The National Association of Student Councils is proud to recognize this year’s NASC Scholarship recipients. These exceptional high school juniors and seniors have demonstrated outstanding commitment to student leadership, service, voice, and engagement.
National Winners
Catalina Gutierrez
Catalina Gutierrez
Burges High School
Catalina Gutierrez is a senior at Burges High School in El Paso, TX. As the 2025 Conference Coordinator for the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC), she planned and executed a statewide leadership conference for thousands of student leaders. She was also selected as a United States Senate Youth Program Texas Delegate, representing Texas in a prestigious national program that provides firsthand experience with government operations, public policy, and leadership development. She also serves on Congresswoman Veronica Escobar’s Youth Advisory Council, advising on youth and community initiatives. These experiences have strengthened her leadership and civic skills, preparing her for a future in public service and government affairs.
Elsa Muellersman
Elsa Muellersman
Festus High School
Elsa Muellersman is a senior and student body president of Festus High School in Festus, MO. She is also a state representative for the National Student Council. A committed volunteer for Special Olympics Missouri, she received a $1,000 Service Grant from NASSP to support Special Olympics athletes in her school district. Driven by her passion for advocacy, she founded Winter Wonderland, a community carnival that has raised over $9,000 for her school’s clubs and organizations since 2024, expanding access to extracurricular opportunities. In track and field, she is a state champion, academic all-state honoree, and a team captain. She plans to study political science and is excited to continue learning, leading, and serving.
Jake Munzaa
Jake Munzaa
Vista Murrieta High School
Jake Munzaa is a senior at Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, CA. He currently serves as class president, leading a student leadership team with more than 60 members and overseeing campuswide initiatives. At the state and national levels, he is the southern regional director for the California Association of Student Leaders and vice president of advocacy for the National Student Council. He is the first student from his community elected to the national body. A National Advocacy Institute scholar with the American Civil Liberties Union, he has advanced student representation efforts, expanded leadership participation at his school, and helped secure new funding for service projects. He plans to continue merging advocacy, policy, and youth leadership to drive meaningful change.
Anika Walsh
Anika Walsh
Elizabethtown Area High School
Anika Walsh is a senior at Elizabethtown Area High School in Elizabethtown, PA. She serves as student school board representative for the school, working to establish a district policy requiring student representation on the board. She has presented leadership workshops at statewide conferences through the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils (PASC). She was named a Pennsylvania finalist for the United States Senate Youth Program and received the Dale Hawley Award for outstanding leadership at PASC Summer Camp. She plans to study public policy and continue advocating for youth representation at the collegiate level.
Christopher Tao
Christopher Tao
Lincoln High School
Christopher Tao is a senior at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, SD. He is vice president of communications for the National Student Council. An officer on his region and school student council, he is also the director of communications for the Encore Music Initiative, a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit expanding access to free music education for students. An editor-in-chief for The Statesman, the school newspaper, he covers student advocacy and public policy, earning South Dakota’s best high school journalism story in 2025. Beyond traditional media, he has built a TikTok platform with more than 90,000 followers focused on skincare education and consumer transparency. He plans to study management, science, and engineering at Stanford University.
Adelaide Lord
Adelaide Lord
Silverton High School
Adelaide Lord is a senior at Silverton High School in Silverton, OR. As associated student body president, she has organized several school and community events. During her junior and senior years, she led efforts to raise over $40,000 annually for local organizations, including the Silverton Area Community Aid food bank, Zenith Women’s Club, and Medical Teams International. In 2023, she founded a local soccer program for children with special needs, personally soliciting all funding including a national grant from U.S. Soccer. For her efforts, she earned the 2024 Oregon Youth Soccer Season Top Soccer Coach of the Year award. She is also a member of the City of Silverton’s Comprehensive Plan Task Force, where she advocates for changes in policy and infrastructure to promote community goals of livability and sustainability. She is captain of her varsity soccer team, a member of Future Business Leaders of America, NHS, Interact (Junior Rotary), and a partner athlete on the Special Olympics Unified basketball team. She will graduate as valedictorian of her class and plans to attend the University of Southern California to study business administration.
James Gallivan
James Gallivan
Somers High School
James Gallivan is a senior at Somers High School in Lincolndale, NY. A former state representative for the National Student Council, he has met with members of Congress to advocate for school funding and was featured in media outlets like EdWeek, giving insight into student perspectives amidst political polarization. He serves as a board member of the New York State Council on Leadership and Student Activities, helping to lead statewide service projects with organizations including No Kid Hungry and the American Heart Association. He is also student council president of his school and an inaugural student member of his district’s Board of Education. Whether hosting over 70 local veterans for free meals at his school or organizing student town halls with state lawmakers, he strives to create environments where all individuals feel welcomed and heard. He plans to study government at Harvard University.
Jessica Martinez
Jessica Martinez
Joliet Central High School
Jessica Martinez is a senior at Joliet Central High School in Joliet, IL. She serves as president of student council and the club, Fearless Females, where she leads initiatives that amplify student voice and promote inclusive school culture. She spearheaded the creation of a Mental Health Awareness Center at her school to support students during high stress academic periods, and she organized service projects such as a districtwide fleece blanket event benefiting local cancer patients. She has also planned events including homecoming, pep assemblies, and fundraisers by incorporating student feedback into decision-making. She is also a student researcher at Argonne National Laboratory and is passionate about creating community-centered impact through leadership and service.
Tobias Luksemberg
Tobias Luksemberg
TASIS Dorado High School
Tobias Luksemberg Carreño is a senior at TASIS Dorado High School in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Inspired by student council associations on the mainland, he launched the island’s first initiative to unite Puerto Rico’s student councils. He has been active in student government since seventh grade, eventually joining his school’s executive board. As the first Puerto Rican representative to the inaugural National Student Council, he advocated for island students at the national level, including on Capitol Hill. A key leader on his school’s Model United Nations team, he helped expand the program and earned first place at Columbia University’s international conference. He aspires to become an immigration attorney, driven by his passion for advocacy and public service.
Nala Williams
Nala Williams
Cimarron-Memorial High School
Nala Williams is a senior at Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas, NV.