MASC Newsletter

• Winter Leadership Conference (WLC) Recap
• February Executive Board Meeting Recap
• Convention Recap
• Regional Reports
• State SMOB Announcement
• Meet the MASC Officer-Elects

The Maryland Association of Student Councils hosted its Winter Leadership Conference at Walter Johnson High School in Montgomery County. The event focused on key student leadership initiatives, including the selection of the two finalists for the 2025-2026 State Student Member of the Board (SMOB), exciting workshops, a review of MASC’s platform, and bill stances. The conference opened with remarks from Dr. Josh Michael, President of the State Board of Education, and Ms. Nicete Moodie from the Department of Service & Civic Innovation, who shared insights on leadership, service, and student advocacy. The first General Assembly session featured a report from the current State SMOB, Abhiram Gaddam, who discussed his policy work, student engagement efforts, and advocacy on issues like education standards and student representation. The SMOB election process followed this and was a major focus of the event, with five nominees from across the state presenting their platforms on student safety, educational equity, mental health resources, and representation. Nominees gave speeches and engaged in a Q&A session with delegates in attendance.

Delegates also attended multiple workshops throughout the day focused on topics such as digital media, bill passing, and more. The second General Assembly session finalized the SMOB nomination process, with O’Marie Barnes and Zaria Naqvi emerging as the two finalists. Their names were submitted to Governor Moore for the final selection. After this, the General Assembly went into a review of the platform and bill stances, both of which were tabled to the February Executive Board Meeting. A huge thank you to Walter Johnson High School and Montgomery County Regional Student Council for hosting and making this event a huge success!

Minutes for this event can be found using the link below:

The Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) held its fourth Executive Board Meeting of the 2024-2025 school year virtually on February 8, 2025. The board voted on the recipient for the Catherine Nora Murray Unsung Hero Award. The board also approved the MASC Platform after extensive discussion and debate. Members took official stances on multiple legislative bills concerning student interests, including supporting bills related to college application fee prohibitions, restorative practices in schools, and school bus safety. The official list of bill stances can be found in the meeting minutes below. Additionally, the meeting featured reports from MASC officers and directors, as well as a Q&A session with the State SMOB finalists, allowing board members to engage directly with nominees ahead of the final selection process. Thank you to everyone who attended!

The Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) held its 2025 Convention at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD, from March 11-13, 2025. Over three days, student leaders voted in elections, debated spontaneous legislation, and attended various workshops. Day 1 featured regional meetings and an opening session with keynote speaker Ed Gerety, who emphasized overcoming challenges and growing as leaders. Delegates also participated in workshops and met the MASC officer candidates.

On Day 2, delegates listened to candidate speeches and submitted questions for the Q&A session for the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and 2nd Vice President. They also engaged in spontaneous legislation debates and voting. The day concluded with the Awards Banquet and the MASC 75th Anniversary Dance.

Day 3 wrapped up the convention with officer elections and the presentations of the State of the Region reports, followed by the State of the State report given by President Shradha Bista. With over 1000 delegates and advisors in attendance, this year’s convention was a huge success. A special thank you to the Frederick County Association of Student Councils (FCASC) for hosting Convention and to the Calvert County Association of Student Councils (CASC) for hosting Advisor Hospitality. We can’t wait to see you all next year!

Allegany County has actively engaged in multiple service-learning projects, similar to Garrett County, providing students with hands-on opportunities to give back to their communities. These projects not only benefit local organizations but also help students develop leadership skills, teamwork, and a sense of civic responsibility.

WCASC has hosted three successful General Assemblies so far. At our first GA in October, themed around “Teaching Essential Leadership Skills,” delegates engaged in a Minimum Wage Street Law activity to practice civil discourse and participated in roundtable discussions to strengthen their leadership abilities. Our second GA in December focused on “Providing Leadership Opportunities,” where we held our 2nd Vice President Elections and a Hall of Ideas, where students exchanged ideas and initiatives to bring back to their SGAs. At our recent GA in January, all activities were themed around “Inspiring Action,” such as the workshops and Q&A session with our Board of Student Leaders to promote our upcoming elections in April. We also voted on resolutions to share with our legislators during our upcoming Advocacy Day. Our Legislative Committee has been hard at work preparing our students for our Advocacy Day that will take place on February 27th. We are excited for the future of WCASC as we vote on our next generation of leaders!

Overall, all three counties—Allegany, Garrett, and Washington—have done an excellent job of getting students involved in meaningful activities. Whether through service-learning projects or student government, these efforts ensure that students are not only engaged in their education but also in their communities. These initiatives help prepare students for future leadership roles, encourage civic participation, and foster a strong sense of responsibility. By continuing to provide these opportunities, these counties are setting students up for success both in school and beyond.

Division 2 consists of amazing leaders from Carroll, Frederick, and Howard counties. These students have stepped up to show what a leader is and help others, they complete this through service and education at different events. The leaders in these counties have worked to ensure the student voice is strong and represented. They did this in many ways including public comments, advocating to different bodies, and participation in their counties along with MASC.

Firstly, Carroll County has used their platform to educate their delegates. This was completed through a series of workshops presented at 2 general assemblies the county has hosted so far. They also have hosted meetings and webinars that help educate the leaders that will shape the future of Carroll County Student Government Association (CCSGA). These opportunities vary in topic to cater to the delegates needs. For example, one workshop was a service project to teach leaders the importance and value of service.

Next, Frederick County has used their outreach to become more involved with different students. They have done this by hosting general assemblies. The first being middle school only, it emphasized the importance of young leaders and showed them the amazing opportunities Frederick County Association of Student Councils (FCASC) offers. They have also increased their membership and involvement with MASC which has opened their delegates to new opportunities and networking available with MASC.

Finally, Howard County has created opportunities to help students on certain issues. They have completed this through general assemblies that expose leaders to organizations and opportunities to get involved around Maryland. They also offered chances to discuss other topics like SMOB voting, mental health, and advocacy through testimony. Howard County Association of Student Councils (HCASC), has done an amazing job at exposing their leaders to opportunities within and outside of student government.

ASCBC: The Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City (ASCBC) has been actively engaged in advocating for students' rights and educational improvements, playing a key role in the Maryland Blueprint Rally. This initiative has provided students with a vital platform to voice their concerns and share their experiences. In hopes of contributing to shaping the future of education in Baltimore City, ASCBC has been able to provide members and youth across the city with the opportunity to hear directly from legislators, leaving students empowered and inspired. The direct interaction with policymakers allowed students to gain insight into the legislative process and how their voices can influence meaningful change. One of the most notable moments was ASCBC’s Communications Committee Chair, Qamryn Askew’s compelling testimony, highlighting the students' perspectives on educational policies, ensuring that their voices were not only heard but taken into serious consideration by lawmakers through his personal experience with benefits of Maryland Blueprint funding. ASCBC has also gained significant media attention. President Brooke Bourne and former Diversity Committee Chair Jayzanay Blesset were featured in a Baltimore Banner story discussing public transportation challenges for students. ASCBC student leaders participated in the #BetterTransitNow rally in Annapolis, advocating for improved transit options. Furthermore, current Communications Chair Qamryn Askew was highlighted for his oral testimony at the Maryland Blueprint Rally, emphasizing the importance of full funding of the Maryland Blueprint. Building on this momentum, ASCBC has several upcoming events designed to further student engagement, awareness, and leadership development: Legislative Advocacy Day on February 27, 2025 – A day dedicated to learning about legislation and advocating for policies that will improve Baltimore City Schools, and a Winter General Assembly on March 3, 2025 – A gathering to discuss ongoing student initiatives and future goals. Additionally, ASCBC has opened up applications for elected positions to find student leaders for the next school year, continuing its mission of strong student advocacy and representation.

BCJC: BCJC has actively advocated at the Capitol for key legislation, engaged schools in discussions on important events, and hosted a General Assembly in December with over 200 students in attendance. They recently elected a new Community Outreach Director.

BCSC: Over the first half of the year, BCSC has been working non-stop on advocacy, student leadership opportunities, and increasing our overall impact! In the beginning of the year, we appointed an executive board of 40 students representing over 11 schools across Baltimore County. Each of these positions has remained extremely productive throughout the year and everyone on our board is committed to representing the students of BCPS. So far, BCSC has hosted one General Assembly with over 200 students attending where delegates participated in two workshops created by our Student Workshop Coordinators! At this general assembly, students also got to place their votes on the 24-25 BCSC bylaws. Aside from this, we are taking a big focus on our advocacy efforts. This month, our executive board approved 8 stances on MGA bills that applied directly to student-related issues. With that, we will be going to Annapolis at the end of this month to directly lobby to our Delegates and Senators. The BCSC officers have also testified to the BCPS Board of Education 4 times this year to share BCSC’s efforts. Additionally, we just concluded our SMOB finalist selection process and the election, open to all secondary students, will take place in April! Finally, BCSC is growing as a well known organization throughout our county and the BCPS central office. Each month, BCSC hosts a virtual seminar open to all BCPS students with a different student related topic. With each of these, a member of BCPS Central Office who does work relating to that topic, is brought as a guest speaker who answers questions and hears student concerns. These seminars have been very successful throughout the year and we are continuing to expand outreach to encourage more participation! Overall, BCSC’s impact, advocacy, and student leadership has grown tremendously throughout our county and we are so excited for the rest of the year ahead!

HCRASC: The beginning of the year was an exciting period for HCRASC! We kicked off with a Staff Development Day in the summer, where we planned for the upcoming school year, and fostered camaraderie in our Executive Board. So far, we have had two General Assemblies, enabling our members to connect, share ideas, and learn valuable skills through workshops. This year, we also allowed student delegates to volunteer to teach workshops of their own! One of the highlights of the Fall was our first ever CommUNITY in Motion 5K. Through the tireless efforts of our Board, we held an event attended by over 100 members of our community, including our superintendent! This 5K served as a powerful display of our commitment to providing opportunities to foster solidarity in the community. HCRASC hosted another successful event this January: our second Annual Bingo Night! Not only was this fundraiser efficacious, but the journey to get there created valuable connections, as we collected over 25 donations from local businesses! The event was a resounding triumph: we had over 70 attendees, including Board of Education members, and garnered nearly $2000 in profits! Our involvement didn’t stop there; we completed several service projects, aimed at making a tangible impact in our community. HCRASC donated $500 to the Klein Family Center, and were able to give over 50 toys, 100 canned goods, and 25 books to the SARC Resource Center. Additionally, HCRASC had the honor of hosting a Valentine’s Dance for residents of our local nursing home! HCRASC is dedicated to continuing to impact our community and school system before this year is up. It is our goal to not merely make change, but to engender passion in our students. Together, our Board will continue to make a difference – one day, one event, one student at a time.

MCR: MCR has been able to host a Board of Education panel at one of the General Assemblies, where the newly elected members could directly talk about their policy platform with the student body. Our Superintendent, Dr. Taylor, also held a Q&A session about concerns or feedback that the students may have had. We also hosted the Save a Student Summit, in collaboration with the Maryland Students Against Drugs, to teach students across the county about the importance of Narcan and the prevention of the opioid crisis. As of right now, MCR is planning their Advocacy Day in Annapolis, lobbying legislators on bills on topics ranging from environmental sustainability to educational equity. We are also currently working with the MCPS SMOB, Praneel Suvarna, to select students to testify to the County Council to advocate for a fully funded budget this year.

MCJC: We completed Executive Board Applications and a round of mid-term applications. We’ve had 7 Executive Board Meetings and 2 General Assemblies (next one is March 6)! We had each of our departments create workshops on a relevant topic of their choice to help build their leadership skills and prepare them for future advocacy. We’ve had 3 departments present their workshop at Executive Board Meetings. We’ve hosted a SMOB Forum to introduce our members to our SMOB candidates to foster an informed voting base. We are currently working on multiple things, including sending out a survey to middle school students to determine the accessibility of SSL (Student Service Learning) Hours, hosting an environmental recycled art contest, creating a monthly newsletter, merch designs, hosting a Chipotle fundraiser, and more!

CRASC: CRASC has had an exciting year filled with growth and advocacy! We kicked things off by adding three new positions to our executive team: Civic Engagement Coordinator, Mental Health Liaison, and Public Relations. In November, we held our first General Assembly, hosted and led by North County High School Aevidum club. Students had the opportunity to learn about Aevidum’s mission to empower youth in breaking the silence around depression, suicide, and other challenges teens face. North County also made history as the first school in Maryland to start an Aevidum club! So far, CRASC has taken official stances in support of three bills. In February, we hosted Advocacy Day, where we lobbied for SB307 to ensure equal pay for our county’s Student Member of the Board. Now, we’re gearing up for our second General Assembly, Letting Our Voices Empower: A CRASC Advocacy Event, which will be an action-packed day equipping delegates with advocacy tools and skills. Looking ahead, we’ve kicked off the SMOB election process, with elections coming up later this year, followed by CRASC elections. None of this would be possible without our incredible team and our fabulous advisor Ms. Pellegrin! That’s our report—from the CRASC fam! :)

PGRASG: This year PGRASG's main focus has been environmental justice, voting registration, and gun violence prevention. To display these focus we have had guest speakers at our recent general assemblies such as community legal services and Chesapeake Bay foundations. We are currently in the process of doing community cleans-up with our E board and a conference for students to learn how to properly advocate for themselves.

CASC: We kicked off the summer with a staff development day, where we laid out our basic plan for the year. So far this year, we have held three general assemblies, with one more coming up in April. During the first two, students participated in engaging workshops, student-led roundtables, and fun, creative fundraisers. At our most recent assembly, we elected our 2025-2026 Student Member on the Board of Education (congratulations, Allison Jones!). At our board meetings, we have also taken part in community service projects, such as our "Birthday Box Drive," where we created 90 birthday boxes to donate to our local shelter. Additionally, we made cards to provide people with something to brighten their day. Last week, our county hosted our annual Advocacy Day, where we attended a session in the Senate and met with our county delegates. Afterward, we enjoyed a late lunch at the Annapolis Mall. In addition to all of this, we organized a Division 5 conference with our amazing division liaison. At this conference, students had the opportunity to participate in workshops, roundtables, and a Q&A panel on civil engagement with representatives from the League of Women Voters. Huge shout-out to our incredible liaison, Vanessa Li, whose outstanding leadership made this event possible!

CCASC: CCASC currently has SMOB candidates running for office. The Board of Education is finalizing its five-year strategic plan. They have hosted three General Assemblies, incorporating workshops at each. They are currently planning a fourth General Assembly in April to elect their 2025-2026 officers.

SMASC: SMASC has hosted three General Assemblies and nine workshops and is preparing for a final General Assembly, where the 2025-2026 officers will be elected. They released official merchandise for the first time at the Convention and conducted their first school visit at Chesapeake Charter School. Vanessa Li was announced as their next SMOB.

Wicomico County has focused heavily on community service and engagement in schools. Specifically, SGAs in Wicomico County have been focusing on student engagement through dances, spirit weeks, and pep rallies recognizing student athletes and individual accomplishments. Additionally, these offices have been working towards giving back to the community by planning mentorship events that connect secondary school students to younger community members.

Similarly, Worcester and Somerset Counties have been engaged in meaningful community service initiatives and donation drives. These groups have made significant efforts to recognize each student and staff members' diverse perspectives and needs, building school communities that reflect everyone. Additionally, schools in these counties have held group bonding events, such as movie nights, helping to bring their student bodies closer.

In all, the student government offices of Division 8 (Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties) have demonstrated consistent devotion to their school and local communities, as they consistently seek ways to give back and promote involvement. Through community service initiatives, trips, and real-world experiences, these students are well prepared for their futures, building strong leaders and involved community members on the Eastern Shore.

Congratulations to O’Marie Barnes from Prince George's County on his appointment for the 2025-2026 student member on the State Board of Education.

The Governor submitted his recommendations on February 18th. The Senate will hold a hearing to confirm all of the Governor’s appointments and then O'Marie will be sworn in after July 1st.

Four Maryland students have been elected to serve as the 2025-2026 officers of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC), marking the 75th anniversary of the organization.

In addition to campaigning both in person and on social media, the candidates delivered speeches and took part in a Q&A session with 845 students during the general assemblies at the MASC annual convention.

The newly elected officers are listed below.

• Jordan Salkeld, our President-Elect, is a junior from Baltimore County.

• Krish Putta, our Vice President-Elect, is a junior from Montgomery County.

• Goodness Alafe, our Treasurer-Elect, is a sophomore from Baltimore County.

• Jeremy Zhang, our Second Vice President-Elect, is a 7th grader from Montgomery County.

A huge congratulations to all of our newly elected officers! We’re excited about the direction our organization is headed under their leadership. They will be sworn in at our May Executive Board Meeting on May 17th at North Hagerstown High School in Washington County.

Stay updated on all things MASC by following us on social media (@md.stuco) or checking out our website (linked below)!