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Building Confidence and Speaking Up

An inspiring live session led by two NSHSS scholarship winners who turned their ideas into action.
January 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET

Help your student discover the confidence to share their ideas and make their voice heard!
In this lively 45-minute webinar, NSHSS scholarship winners—frequent public speakers and founders of their own youth initiatives—will share their real experiences learning to speak up and lead with purpose.

BE MORE Speaker With Blanket 2023

In this webinar, you will learn about:

How students can build confidence and speak up in school, activities, and everyday life.

Practical strategies to manage nerves and develop real communication skills.

How our youth speakers started their own initiatives and became confident public speakers.

The habits, mentors, and programs that supported their growth — and can help your student too.

Students and parents will hear directly from peers who transformed nervousness into confidence and turned their passions into action. Through stories, practical tips, and interactive moments, our guest speakers will break down:

  • How they built the courage to speak up

  • What helped them overcome fear or self-doubt

  • How they became comfortable presenting and advocating

  • The resources, mentors, and habits that supported their confidence

  • Ways middle schoolers can start building leadership skills today

This webinar is ideal for middle schoolers who want to grow their confidence—especially those interested in leadership, public speaking, community involvement, or simply finding their voice. Parents will learn how to support their students along the way, too!

Join us for an uplifting session filled with relatable stories, actionable advice, and inspiration for the next generation of leaders.

Meet the Speakers:

Inspiring NSHSS scholarship winners who turned their ideas into action

Nainika Manthena

NSHSS Ambassador President | Meeting Host

Nainika is a senior at Palm Harbor Univ HS - IB Program, FL. She wants to pursue a career as a lawyer specializing in medical malpractice/disability law. She also loves tutoring students in math and reading on which she advocates for education accessibility. Her hobbies include dancing, learning new languages, and fostering dogs.

LinkedIn about Nainika Manthena

Leah Mordehai

NSHSS Student Member, NSHSS Scholarship Winner and NSHSS BE MORE Grant Finalist | Meeting Speaker

Leah Mordehai is a Ukrainian American writer, youth journalist, and advocate for cultural justice. A high school student based in San Francisco, Leah co-founded Slavic Voice for Ukraine to create a home for Slavic stories often overlooked in Western media—and to build bridges between diaspora communities through language, memory, and truth-telling.

Nahid Karimi

NSHSS Ambassador | Meeting Speaker

Nahid Karimi is originally from Kabul, Afghanistan and is currently a rising junior at Solebury School in the United States, where she studies on a full scholarship after living as a refugee in Pakistan. She is a passionate advocate for Afghan youth and has represented their voices through music as a member of the SA singing group, athletics as part of the Afghan National Gymnastics Team, and writing through her published work.

Since arriving in the U.S., Nahid has co-founded EmpowerHer and founded Educational Support for Afghans (ESA), continuing her commitment to supporting Afghan girls and students whose opportunities have been cut short. Her work focuses on amplifying the voices of Afghan women and creating pathways for education, expression, and empowerment. She remains deeply committed to advocacy, believing that every action—no matter how small—can make a meaningful difference.