The National Association of Student Councils (NASC) is proud to recognize this year’s inaugural NASC Scholarship recipients. These exceptional high school juniors and seniors have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to student leadership, service, voice, and engagement. Let’s meet our five national winners who have been recognized for making a lasting impact in their schools and communities.
A Multitalented Leader
Carson Costello is a varsity captain in four sports at Dike-New Hartford High School in Dike, IA. He has earned numerous accolades, including nominations for athlete of the year and most valuable player. He has also won multiple academic awards. Besides serving as homecoming king and student body president, he represents his peers on the Iowa High School Student Advisory Committee. He volunteers with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and ChildServe, and he recently published a Spanish-language book aimed at introducing diverse elementary-aged children to the joys of reading. He co-founded his school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and plans to play college baseball and pursue a career in finance.
A Champion for Community Service
Cecelia Maeve Butler is the president of student council, NHS, and Key Club at Houghton High School in Houghton, MI. A founding captain of her school’s varsity soccer team, she volunteers with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly and Toys for Tots. She is also a longtime volunteer with MyLead, a youth leadership conference in East Lansing. She will attend Columbia University and plans to pursue a career as a criminal defense lawyer, working toward a more equitable justice system.
A National Voice for Student Leadership
Anjali Verma is the inaugural president of the National Student Council, representing millions of students nationwide. She is a senior at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School in West Chester, PA. A dedicated champion for youth mental health, school safety, and leadership development, she serves as a team lead for Providence’s Work2BeWell. In 2023, she was the president of the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils. She mentors more than 65 wellness clubs across more than 25 states and has presented at the U.S. Department of Education and to thousands of students on mental health. She is also a Chief Science Officers International Leadership Council member, a Coca-Cola Scholar, and a 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Delegate. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vox, and more. She hopes to study public health policy for a future in social impact.
Cultivating Cultural Connections
Anne Sankale is student council president at Fort Zumwalt East High School in St. Peters, MO. She has led major events, including Homecoming, Veterans Day celebrations, and the district’s first International Night, showcasing more than 20 cultures. She founded the FZE New Student Cultural Connections Network to support diverse students and launched Future Ready, a college prep panel event. Beyond school, she serves her community through Vitendo 4 Africa, organizing youth mentorship programs, health screenings, and fundraising more than $10,000 in efforts that have contributed to building classrooms in Kenya. She was recognized as an Outstanding Senator at ALA Missouri Girls State, where she debated legislation at the state capitol. Additionally, she has volunteered more than 150 hours at The Magic House World Trade Exhibit, serves as a Sunday school teacher at her church, and advocates for safe driving through passion projects with MOTRACTION. Her leadership and service have earned her the Vitendo 4 Africa Kiongozi Emerging Leaders Award, Missouri Show Me Service Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, and Show Me Zero St. Louis District Regional Award.
Mehek Saha: Empowering Youth Through Civic Engagement
Mehek Saha is an emerging global policy leader passionate about strengthening democracy. A senior at The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Lawrenceville, GA, she founded the Georgia High School Voter Project, registering more than 3,700 student voters for the 2024 election. Today, she leads the U.S. High School Voter Project, organizing more than 1,200 voter registration drives across the nation. Multiple U.S. senators have recognized her work, inviting her to Washington, D.C. to commend her civic engagement initiative. She also conducts policy research under the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, working with UN experts and ambassadors at the headquarters in New York and Switzerland. Her performance at collegiate Model UN competitions, where she has earned numerous “Best Delegate” distinctions, inspired her to help spearhead Georgia’s largest high school Model UN conference. Dedicated to bridging science and politics, she has developed bioethics frameworks under President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot program at Emory University and currently works at an engineering lab at Georgia Tech. She also serves as founder and captain of her internationally ranked mock trial team and executive secretary for the Georgia Association of Student Councils. After law school, she envisions a future in politics and diplomacy, representing American perspectives on the world stage.