Happy Holidays MASC,

I am ecstatic to introduce our fourth newsletter of the 2024-2025 MASC Year! So much happened these past few months and so much is to come, so without further ado let’s get into it!

On November 16th we held our first ever Project MASC meeting! Here student council officers and students from across the state gathered at the MASC Headquarters in Franklin for a day filled with informative workshops and opportunities to network! I certainly think I speak for many in that we further harnessed our leadership skills and built new connections which will further our talent in leading.

With three strong months behind us on our voyage to Hyannis, the MASC board and I have found the symbol most important to December to be the Captain’s Hat. Being in our fourth month of the MASC School year the board and I agree that this is a time to step up with confidence and fuel your passions and interests. Although there may have been some choppy waters earlier, now that we have our bearings this is your time to take those leaps of faith and really go for it! Whether it’s running for a state student council position, or even standing up and giving a speech to your class, take every opportunity you can to reach for the stars.

Following this, the board has agreed that our symbol for January should be the rope. As we enter into this holiday season and get closer to our annual MASC Bocce event, the Board finds it especially crucial to emphasize connecting with others and fostering inclusive environments. Like a rope, this is your time to tie things all together and take January as an opportunity to bring people in, #Choosetoinclude, and foster new relationships and connections with others!

MASC dig in you’re doing great! No voyage is ever easy but please always remember that we are here for you and never as far as a DM away (@ma_stuco and @mascpresident)! Thanks so much and as always let’s “cruise the seas of leadership”!

Warmest Regards,

Jack Rubin MASC President

The captains hat: a piece of distinctive clothing to represent who is in command of the ship. It can be connected to us leaders by representing responsibility, command, and protection of others.

The ropes of a ship can be used as a strong connection to leadership. Just as the ropes are essential for holding the ship together, securing the sails, and navigating through the storms, leadership and strength play similar roles in guiding and sustaining your councils across the state!

A quick reminder that you can find us on Instagram and X! Feel free to send in pictures from student council events taking place in your schools! We would love to spread the word on all the fantastic things going on around our state.

Instagram: @mascpresident & @ma_stuco

X: @MA_StuCo

Dear MASC,

I hope this newsletter finds you well and ready for the wonderful moments of the holiday season with your family and friends. The holiday break comes at just the right time when the energy may be bit low and everyone is in need of a reset.

As we prepare for the new year upon us, I invite each of you to review the goals you set for yourself as we began the school year. We have an amazing opportunity to review, reset our set new goals as the clock strikes midnight for the dawn of the new calendar year. I hope each of you takes advantage of this opportunity to determine what you want 2025 to look like. To the senior members of Student Council across the Commonwealth…this is your year. Be sure to celebrate how you started, and how you will end your high school career. Be proud of what you have done and given to your schools.

The month of January is very busy for MASC as we prepare to open registration for the annual MASC State Conference in Hyannis. Registration will officially open on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 12:00pm. Also, registration for the annual Lip Sync and submission to host a Small Group Workshop will open as well on January 7, 2025. Do not miss out on an incredible leadership experience.

On behalf of the entire MASC Executive Board, I wish the very best of the holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year.

In partnership,

Paul Branagan

MASC Executive Director

January

• State Workshop Portal Opens - January 7, 2025

• Annual Conference Registration Begins - January 7, 2025

• Commonwealth Awards Nominations Open - January 7, 2025

• Five Star Council Nominations Open - January 7, 2025

• Administrator of the Year - DUE January 17, 2025

• Top Ten Project Applications DUE - January 17, 2025

• Principals Day - January 17, 2025

• Henry Sullivan Award Nominations DUE - January 17, 2025

• Unsung Hero Award Submissions Due - January 17, 2025

• Unified Bocce at Murdock HS- January 24, 2025 (4pm-7pm)

• Unified Bocce at Middleborough HS - January 25, 2025 (9am-1pm)

• Unified Bocce at Marlborough HS- January 26, 2027 (9am-1pm)

• NASC National Conference - Chicago - January 31 - February 2, 2025

Every year in March, various awards and accolades are given out to deserving candidates who actively show excellence within their schools and councils. If you would like to nominate anyone for these recognitions, please follow the instructions given within the links below! Be sure to get all nominations in by Friday, January 17th, 2025!

MASC Administrator of the Year: Presented to one school administrator as recognition for their support surrounding Student Council events.

MASC Henry Sullivan Advisor of the Year: Presented to one student council advisor in recognition of their commitment to service within their school.

MASC Unsung Hero Award: These awards are presented to one student from each region for their commitment to going above and beyond the call of duty, with little to no recognition.

MASC Top Ten Projects Award: These awards are presented to ten student councils across the state who submit one of the ten most outstanding projects during the year.

The tradition continues! The Council of Excellence awards are designed to yearly showcase the achievements of outstanding student councils across the state, as well as setting guidelines and standards for other councils.

SOME IMPORTANT NOTES

• The MASC Council of Excellence Award will recognize programs that have occurred from February 2, 2024 to February 3, 2025.
• To be considered for judgment, all reports must follow the criteria sheet and must be accompanied by the required letter of endorsement by the Principal.
• To be considered, reports must be submitted so that all materials will be POSTMARKED BY FEBRUARY 3, 2025.
• The MASC Silver Council of Excellence is presented to those councils whose programs are among the very best in our state association. The Silver Council of Excellence is based on achieving between 43-45 points on our scoring rubric as determined by the judging committee.
• The MASC Gold Council of Excellence is presented to those student council programs that are deemed to be the most outstanding in our state association. The Gold Council is based on achieving over 46 points on our scoring rubric as determined by the judging committee.

It is with great excitement to announce that MASC Bocce will be returning for more inclusion and fun this upcoming January! The dates for these days are as follows.

Friday, January 24, 2025 at Murdock High School 4:00-7:00 PM.

Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Middleboro High School 9:00 AM- 1:00 PM

Sunday, January 26, 2025, at Marlborough High School 9:00 AM-1:00 PM

We hope to see you all there for this amazing excursion on our cruise lines!

Please note, the deadline to register for this awesome event is January 3rd, 2025.

Hey everyone! We had a successful fall conference and we were so happy to see everyone there. We can’t wait for our next event, our Winter Day of Service! Keep an eye on our instagram @cdmasc and your emails for updates regarding the location and date. Can’t wait to see everyone again soon!