Tesfaye receives National Honor Society scholarship from Principals Association

Burnsville High School senior Feven Tesfaye was recently named a winner of the 2026 National Honor Society Scholarship by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

This year, the NASSP awarded $2 million in scholarships to 600 students across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and to overseas chapters. These scholarships were presented to senior NHS members who demonstrated the four pillars of NHS - Scholarship, Service, Leadership and Character. 

"What I love most about National Honor Society is its emphasis on all four of its pillars. I think that's why all the students in NHS, especially at Burnsville, are so community oriented because they're well-rounded in multiple areas from character to service",” Feven said. "There are so many wonderful seniors in National Honor Society, so I was very surprised to hear that I won the scholarship. I am thankful to my NHS advisors, Jenn Graff and Kristina Aars, for encouraging me to apply, and to Gloria Webber for writing a letter of recommendation for me.”

As a National Finalist, Feven received a scholarship for $5,625. She is also eligible to win one of 25 Pillar Award scholarships worth $5,000 and the $25,000 scholarship that goes to the national winner. 

It’s been a busy year for Feven. Over the summer, she served as a youth intern at the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. She has served as a student representative on the District 191 school board and represented the Second Congressional District on the Minnesota Youth Council. At BHS, she’s a member of the speech and debate team and in October was named an Academic All-American by the National Speech & Debate Association. Feven is one of two students who will join Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith in representing Minnesota at the United States Senate Youth Program Washington Week coming up in March in Washington, D.C.