For the last six years, the Frenship Middle School has earned the Texas Association of Student Council Outstanding Student Council award. This year, the advisors challenged the council to up their game and set their sights on national recognition. After a year of hard work, the FMS Student Council was awarded a 2024 National Council of Excellence recognition from the National Association of Student Councils. FMS is the first Frenship student council to receive a national award.  

To obtain national recognition the group had to meet a strict set of criteria, demonstrating evidence of meaningful student service, leadership, voice, and engagement. Throughout the year, the FMS student council shows their dedication to serving their campus and the Lubbock community through various service projects. 

One of the big projects the council does each year is the FMS Tiger Tree. They shop for students in their school who may not have Christmas without help. The project is funded by the generosity of the FMS teachers and the council is responsible for purchasing and wrapping the gifts.  

Another yearly project spearheaded by the FMS student council is the U Can Share fund drive. They have consistently been the middle school to raise the most money in the area.  Along with the fundraising, the council volunteers three to four times throughout the year at the South Plains Food Bank. 

At FMS any student can join the student council, this has increased the overall membership and brought in a wave of students who are passionate about serving. Many students who join in sixth grade continue with the group through eighth grade.  

Brealyn, an eighth grader at FMS, first joined the student council in sixth grade and now serves on the Student Council Leadership Team.  

“I knew StuCo would look good on a resume but then it turned out to be fun and I enjoyed the activities because they helped people,” said Brealyn.  

Each year, the team commits to serving their school and community to the best of their ability. This has instilled an expectation within the group to strive for excellence. 

“The traditions that have been built through the years have created an expectation of nothing less than excellence and being a part of FMS StuCo is considered an honor,” said Andrea Carter, one of the FMS Student Council Advisors.  

Another reason the team is so successful is due to the leadership team committing to the standard of excellence. That starts with the newly elected leadership attending a summer leadership workshop, giving up a week of their summer to learn leadership skills and gain ideas to make the council successful in the upcoming year. 

“This year's leadership team was exceptional,” said Tinese Ammons, one of the FMS Student Council sponsors. “Their energy and enthusiasm were contagious. They were willing to put in the time and the work necessary to earn national recognition.” 

The students worked hard throughout the year to earn national recognition and are extremely proud of their team. They are especially proud to be the first Frenship student council to earn this national recognition. 

“It meant a lot because we worked really hard throughout the whole year and accomplished more than we thought we would,” said Jadyn, an eighth grade FMS student council student.  

“It is always fun to be the first to do anything,” said Brealyn. “I'm pretty proud that FMS is the first to achieve this recognition.” 

The council is determined to continue their standard of excellence and earn more national recognition awards in the future. The current leadership has passed the mantle to the incoming group and look forward to seeing that they accomplish.