage all members to submit their work for first Creative Challenge to Chapter Advisors.
- Submissions for the first Creative Challenge close October 14.
- Applications for fall Professional Support Grants and Classroom Library Grants close October 14.
- Conduct chapter projects and collect documentation for winter Chapter Showcase submissions.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event for Native American Heritage Month (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
November 2025
- Winners of the first Creative Challenge announced November 10.
- Winners of the fall Professional Support Grants announced November 10.
- Winners of Classroom Library Grants announced November 10.
- Encourage student members to participate in the second Creative Challenge and T-Shirt Design Competition; submissions open December 8.
- Chapter Advisors should prepare applications for Professional Support Grants; submissions open December 8.
- Begin write-up of chapter project for winter Chapter Showcase; submissions open December 8.
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Conduct chapter projects and collect documentation for winter Chapter Showcase submissions.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society winter/holiday event (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
December 2025
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Encourage student members to participate in the second Creative Challenge and T-Shirt Design Competition; submissions open December 8.
- Applications for winter Professional Support Grants open December 8.
- Finish write-up of chapter project for winter Chapter Showcase; submissions open December 8.
January 2026
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Encourage all members to submit their work for second Creative Challenge and T-Shirt Design Competition to Chapter Advisors.
- Submissions for the second Creative Challenge and T-Shirt Design Competition close January 12.
- Applications for winter Professional Support Grants close January 12.
- Submissions for the winter Chapter Showcase close January 12.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event or activity for Black History Month (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
February 2026
- Winners of the second Creative Challenge and T-Shirt Design Competition announced February 16.
- Winners of the winter Chapter Showcase announced February 16.
- Winners of the winter Professional Support Grants announced February 16.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event or activity for Women’s History Month (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
- Conduct chapter projects and collect documentation for spring Chapter Showcase submissions.
March 2026
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Encourage student members to participate in the third Creative Challenge; submissions open March 23.
- Encourage all members to submit their work for third Creative Challenge to Chapter Advisors.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event or activity for National Poetry Month or School Library Month (this could form part of a Chapter Showcase submission).
- Chapter Advisors should prepare applications for Professional Support Grants; submissions open March 23.
- Conduct chapter projects and collect documentation for spring Chapter Showcase submissions.
- Begin write-up of chapter project for spring Chapter Showcase; submissions open March 23.
- Students and Chapter Advisors select 2025-2026 Big Read reader.
April 2026
- Continue reading the ELA Big Read reader.
- Submissions for the third Creative Challenge close April 6.
- Finish write-up of chapter project for spring Chapter Showcase; submissions close April 6.
- Plan a chapter project for fall 2026.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event or activity for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month or Jewish American History Month (this could form part of a winter 2026 Chapter Showcase submission).
- Submissions for the third Creative Challenge close April 6.
- Applications for spring Professional Support Grants close April 6.
May 2026
- Winners of the third Writing Challenge announced May 11.
- Winners of the spring Chapter Showcase announced May 11.
- Winners of the spring Professional Support Grants announced May 11.
- Consider organizing a special ELA Honor Society event or activity for Pride Month (this could form part of a winter 2026 Chapter Showcase submission).
- Begin to organize an end-of-year celebration for ELA Honor Society members.
- Chapter Advisors purchase year completion pins, new Chapter Leader pins, and graduation pins from the online store (optional).
- Hold elections for 2026-2027 Chapter Leaders.
- Chapter Advisors complete Chapter Annual Report Survey.
June 2026
- Continue to organize end-of-year celebration for ELA Honor Society members.
- Hold end-of-year celebration for ELA Honor Society members.
- Recognize outgoing and incoming Chapter Leaders at a whole-school ceremony; present graduating students with graduation pins; present ELA Honor Society successes to school community and/or parents/guardians of student members.
- Consider new members and recruitment for fall 2026.
- Chapter Advisors complete Chapter Annual Report Survey.
