2025 NFHS National Student Leadership Summit

Part of summer vacation for four Minnesota State High School League students included a field trip to Indianapolis to participate in the National Student Leadership Summit held last month. 

The students, part of the League’s Student Advisory and Leadership Team (SALT) for the coming school year were among more than 200 students from 32 states, Canada and Honduras to attend the 16^th national conference sponsored by the National Federation of State High School Associations. 

Representing Minnesota at the four-day event were Annandale senior Isabelle Dingmann, Farmington senior Will Cannon, Frazee junior Katie Courneya and Blooming Prairie senior Madelyn Harvey. League Associate Director Charlie Campbell was one of 60 adult leaders who also attended the conference. 

The engaging, interactive student-centered event focused on contemporary and relevant issues that allowed students to tap into their leadership skills and understand the privilege and responsibility of their influence in their schools, communities and at the state level. 

Leadership topics during the conference included developing and maintaining healthy relationships with teammates, coaches, officials and other leaders. Two primary topics were mental health and inclusion. 

One group activity included a trip to Plainfield (Ind.) High School to participate in joint competitions with Unified Sports participants from the Indiana Special Olympics. 

The impact was immediate for the Minnesota delegation. 

“I just want you to know how impactful that trip was to Madelyn,” Blooming Prairie Activities Director Ali Mach shared with Campbell via text. “She was in my office right away on Monday morning to tell me about it. We’ve met twice since to plan leadership events for our kids. She’s so excited, empowered and confident. It’s incredible. She wants to do more of this when she goes to college! Thank you for investing in students in this capacity. It makes a difference. You have made a difference.”

Cannon, Courneya and Dingmann shared their NSLS experiences with the League. 

The League celebrates these student leaders for their commitment and dedication to leading in their schools, communities and at the state association level.

Will Cannon, Farmington High School, Senior

While preparing for the NSLS, I was mostly thinking about who I would meet and what I would learn. I was excited to see many new people from all around the country, and very excited to hear what the keynote speakers had to teach us. 

I learned a lot about the differences between my school, city, and state and other places. It was an eye-opening experience that made me see what problems other schools have that I don't. I also loved listening to everyone's different accents (Baltimore is my personal favorite)!

I learned that I love to listen to what other people have to say before I feel like I can act in a way that helps them succeed. I really like getting to know someone well so that I can try to support them in their endeavors.

I will take inspiration from many of the activities and the vibe of the NSAC members and staff for our state student leadership conference. Lessons such as the power of social media, how to be a leader by being a friend, how to encourage others to succeed, and working with many very different people from yourself will all be valuable in my life as well as in my professional endeavors.

Katie Courneya, Frazee High School, Senior 

I was so excited to meet new people with the same goal as me in mind, to help make a difference in our states. I was also a little nervous because I had never traveled to this extent, but I was excited to be able to step outside my comfort zone. 

It was incredible to be able to share this experience with so many wonderful people. It helped challenge me to become even better. I know I have a lot of responsibility with all the opportunities I have like SALT and hopefully, eventually NSAC, so being able to grow my skills and bring back ideas like starting a Unified Sports team in my school was very special. 

I found that I am not overly vocal. I like to sit back and soak in all the information, and then once in a while, offer my two cents when I have something powerful and important to say. I discovered that I am more of a service leader, that I want to help others be the best they can be even if it means I am not out front and center leading others around me. 

The biggest one impact was that I would love to start a Unified Sports program in my school, but I also found a lot of value in the speaker that we listened to and interacted with so being able to recommend them for our Minnesota conferences that will be shared with all the local leaders around our state is something I am excited to share.

Thank you to the Minnesota State High School League for this incredible experience. It is something I will never forget!

Isabelle Dingmann, Annandale High School, Senior

I was feeling mostly excited to attend, but still a little nervous. I was nervous at first because I was a little uncertain how all of the students would get along. However, once I thought about it, I realized that the students selected to go were very similar to me, meaning that talking, getting along, and making new friends would not be an issue.

It was an absolute honor to join more than 200 other passionate high school students to all grow together in our leadership skills. We were told over and over that we had been chosen to attend the event because someone in our respective states saw the potential that we all had to become great leaders, which motivated me to take in the opportunity and soak up as much information as I possibly could so that I could then take it back to my state organization and my school.

I learned that it is OK to take charge when no one else will. Leaders are the individuals who must improvise and take risks to push themselves and the groups they are in charge of to improve their situation and reach the set goal. I also learned that a good leader is an empathetic one. Even though a leader must speak, it is equally important for them to listen because they need to know what is or is not going well, so they can take what they know themselves, along with input from others, to assess and fix any situation that may come their way.

I will emphasize the importance of listening. In such a busy world, people are so concerned about getting their point across that they take no time to stop and listen to what other people are thinking, and when that is done, no one can empathize with anyone because they are too focused on themselves. When people listen, they can grasp a better understanding of someone else’s point of view, and even if they do not agree, they can still somewhat understand where the other person is coming from to create a more inclusive and safer environment.