Park View High School Student Council Association hosted more than 500 student leaders and advisors from around Virginia at the 98th Annual Virginia Student Councils Association (VSCA) Convention on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5. Freedom High School, as the VSCA president school, presided over the convention.
LCPS Superintendent Aaron Spence opened the convention, encouraging students to consider their why. “It is critical that you understand why you have chosen to be a leader. I hope that your reason for being in a leadership position is that you want to make a difference. Know that through your service as a school leader, you can positively impact not just your own life but more importantly, the lives of those you serve, your schools and your communities.”
Following Dr. Spence’s opening remarks, delegates had the opportunity to become acquainted with one another and to learn from one another. The convention’s first day concluded with an awards banquet at which Freedom High School Principal Neelum Chaudhry was awarded the VSCA Administrator of the Year and Freedom High School, Park View High School and J. Michael Lunsford Middle School were awarded Achievement Awards, VSCA’s highest award, for the 2024/25 school year.
During the Saturday session, Zach Jacobs, Deputy Secretary of Education for Virginia, gave opening remarks. Following Jacobs’ remarks, delegates attended learning lab sessions presented by student leaders. During lunch, each school’s voting representatives voted for new officers. The day concluded with a pep rally and closing session, featuring recognition of outgoing leaders and the installation of new officers and region representatives.
Among the outgoing leaders were Freedom High School senior Ainsleigh Wood, who served as the VSCA president for the past year, and Park View High School senior Ashlyn Strayer, who served as the vice president. For the upcoming school year, Park View High School student Nadia Echeverria will serve as the VSCA secretary and Lunsford Middle School was elected as a middle level representative school.
VSCA is a leadership learning organization for student leaders from private and public schools throughout the Commonwealth. VSCA aims to foster student leadership in a democratic environment and to assist all student councils in becoming more effective organizations within their school, community, state and nation.