Zyon Mitchell speaks at LEAD Winter. PHOTOS BY ALLYSSA HYNES/NASSP

At the end of my junior year, I had just finished my last class when I decided to check my email before heading to a teacher’s classroom for office hours so I could get help with precalculus. While scrolling through my inbox, I found an email from my NHS adviser about applying to join the LEAD Student Advisory Committee, which would help plan NASSP’s LEAD Fall and Winter Conferences in Washington, D.C.

The committee would consist of a total of eight students in grades nine through 11 who are active members of NHS or Student Council. For their time, students would receive a $500 honorarium and free registration (with travel, hotel, and meals included) to attend both conferences.

It was a wonderful opportunity to help plan and create some memorable moments for students at LEAD. Ever since the pandemic, my school had been struggling to get back to building a sense of community and engaging students in service projects, so I knew this was an experience that would benefit not only me but ignite a flame that would be carried throughout my school. I decided to apply.

In June, my adviser gave me the news: I was chosen to be a part of the committee. I was ecstatic, but I knew there was still a long way to go before celebrating.

Planning the Conferences

Every month, until November and January, the committee met and planned for the upcoming con-ference. Before our first online meeting, I was extremely nervous. I had always been a leader within my school but with this new opportunity, I felt as if I were in a place I did not belong. I blame im-poster syndrome. But after that first meeting, I knew I did in fact belong; everyone was so welcoming and passionate about change. I also had no doubt that I would be able to accomplish any task with my team and put on a conference that would light up a room.

During each one-hour Zoom meeting, we helped NASSP staff plan what would happen at each LEAD conference. Our first objective was to create a T-shirt for conference attendees. We drafted an initial design and finally had our finished product—a design showing the White House with LEAD in bold letters—after many iterations and input from different members of the committee.

This project allowed all of us on the committee to collaborate, speak up, and share our opinions. The experience ultimately assisted us in breaking the ice and strengthening our bond. From there, we planned the activities that would be held at the conference such as keynote speeches, scavenger hunts, and break-out rooms.

NASSP President Aaron Huff with Zyon Mitchell, far right, and the LEAD Student Advisory Committee.

We also prepared to serve as conference emcees. We would be opening and closing the conference, helping students transition between sessions, and making announcements. At many conferences for students, adults do these things. But at LEAD, it made sense for our committee to do them since we were student leaders who were fully capable of leading our peers.

Throughout my time in these online sessions, I could truly see a change in my confidence. We were gaining real-world experience planning two conferences for hundreds of student participants. Not many students can say they’ve done something like that.

I eventually came to realize that my community was not just my small school or neighborhood in Chicago but a group of young people with a passion for student leadership from across the country. This experience also allowed me to exchange ideas with other students who would take them back home to spark a greater commitment to student leadership within their own Honor Societies and student councils.

Seeing Our Hard Work Pay Off

After months of planning, it was finally time for the November conference. I made my way to the airport and in no time, I landed safely and arrived at the hotel where my LEAD journey would begin. I was able to see the people I worked with in person, and I couldn’t have been more excited.

After polishing up the schedule for the conference we were ready for show day. The first day of LEAD was phenomenal! I had never been to a conference like it, and a highlight of my day was the speaker Olympian Sarah Wells. The speech was incredibly motivating, and it touched many of the students and advisers there. It prompted me to reflect about my own student voice and intrinsic drive to be the best person I can be.

The second day of the conference was even better than the first. I got to know some of the students and advisers there, and they were all amazing. There were people from all over the country and they all had unique backgrounds. During the conference sessions, I heard from students with over 2,000 students in their school and some with less than 500.

We were gaining real-world experience planning two conferences for hundreds of student participants. Not many students can say they’ve done something like that.

The third day was bittersweet since it was our last day. I had gathered tons of ideas from other students and made a list of what I wanted to change in my school. The students at LEAD were role models for students everywhere. They were confident and adventurous, and they had phenomenal student voices. They advocated for their schools, and they came ready for new insights, which in-spired me greatly. I packed my bags and made my way home, but something was different. Through this experience, I was able to become a different person and an even better leader for my community.

Once I returned home, I told my principal about my conference experience and how I could bring what I learned to our school. After meeting with him, we were able to devise a plan to change some aspects of the school, such as adding a principal’s council and generating more community among students. I also met with my NHS adviser. Since I serve as president of our NHS chapter, I helped generate fundraiser ideas such as holiday grams and bake sales for our school and ways we could build a better community. As I walk the halls today, I’m able to see the changes that I advocated for. My work has also shown others that student voice does not go unnoticed.

Serving on the LEAD Student Advisory Committee was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every time I see pictures from both the fall and winter conferences, I remember the fun and celebration I had with my peers. And I begin to feel grateful all over again that my adviser sent me that email encouraging me to apply.

Zyon Mitchell is a senior at Noble Street College Prep in Chicago, IL, and president of her school’s NHS chapter.