Student Leaders to Attend NFHS Summit

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

July 14, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Four members of the Student Advisory Council will represent the MHSAA at the inaugural National Student Leadership Summit hosted by the National Federation of State High School Associations from July 20-22 in Indianapolis.  

Ben Kowalske of Livonia Stevenson, Bekah Myler of Gaylord St. Mary, Trevor Trierweiler of Portland and Greta Wilker of Belding will join an expected group of at least 100 students who are active in leadership programs in their home states.

Students will be split into groups for instructive discussions on communication with peers and adults, relationship building, social media usage and proper perspective in high school athletics. Attendees also will participate in a community service project with the Indiana Special Olympics.

MHSAA assistant director Andy Frushour, who advises the Student Advisory Council, will be among state association staff serving as adult ambassadors. 

Check back at the end of July to learn how the Summit will help Michigan's representatives continue to provide strong student voices in educational athletics. Click to learn more on the Student Advisory Council.  

Advisory Council Names Class Of 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 26, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Eight student-athletes who will be juniors at their schools during the 2018-19 academic year have been selected to serve two-year terms on the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Student Advisory Council.

The Student Advisory Council is a 16-member group which provides feedback on issues impacting educational athletics from a student’s perspective, and also is involved in the operation of Association championship events and other programming. Members of the Student Advisory Council serve for two years, beginning as juniors. Eight new members are selected annually to serve on the SAC, with nominations made by MHSAA member schools. The incoming juniors will join the group of eight seniors-to-be appointed a year ago.

Selected to begin serving on the Student Advisory Council in 2018-19 are: Grace Beardsley, Gladwin; Kaitlyn Bricker, Pellston; Nathan Eccles, Port Huron Northern; Jack Fairman, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; Alexis Mohney, Mattawan; Trevin Phillips, Caro; Isabella Santiago-Lindsay, North Muskegon; and Lance Wiltse, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

The first Student Advisory Council was formed for the 2006-07 school year. With the addition of this class beginning this summer, members will have represented 102 schools from 43 leagues plus independent schools that do not play in a league. Combined, the new appointees have participated in 13 MHSAA sports, and six of the eight will be the first SAC members from their respective schools.

The Student Advisory Council meets seven times each school year, and once more for a 24-hour leadership camp. In addition to assisting in the promotion of the educational value of interscholastic athletics, the Council discusses issues dealing with the 4 S’s of educational athletics: scholarship, sportsmanship, safety (including health and nutrition) and the sensible scope of athletic programs. There also is a fifth S discussed by the group – student leadership.

This school year, the Council revamped its annual “Battle of the Fans” contest to allow more schools to contend for the title, and selected the 2017-18 champion. Council members also presented Sportsmanship Summits in front of more than 1,000 students from across the state, handed out championship trophies at Finals events and provided feedback to the MHSAA Representative Council on proposed rule changes.

The new additions to the SAC will join the Class of 2019 members who were selected a year ago: Taylor Adams, Allendale; Neil Bazaj, Ann Arbor Greenhills; Megan Corbe, St. Joseph; Shane Dolan, Clarkston Everest Collegiate; Chloe Idoni, Fenton; William Jontz, Brighton; Pierce Morrissey, Big Rapids; and Abigail Nelson, Negaunee.