The National Education Leadership Awards (NELA) 2026

• 5:00 – 6:15 PM – Registration | Capital Terrace (All) 
  Please stop by the registration table to check in and pick up your name badge before we get started. Our team will be there to assist you. 
   
• 6:15 – 7:00 PM – Welcome and Mixer | Presidential Ballroom | (All) 
  APOYS, POYS, ACOYs, NHS Scholars, NASC Honorees and their advisers will take part in an activity designed to connect, share experiences, and build new relationships. 
   
• 7:00 – 8:30 PM – Welcome Reception | Congressional Ballroom | (All) 
  Your adult guest* can join you to mingle with other honorees as you enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages. 
  

• 8:00 – 8:45 AM – Breakfast | Congressional Ballroom (All) 
  Start your day with a buffet breakfast before our first full day. Bring your show and tell object with you. 
   
• 8:45 – 9:00 AM – Intro to Day | Presidential Ballroom (All) 
  Welcome from the NASSP team, with instructions to start your day. 
   
• 9:00 – 10:00 AM – Show and Tell (Object Share) | Presidential – (POYs and ACOYs); Senate Room – (APOYs); Federal A – (Students); Federal B – (Advisers) 
  Get ready to connect in a memorable way. In this interactive session, you’ll share the story of your leadership through a personal object that represents who you are and what you stand for. 
   
• 10:00 – 10:30 AM – Brain Date (Networking Time) | Capital Terrace/Foyer (All) 
  Connect with others and exchange ideas, interests, and challenges in conversation with your peers. 
   
• 10:30 – 12:00 PM – Ask Me About My Superpower | Breakout Rooms | (All) 
  Join your cohort to share strengths, celebrate successes, and highlight the practices that are making a difference in your schools and communities. 
   
• 12:00 – 1:00 PM – Lunch | Congressional Room (All) 
  Enjoy a buffet lunch for a mid-day pick me up before more sessions. 
   
• 1:00 – 2:30 PM – Leadership Scavenger Hunt | Presidential Ballroom/Nearby (All) 
  Enjoy time exploring DC with your cross-cohort group. You’ll collaborate to find historical and significant civic spaces to connect to your leadership while completing group challenges. 
   
• 2:30 – 2:45 PM – Break | Capital Terrace (All) 
  Take a breather before we dive into a longer, cross-audience conversation about education. 
   
• 2:45 – 4:00 PM – A Look Through Another Lens: Voices in Education | Presidential Ballroom + Breakout Rooms (All) 
  Gather with your cross-cohort groups to talk about your school experiences and learn from each other.   
   
• 4:00 – 5:00 PM – NASSP Connection: Your Experience, Your Voice (Students) 
  NHS and NASC students will have the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with our Communications team for short, informal interviews about their experiences in the program. 
  
  Break (APOYs, POYs, ACOYs, Advisers) 
  Continue connecting with peers on your own or take a break to recharge. 
   
• 5:00 – 10:00 PM – Free Evening for School Leaders 
  Experience the best of the D.C. area at your own pace. Explore the dining scene with colleagues or solo (dinner is on your own) or spend the evening with your adult guest. 
  
  Evening Activity for Students and Advisers | Congressional Ballroom 
  Explore more of Washington, D.C. with this structured activity and dinner. 

• 8:00 – 8:45 AM – Breakfast | Congressional Ballroom (All) 
  Begin the day with a buffet breakfast before breakout sessions. 
   
• 8:45 – 9:45 AM – Cultivating Courageous Leaders | Presidential Ballroom (School Leaders) 
  Learn more about opportunities and ways to elevate your leadership within your new network and beyond. 
  
  Now What? Preparing for High School – College Transition | Federal A (Students) 
  You’ve earned the recognition. You’ve put in the work. Now what? This session is designed for student leaders who are preparing to take their next big step into college life. 
  
  Power Up Your Council/Chapter | Federal B (Advisers) 
  Your leadership makes student leadership possible. We’ll explore practical strategies to strengthen student engagement, cultivate emerging leaders, and more. 
  
  
• 9:45 – 10:00 AM – Break | Capital Terrace (All) 
  Relax before we transition into our advocacy sessions. 
  
  
• 10:00 – 10:45 AM – Being An Advocacy Champion | Presidential Ballroom (All) 
  A student scholar moderates a panel with our 2026 Advocacy Champions of the Year Finalists to highlight how to use your voice to support your community through any role. 
   
• 11:00 – 12:00 PM – Policy and Advocacy in Action Workshop | Presidential Ballroom (School Leaders) 
  Building on insights from the panel, engage in guided tabletop conversations to reflect on what you heard, what stood out, and how it connects to your work and experiences. 
  
  Leadership in Motion: Bridging Local Impact to State Advocacy | Federal A (Students and Advisers) 
  Learn how to take your passions and actions from the local level to the state level to create more impact. 
  
  
• 12:00 – 1:00 PM – Lunch | Congressional Room 
  Refuel before afternoon sessions. 
   
• 1:15 – 2:45 PM – Solving Together: A Collaborative Approach to Education Challenges| Presidential Ballroom (School Leaders)  
  Tackle real challenges using the problems of practice formula through individual and small group exercises, leaving you with new ideas you can take back to your campus. 
  
  Solving Together: A Collaborative Approach to Education Challenges | Federal B (School Leaders) 
  Tackle real challenges using the problems of practice formula through individual and small group exercises, leaving you with new ideas you can take back to your campus. 
  
  The Power of Personal Narrative: Self-Advocacy through Storytelling | Federal A (Students) 
  Explore how the way you tell your story shapes how others see you. Whether you’re applying for opportunities, stepping into leadership roles, or advocating for change, your personal narrative can open doors. 
  
  
• 2:45 – 3:00 PM – Gala Practice | Presidential Ballroom (APOYs, POYs, ACOYs, Students) 
  Receive important instructions and practice your line order ahead of the awards show. 
   
• 3:00 – 6:00 PM – Pre-Gala Break (All) 
  Rest and then get prepared for your big night.   
   
• 6:00 – 10:00 PM – Gala Awards and Dinner | Presidential Ballroom (All) 
  Enjoy dinner and hear from keynote speaker Holly Rowe as we honor all our award recipients. Special thanks to our NASC sponsor, The Allstate Foundation. 

• 9:00 – 9:45 AM – Breakfast | Congressional Ballroom (All) 
  Enjoy a later breakfast before our closing sessions. Bring your luggage down with you for storage before checkout at 11:00 AM. 
   
• 9:45 – 10:45 AM – Final Breakout Sessions  
  Unconference | Presidential Ballroom (APOYs, POYs, ACOYs); Federal B (Advisers)  
  Help shape the conversation around the educational topics that matter most to you. Bring your questions, challenges, and big ideas. Join others who want to explore those themes in an open, participant-driven format. 
  
  Leadership Legacy Blueprint | Federal A (Students) 
  You’ll transform what you’ve heard, learned, and experienced into a personal leadership pathway. Through guided prompts, you’ll dig into the moments that have shaped your unique leadership perspective. 
  
  
• 10:45 – 11:30 AM – Closing and Reflection | Presidential Ballroom (All) 
  Share experiences and feedback in this powerful reflection session with fellow attendees. 
   
• 11:30 AM – Departure | Capital Terrace (All) 
  Say “see you later” to your new pals and head home to start the next chapter of your leadership journey. 

Unless you are driving, your airfare to/from Washington, D.C. was booked by NASSP.  

• Arrival: April 15 by 3:00 p.m. (registration begins at 5:00 p.m.)   

• Departure: April 18 after 2:00 p.m. (programming ends at 12:00 pm) 

Your hotel room for three nights (arriving April 15 and departing April 18) was booked and paid by NASSP. You will need to provide your name at the Capital Hilton when you arrive. 

• You’ll receive your confirmation number from the hotel closer to the event.   

• Upon check-in, provide a credit card for any incidental charges.   

• If you extend your stay at the hotel, costs will be your responsibility. NASSP’s discounted rate for the event is $319, plus 15.95% tax. 

• Dress is business casual. Bring comfortable but professional clothing and a comfortable pair of shoes.   

• Please bring a charged laptop or mobile device for networking and learning sessions.  Don’t forget your charger.