Who We Are

The National Student Council (NSC) is a national network that empowers and equips your students to develop and hone their leadership skills. It provides the framework to transform your students into the next generation of leaders and includes milestones to recognize and celebrate their progress.

NSC membership is centered on a commitment to:

• Leadership
  Empowering and equipping students to develop and hone their leadership skills and challenging them to be positive change makers in their school and community.
  
  
• Service
  Establishing and sustaining a culture of service through active volunteerism and serving.
  
  
• Student Voice
  Promoting student government as the voice of the student body, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to be heard.
  
  
• Engagement
  Encouraging and coaching students to be active participants in school and community leadership and decision-making.

Reflecting school leaders’ profound commitment to student leadership development, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) founded NSC in 1931. In addition to NSC, NASSP founded and manages the National Honor Society (est. in 1921), National Junior Honor Society (est. in 1928), and National Elementary Honor Society (est. in 2008).

What We Believe

At NSC, we believe that:

• Empowered students can affect positive change in their school and community.
  
  
• Student leaders have the responsibility to be positive role models.
  
  
• Student councils play a vital role in the democratic process.
  
  
• Leadership training programs are essential for developing leaders to achieve their full potential.
  
  
• Involvement in state and national programs enhances a school’s student leadership development.
  
  
• Student council programs are stronger when all students are encouraged to participate.
  
  
• Every middle level and high school should have an active student council.

Why NSC?

Listening to kids makes us stronger.

Whether your school’s student government is flourishing, emerging, or somewhere in-between, NSC is for you.

The NSC program empowers and equips your students with the knowledge and skills to be transformative leaders in your school, community, and beyond. In addition, it provides a necessary bridge between students and school leaders—helping you to engage and hear what students think, feel, and need.

With an active NSC membership, your school will have access to tools, programs, and resources to help establish your students as the next generation of leaders:

• LEAD Conferences
  Designed to help good student leaders become exceptional, LEAD Conferences provide NSC, NHS, and NJHS members national-level leadership training. Students will return with new ideas, skills, and energy to affect positive change in their school and community.
  
  
• Raising Student Voice & Participation
  Students participating in RSVP learn how to share their ideas and opinions in constructive ways. Through the development of a Civic Action Plan, students identify challenges in their community and generate solutions to address them.
  
  
• Distinguished Student Leader Program
  This self-paced curriculum guides high school students through an exploration of leadership skills and knowledge and helps them critically examine their own leadership styles and proficiencies.
  
  
• Emerging Student Leader Program
  Designed for middle-level students, ESL provides a set of criteria to strengthen and accelerate their growth as leaders.
  
  
• National Council of Excellence Awards
  NCOE recognizes student councils that meet a strict set of criteria, demonstrating evidence of meaningful student service, leadership, voice, and engagement. NCOE helps schools foster positive culture through high-quality student leadership development, ensuring students feel included and valued.

We’ve Got Your Back

Creating opportunities for your students and investing in their leadership development requires commitment, time, and resources, but you aren’t alone.

NASSP has a suite of tools, supports, and resources for advisers and schools to successfully run NSC from start to finish:

• Adviser Resource Center
  Access step-by-step guidelines, sample bylaws, member handbooks, program Constitutions, and more. This online portal is designed to guide advisers through every step of running a strong NHS chapter.
  
  
• National Student Project Database
  Search through more than 11,000 service project ideas submitted by honor society chapters and student councils from across the country.
  
  
• On-Demand Customer Care
  Our qualified team of experts is readily available to help you effectively manage your NHS chapter. There’s no question that’s too big or too small!
  
  
• Adviser Webinar Series
  Presented live and on demand throughout the school year, each webinar offers tips, resources, and advice covering four main topics: back to school, adviser basics, student profiles, and awards.
  
  
• Adviser-Focused Workshops
  Attend special sessions tailored for advisers at our annual LEAD conference.

Questions?

Have a question about NSC or our other student leadership programs? Our team is standing by to help! You can reach us by phone: (703) 860-0200 or via email: [email protected].