Tesfaye wins NHS’s $25,000 national scholarship

Burnsville High School senior Feven Tesfaye was selected from more than 16,000 applicants as the winner of the National Honor Society’s (NHS) $25,000 scholarship April 19 at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) conference in Washington, D.C.

“Winning the National Honor Society Scholarship honestly feels surreal,” Feven said. “NHS has been such an important community that’s helped me to dream bigger and do more.” 

As a student representative on the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 School Board, Feven represents more than 7,000 students and elevates student voice in district decision-making. She also serves on the Minnesota Youth Council, advocating for over 1.3 million young people and partnering with state legislators and agencies to advance equity-driven policy. She previously worked as a statewide youth voter outreach intern in the office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, leading voter registration initiatives that expand access to democracy. Nationally, she serves on the Board of the National Youth Leadership Council and Civic Caucus and hosts the “What Cause Inspires You?” podcast, amplifying student advocates driving change. She has been selected as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program, is a two-time Presidential Gold Service Award recipient, and a Speech and Debate Academic All-American. At school, she holds leadership roles in NHS, student council, and a blood drive committee. 

“What Feven has accomplished before even finishing high school is a reminder of what young people can do when they are given the tools and the trust to lead,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “We are proud to recognize this outstanding work and excited to see what comes next.” 

The announcement was part of NASSP’s National Education Leadership Awards gala, which brought together the National Honor Society Scholarship winners, National Association of Student Councils Scholarship winners, the Advocacy Champion of the Year finalists, and State Assistant Principals and Principals of the Year. 

Feven will attend Columbia University and major in Human Rights and Pre-Law.