CMHS student council receives top honor

Clatskanie High School is one of 21 high schools and five middle schools in the state receiving recognition as a high achieving leadership program. Clatskanie High School was awarded with a Gold Council Award at the OASC Spring Leadership Conference this April 27, 2025. The award, sponsored by the Oregon Association of Student Councils (OASC), sets high standards for student councils and leadership programs and honors them if they can reach or exceed these goals.

The leadership programs begin by setting goals in the fall and actively participating in leadership activities and events throughout the year. In order to receive the award, programs must create and encourage activities that promote inclusivity among all students at the school and provide a series of events that include a variety of different areas/disciplines in the school. Along with involvement in the school, they must also demonstrate that they are gaining valuable leadership and professional skills that they can take with them outside of school.

“One of the most powerful lessons we have learned while supporting youth leaders is that leadership is not something reserved for a few and it is not limited to titles or positions—it lives in the everyday actions of students in every corner of Oregon’s schools,” said OASC Executive Director Cameron Broome. “These young leaders are shaping the culture of their campuses and extending their influence far beyond the classroom. What is truly inspiring is their unwavering commitment to servant leadership. They do not just participate, they lead with heart. They lift up their peers, create meaningful events that strengthen their communities, and bring a spirit of hope, creativity, and inclusion to everything they do. The programs recognized at this level remind us all that when students are empowered, they do not just rise, they help everyone around them rise, too.”

The Oregon Association of Student Councils was founded in 1949 and is sponsored by the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) and the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA). This nonprofit serves middle and high school students and advisers from around the state and provides conferences, workshops, online newsletters and summer leadership camps designed to heighten student leadership development and improve school culture. In the last few years, OASC has also added a Capitol Ambassador program and has begun organizing with affinity groups. The association is guided by their mission statement: Committed to leadership development with a vision for service, involvement and action. For more info, visit OASC.org or email cameron@oasc.org.