JHS Student Council wins top national award for fifth consecutive year
By Lynn Meadows, JCSD Director of Communications
JOHNSTON, Ia. (April 8, 2025) — For its exemplary record of leadership, service and activities that improve the school and community, the Johnston High School Student Council has been recognized as a 2025 National Gold Council of Excellence by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) for the fifth year in a row.
The JHS Student Council is having an amazing year hosting popular school, community and philanthropic events such as the annual Spooktacular indoor trick-or-treating at Halloween, fundraising for Coaches vs Cancer, and a week of homecoming events including a favorite among students — Rock Around the Clock with minute-to-win-it style games.
“I am immensely proud of our students and the dedication they’ve demonstrated not just this year, but consistently over the past five years,” said JHS Student Council co-advisor Rachel Jensen. “We’ve expanded our outreach by hosting numerous community events that welcome our neighbors into our school.” 
This school year, the JHS Student Council led a kindness campaign before winter break, installed a new kindness wall at JHS, welcomed more than 300 children and families to JHS for an Easter Egg Hunt, and held its first ever pickleball tournament. Jensen was in October named the 2024 IASC High School Advisor of the Year at the Iowa Student Leadership Conference at ISU.
“Our student leaders have shown exceptional commitment and truly given their all to make these initiatives successful,” Jensen said. “Their leadership and support have been invaluable — Mrs. Gray and I simply couldn’t do this without these remarkable young people. Earning the National Student Council Gold of Excellence Award for the fifth consecutive year is a testament to their outstanding character and perseverance.”
A student council must meet a variety of criteria to earn the National Gold Council of Excellence Award. In addition to basic requirements such as a written constitution, regular meetings and a democratic election process, the councils must have demonstrated successful sponsorship and participation in activities such as leadership development and service to the school and community. The National Association of Student Councils program is supported by its parent organization, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
“The student council at Johnston High School just pulled off something extraordinary,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “Their student-driven change has earned them national recognition as a National Gold Council of Excellence, proving that when young people are given the chance to lead, they turn their vision into real-world impact.”
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