Washington, D.C. (November 19, 2025)—The NEA Foundation announced today that Active Minds will receive the 2026 Student Voices Award. The award recognizes organizations and individuals empowering students and young people to become changemakers and leaders of the future.
Active Minds is a national nonprofit organization centered on combating the stigma of mental illness and empowering young people to advocate for their own mental health and that of those around them. Through initiatives that expand mental health programming in K-16 education, support emerging mental health advocates, provide custom community programming on mental health topics, and more, Active Minds is changing the way health and well-being are supported at the school and community levels. More than ten thousand youth and young adults from around the country are directly involved in Active Minds’ programs, reaching more than one million peers through Active Minds’ programs, initiatives, and networks.
“Active Minds is an extraordinary example of what it means to champion mental health for young people in ways that are both empowering and impactful,” said President and CEO of The NEA Foundation Sara A. Sneed. “Through its educational programs, workforce development, and community programming, Active Minds is transforming the ways young people and champions for youth think, talk, and feel about mental health and supporting those around us.”
The NEA Foundation established the Student Voices Award in 2023 to celebrate the transformative power of student and youth advocacy and empowerment. This annual award honors individuals, student groups, or organizations that center the voices of young people to provide exemplary leadership, build youth-led movements, or advocate for youth-centered policies and practices.
The award will be formally presented at The NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education on February 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C., where educators and education advocates from across the country will gather to celebrate this year’s honorees.
About The NEA Foundation
The NEA Foundation is a nonprofit organization advancing the best in public education. Founded by educators in 1969, The NEA Foundation works to ensure that all students have access to high-quality educational experiences they need to become informed, empathetic, and engaged citizens vital to a thriving democracy. For more information, visit www.neafoundation.org.
About Active Minds
Active Minds mobilizes youth and young adults to lead a transformative movement in mental health, forever changing how it is valued and prioritized in society. By equipping, connecting, and amplifying the collective and diverse voices of youth and young adults, we are building a movement of lasting champions who are improving mental health norms for all. To learn more, visit https://activeminds.org/.
