Meet your 2020-2021 Executive Board!
President: David Surzykiewicz
Senior from Lake Park High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am very passionate about service and community involvement. I believe strongly in the need for civic engagement, especially for young people, and I serve in Youth and Government as the current YMCA Youth Governor of Illinois. I wrestle varsity for Lake Park High School, and serve as captain of my high school's varsity Scholastic Bowl team. I serve on Peer Jury and the Principal's Advisory Board, and announce for school sporting events. In addition to serving as a Student Ambassador for the Yale Young Global Scholars program, I help guide freshmen in Lake Park through orientation events. I participate in community service clubs such as Rotary, Key Club, and NHS, and have served on the Class Council's executive board. I'm very fascinated by business and have competed on my school's DECA team. I have also facilitated discussion groups for community events. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and taking my dog on long walks.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to expand my knowledge in teamwork and helping drive community-oriented initiatives. I will make it my mission to make the very most of our time's difficult circumstances, and create more opportunities for NED members to learn and grow. I fully intend to honor NED's traditions of building networks of ideas across communities and creating the next generation of youth leaders. Specifically, I hope to create new virtual events for networking and brainstorming for NED's students.
Vice President: Nathan Thokkudubiyyapu
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am involved in Church, Student Council, Freshmen Mentoring, Ambassadors (organization also devoted to helping Freshmen with the transition to high school), Journalism, and Model UN. I spend my free time watching Netflix. My favorite show is Grey's Anatomy and second favorite is Criminal Minds. Currently, I am watching The Vampire Diaries.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: As the NED Vice President, I am hoping to become a better & stronger leader and I hope to accomplish bringing more schools to participate in NED events. I also hope to have a great year planning different events to empower school spirit or in this case, district spirit!
Secretary: Teegan Roach
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: At York, I play basketball, run cross country and track. I am also a part of key club and best buddies. Outside of school, I am on a separate basketball team and babysit.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I am excited to meet new people and communicate with others.
Treasurer: Julia Miezal
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I’m in NHS, INHS, Student Council, Band and VARSITY R. I’m also the girls volleyball varsity manager. I like to spend my free time going biking, baking and cooking, and listening to music. I love going on drives and blasting music and hanging out with friends.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to learn about what other schools are doing for their student council and hope to bring back ideas to my school. I also hope to get other schools to join the NED convention this year and hopefully participate for years to come. I’m looking forward to the convention and hope everything will work out in the best way it can. I’m so excited to be on the board this year!
Convention Chair: Claire Kelly
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am on the soccer team, a member of student council, INHS, and NHS. In my free time, I volunteer at the hospital, listen to music, cook, and bake.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to make this year as fun and enjoyable as possible. Hopefully we can come up with interactive virtual ideas to keep people involved and stick to our mission. Lastly, it would be great to get more schools to join us!
Communications Chair: Taylor Chan
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I'm involved in Ridgewood's Student Council, Class Council, NHS, INHS, and Interact Club. I also volunteer for the Coronavirus Visualization Team. In my free time, I love watching 80's movies, playing instruments, and experimenting with baking.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I look forward to meeting and collaborating with new students from different schools. I hope to share ideas with them, so we can collectively build school spirit and promote service in our respective communities. I also hope to think of creative ways to take advantage of our social media platforms. I'm ecstatic to be a part of the NED this year, and I can't wait for the convention!
Central Area Rep: Lily Rennick
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am part of Soccer and Golf. In my free time, I practice the plan for the week.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope that I become really close to people, so I can communicate throughout the year with them.
Senior from Lake Park High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am very passionate about service and community involvement. I believe strongly in the need for civic engagement, especially for young people, and I serve in Youth and Government as the current YMCA Youth Governor of Illinois. I wrestle varsity for Lake Park High School, and serve as captain of my high school's varsity Scholastic Bowl team. I serve on Peer Jury and the Principal's Advisory Board, and announce for school sporting events. In addition to serving as a Student Ambassador for the Yale Young Global Scholars program, I help guide freshmen in Lake Park through orientation events. I participate in community service clubs such as Rotary, Key Club, and NHS, and have served on the Class Council's executive board. I'm very fascinated by business and have competed on my school's DECA team. I have also facilitated discussion groups for community events. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and taking my dog on long walks.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to expand my knowledge in teamwork and helping drive community-oriented initiatives. I will make it my mission to make the very most of our time's difficult circumstances, and create more opportunities for NED members to learn and grow. I fully intend to honor NED's traditions of building networks of ideas across communities and creating the next generation of youth leaders. Specifically, I hope to create new virtual events for networking and brainstorming for NED's students.
Vice President: Nathan Thokkudubiyyapu
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am involved in Church, Student Council, Freshmen Mentoring, Ambassadors (organization also devoted to helping Freshmen with the transition to high school), Journalism, and Model UN. I spend my free time watching Netflix. My favorite show is Grey's Anatomy and second favorite is Criminal Minds. Currently, I am watching The Vampire Diaries.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: As the NED Vice President, I am hoping to become a better & stronger leader and I hope to accomplish bringing more schools to participate in NED events. I also hope to have a great year planning different events to empower school spirit or in this case, district spirit!
Secretary: Teegan Roach
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: At York, I play basketball, run cross country and track. I am also a part of key club and best buddies. Outside of school, I am on a separate basketball team and babysit.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I am excited to meet new people and communicate with others.
Treasurer: Julia Miezal
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I’m in NHS, INHS, Student Council, Band and VARSITY R. I’m also the girls volleyball varsity manager. I like to spend my free time going biking, baking and cooking, and listening to music. I love going on drives and blasting music and hanging out with friends.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to learn about what other schools are doing for their student council and hope to bring back ideas to my school. I also hope to get other schools to join the NED convention this year and hopefully participate for years to come. I’m looking forward to the convention and hope everything will work out in the best way it can. I’m so excited to be on the board this year!
Convention Chair: Claire Kelly
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am on the soccer team, a member of student council, INHS, and NHS. In my free time, I volunteer at the hospital, listen to music, cook, and bake.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope to make this year as fun and enjoyable as possible. Hopefully we can come up with interactive virtual ideas to keep people involved and stick to our mission. Lastly, it would be great to get more schools to join us!
Communications Chair: Taylor Chan
Senior from Ridgewood High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I'm involved in Ridgewood's Student Council, Class Council, NHS, INHS, and Interact Club. I also volunteer for the Coronavirus Visualization Team. In my free time, I love watching 80's movies, playing instruments, and experimenting with baking.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I look forward to meeting and collaborating with new students from different schools. I hope to share ideas with them, so we can collectively build school spirit and promote service in our respective communities. I also hope to think of creative ways to take advantage of our social media platforms. I'm ecstatic to be a part of the NED this year, and I can't wait for the convention!
Central Area Rep: Lily Rennick
Sophomore from York Community High School
Q: What activities are you a part of? How do you spend your free time?
A: I am part of Soccer and Golf. In my free time, I practice the plan for the week.
Q: What do you look forward to this year in relation to NED?
A: I hope that I become really close to people, so I can communicate throughout the year with them.
