What is HCASC?

The Howard County Association of Student Councils, more commonly known as HCASC, brings together students across the school system to talk about leadership and government in HCPSS. HCASC strives to empower students with skills and opportunities to engage with and lead their schools and communities.

Who is Eligible to Join HCASC?

HCASC is open to all middle and high school students.

Why Should I Join HCASC?

By joining HCASC, you will have the opportunity to:

• learn leadership skills and best practices
• meet and work with student leaders from across HCPSS
• discuss current events impacting HCPSS students
• provide feedback and insight on HCPSS policy
• share your ideas directly with the Student Member of the Board of Education SMOB) and other HCPSS leaders
• represent your school at the student-run convention to elect the SMOB
• explore ways to make a difference in your school and community
• engage with community leaders
• have fun!

Here are some quotes from students that are in HCASC:

• Chris- 12th grade- “HCASC has taught me countless valuable lessons about becoming a student leader, uplifting the voices of all HCPSS students, and collaboration. Without HCASC, I would have never met such wonderful individuals from across the county and may not have put myself out into the community as much as I do now!”

• Kayla- 12th grade- “Through HCASC, I have been able to connect with people around the county and learn their opinions/views. It has allowed me to become part of a larger community in Howard County and be informed on issues at other schools that I did not know existed.”

• Iris- 12th grade- “I learned a lot about managing and leading a group, and how to create visions and directions for projects. I became more aware of community happenings and how to get involved.”

• Shreeya- 10th grade- “I have learned how involved students can actually become in making decisions for the school system, and it has really made me more involved in my community”

• Matthew- 8th grade- “HCASC allowed me to be well-informed and involved in my community. It makes me happy to know that students in the Howard County have a voice.”

• Maliyah- 7th grade- “Through HCASC I became an SGA member- that is how they shaped me”

How Can I Get Involved?

HCASC hosts monthly, student-run general assemblies the second Wednesday of every month. In addition to reports and updates from current HCASC members, meetings include leadership training, guest speakers, and/or student forums where students can come together to share best practices and discuss current school and community issues. Be sure to RSVP to attend our general assemblies!

How Can I Apply For An Appointed Staff Position?

Apply online.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Interested in learning more about HCASC? Contact Kori Jones, HCASC's advisor, or members of the HCASC officers (listed below). You can also contact your school principal for information on leadership opportunities at your school.

HCASC Officer Team 2024-2025

Erin Alistar, President, hcascpresident@gmail.com Erin Alistar is a Junior at River Hill High School. He has been passionate about student voice for the past 5 years and has previously served as Legislative Affairs Chair , a policy representative, and recording secretary. Currently Erin serves as HCASC’s president. In his free time, Erin enjoys listening to music, talking to friends, and exercising. Erin hopes to increase participation in HCASC and in committees, so that all students have the opportunity to

Gavin Falcón , First Vice President, hcascvicepresident@gmail.com Gavin Falcón is currently a Sophomore at Long Reach High School. He has been involved in student advocacy since 6th grade. Specifically he has been involved in HCASC for the past 3 years, with him being an Election Coordinator Committee Member last year. Currently he is in Class Council, his schools SGA, MASC, and of course HCASC. Some of his other extracurriculars are Soccer, Lacrosse, Karate, Mock Trial, Debate, along with several other clubs dedicated to community service.

Kris Green, Second Vice President, hcascpresident@gmail.com Kris Green is in 8th grade at Patuxent Valley Middle School, and she’s relatively new to the student leadership world. They became involved with HCASC last year in the Arts Committee, and represented PVMS. Additionally, she is involved with her school’s SGA and NJHS, along with MASC. Her other extracurriculars include Theatre, Debate, Chorus, and GSA; and outside of school they enjoy cooking, baking, and writing. She is eternally grateful for each and every person contributing to this wonderful organization.

Angela Huang, Corresponding Secretary, hcascsecretary@gmail.com Angela Huang is a junior at Centennial High School. She has been passionate about student leadership and advocacy since middle school, joining SGA and HCASC. Previously, Angela has been on the Public Relations Committee at HCASC as well as HCASC Representative in her school SGA. Currently, she is the corresponding secretary for HCASC and a junior liaison at Centennial. In her free time, Angela likes trying new hobbies, baking, and building legos.

McKenna Gran, Recording Secretary, hcasc.recordingsec@gmail.com McKenna Gran is a junior at Oakland Mills High School, and serves as the Class of 2026 President. Outside of student government, she has a passion for Science Olympiad and Art Honors Society. As Recording Secretary, she aims to amplify student voices and address student concerns head-on.

Batool Haider, Chief of Staff, chiefofstaffhcasc@gmail.com Batool Haider is a junior at Atholton High School. She joined HCASC freshman year, but has had a strong commitment to student voice and advocacy since middle school. Freshman year, she served on HCASC’s Student Representation and DEI committees. She also held the position of treasurer for her class SGA and played a role in the HoCo Student Committee for Equity. In her sophomore year, she expanded her leadership roles, becoming Vice President of her school’s Muslim Student Association and Deputy Chief of Staff of HCASC. Outside of her academic and leadership responsibilities, she enjoys baking and painting. Broadly, Batool aims to increase students’ participation within their communities.

Sakshi Tirodkar, Deputy Chief of Staff, deputychiefofstaff@gmail.com Sakshi Tirodkar is a junior at Long Reach High School. She has been involved with student voice since middle school, and specifically in HCASC, she has been an appointed staff member in the school representation and election coordinating committees. On top of HCASC, she is now involved in class council, SGA, and MASC. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, baking, reading, and singing. This year, Sakshi hopes to ensure that each committee is successful in their leadership journey and help them truly make a difference in the county.

Kori Jones, Advisor,  Kori_Jones@hcpss.org

HCASC Appointed Staff

Student Experience Committee
The Student Experience Committee is a newly created committee that focuses on amplifying student voices in areas that students are passionate about. This committee promotes student-related activities and experiences, reaches out to school clubs and community groups with related goals, and brings ideas and concerns from county-wide groups back to HCASC and the Student Member.  The committee will contain various subcommittees,  including public relations, arts, health/social issues, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Mentorship Committee
The Mentorship Committee connects middle and high school students through a mentorship program so they can share advice, tips, and next steps. This committee also seeks to ensure that students in Howard County have the necessary skills, such as resume-building and effective email drafting, to succeed and pursue their passions.

Legislative Affairs Committee
The Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC) seeks to empower HCASC and all Howard County students to understand the advocacy process at all levels of government. The LAC assists in developing official HCASC committee stances relating to policies and legislation pertinent to youth and education. The Legislative Affairs Committee will also be responsible for creating “policy summaries” that explain to students what the policy means and its impacts on the school system. Finally, the Legislative Affairs Committee will be responsible for coaching policy review students and giving them an overview of the process.

Environmental Affairs Committee
The Environmental Affairs Committee (EAC) engages with environmental issues and builds relationships with school clubs and community groups to promote environmental-related activities and opportunities for HCASC. They also maintain a monthly newsletter to spread environmental awareness and provide service opportunities for students. This committee also collects feedback from HCPSS students and community organizations to pursue environmental related projects.

Election Coordinating Committee
The Election Coordinating Committee (ECC) coordinates the general and special elections for HCASC. ECC takes the lead in planning for Delegate Training and the SMOB Convention, with the chairperson serving as Convention Director. They work in conjunction with the Officer Team and Mrs. Drummond in planning and promoting the process of electing the Student Member of the Board for the next school year.

STEM Committee
The STEM Committee fosters a system to promote STEM-related activities and opportunities, reaches out to school clubs and community groups to promote STEM-related activities and opportunities, bringing ideas and concerns from county-wide groups back to HCASC and the Student Member.