The student council at Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, VA, has been recognized as a National Council of Excellence 15 times, ever since the school first opened. The award recognizes student councils for implementing a strong leadership program that meets council goals; functioning in an ethical and responsible way; and engaging others in leadership, spirit, […]
Category: Student Voice and Agency
The Secret to Sustained Student Council Success
Elevating Student VoiceNational Student CouncilNatStuCoNCOESchool LeadershipStudent leadership
A Longtime National Council of Excellence Brings a Big School Together
Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, VA, is a large school. We have more than 2,200 students (who come from 10 different middle schools) and 215 staff spread out over multiple quads on a campus the covers more than 100 acres. One group that is key to pulling our entire school community together is our 30-person […]
NCOESchool LeadershipStudent leadership
A Fundraising Project That Changes Lives
When it comes time for students in the NHS chapter here at Thunder Ridge High School in Idaho Falls, ID, to graduate, just about every one of them would say that a highlight was this year’s project where we raised money to build a house for a Ukrainian family displaced by the war. I started […]
NHSStudent leadership
On Being a Middle Level Student Council Adviser
A basic goal of middle level student councils should be to empower young student leaders to become the driving force in shaping the activities and culture of a developmentally responsive student organization. Reaching that goal means that student councils, like any academic curriculum, must introduce and foster essential skills necessary for students to be successful. […]
Middle School Leaders NetworkNASCNational Student CouncilNatStuCoSchool LeadershipStudent leadership
Inside the Backpacks of NHS Scholarship Winners: Discovering the Essentials of Tomorrow’s Leaders
NASSP recently recognized 25 outstanding National Honor Society members with scholarships for their dedication to the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. As they embark on a bright future, we explore what essentials they carry with them every day, from textbooks to tech gadgets, and everything in between. Discover the unique personalities […]
Elevating Student VoiceNHSNHS ScholarshipStudent leadership
Trailblazing Leadership Week Celebrates Student and School Leaders
NASSP sits at the intersection of student and school leadership. Any progress in our schools must start with those who are a part of them, and the combined effect of these groups working together is greater than each working alone. This power was on full display during NASSP’s Trailblazing Leadership Week, April 22-25, which brought […]
NASSP Assistant Principals of the Year Alumni NetworkNASSP Principal of the Year Alumni NetworkNHS
Award Recognizes International School’s Student Council
The student council at Boston International School (BIS) in Jiangsu, China, is among the 337 winners of this year’s National Council of Excellence. The award recognizes student councils for implementing a strong leadership program that meets council goals; functioning in an ethical and responsible way; and engaging others in leadership, spirit, civic, and service activities. […]
National Student CouncilNatStuCo
NHS Students Reach Out to Help Native Neighbors
Many of us take for granted that on cold nights we can get warm inside from our central heating. That privilege is not shared by thousands of our Navajo and Hopi Nation neighbors here in Arizona. Many of them—the most recent figures say as many as one-third—lack adequate access to reliable heating.
BelonginginclusionNHSStudent leadership
A Powerful Collaboration Between School Leaders and Student Leaders
Here in Washington state, we have what I think is a unique—and powerful—relationship between the Association of Washington Student Leaders (where I serve as director) and the Association of Washington School Principals. The best way to put it is that we work in tandem: The principals’ association supports principals on down and we support students […]
Principal pipelineRecruitment and RetentionSchool LeadershipStudent leadershipstudent voice
Student Leaders Help Peers Dance the Night Away
In late January, our NHS chapter at Montrose High School in Montrose, CO, hosted a dance for students with special needs. While our students in mainstream classes organize several events throughout the year, such as homecoming, prom, and various sporting events, to help make their high school experience memorable, many students with special needs do […]