May 4th and 5th: Students gather for Stand Up, Speak Out Conference

Stand Up! Speak Out! is the theme of the 2016 Students Leading Students Conference being presented by the Rainbow District School Board Student Senate on Wednesday, May 4 and Thursday, May 5, 2016. The conference will take place from 9 am to 3:30 pm at the Cambrian College Student Centre.

Guest speakers include medical doctor and life coach, Dr. Susan Biali, and human potential and leadership expert, Randy Taylor. Both speakers will share their experience with success, personal growth, and how to strive for a better future. The conference will bring together approximately 100 students from Rainbow secondary schools.

“The goal of the conference is to generate opportunities for empowerment and to nurture leadership skills for Rainbow secondary school students,“ says Ethan Urban, Student Trustee with Rainbow District School Board and Chair of the Student Senate. “We want to give students tools and experiences to create change in their schools. We hope they will come away with building blocks to carry out their projects as student leaders now and into the future.”

“Students play a significant role in fostering healthy and inclusive school environments. The conference will inspire students to be good role models and make a difference,” says Norm Blaseg, Director of Education for Rainbow District School Board. Director Blaseg commended Rainbow District School Board’s Student Senate for organizing and presenting this year’s Students Leading Students Conference, a key component of the Ministry of Education’s Student Success Initiative.

Chaired by Student Trustee Ethan Urban of Lockerby Composite School, the Student Senate provides a regular forum for students to come together to network and share ideas. The Student Senate includes Emma Johnson of Lockerby Composite School; Lela Hopper and Hannah Conlon of Lively District Secondary School; First Nations Métis and Inuit representative Zack Bondy of Sudbury Secondary School; Ben MacKenzie and Sydney Borton of Sudbury Secondary School; Katie Yao and Aiden Best of Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School; Daniel Landriault of Chelmsford Valley District Composite School; Riley McGee and Racha El-Darazi of Confederation Secondary School; Cassyra Walia and Connor Cacciotti of Lasalle Secondary School; Logan Emiry and Tristan Meier of Espanola High School as well as Ali Cosby and Savanna Webb of Manitoulin Secondary School.

About the Conference Guest Speakers

Dr. Susan Biali

Dr. Susan Biali has studied the principles of healthy living, happiness, life balance, stress management, positive psychology and self-development for some 20 years. Formerly clinically depressed and deeply frustrated with life, Dr. Biali applied the very principles she teaches to dramatically transform herself. Those techniques now help others in finding a happy, healthy and meaningful life. Susan is an international keynote speaker, a licensed medical doctor, health and happiness expert, life coach, author and flamenco dancer.  She has been featured as a wellness expert on The Today Show and The Ricki Lake Show, and her opinions appear frequently in various print media including Self, Fitness, Redbook, Health, Martha Stewart Living, The Washington Post and The Chicago Tribune. Recently, American Express recognized her as a “Real Life Potentialist.”

Randy Taylor

Randy Taylor, known as one of Canada’s top rated keynote speakers, uses his gift to connect with others about leadership. Taylor has gone against all odds, escaping poverty and alcoholic parents, and has developed a fantastic personal success story. Prior to become a leadership expert, Randy worked for CFRB 1010 as the host of Summit of Life on Global Television, and has won several national broadcasting awards. After spending decades in the television industry, he decided to create Taylormade Leadership. Over the past 20 years, Randy has used his experiences and studies on human behavior to create a dynamic leadership philosophy “The Winner Within”. Taylor has received national recognition through endorsements with six of the largest companies in Canada. His client list includes Manulife, Xerox, ReMax Realty, Kraft Foods and Petro Canada.

STUDENTS LEADING STUDENTS CONFERENCE AGENDA

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Thursday, May 5, 2016

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,

Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,

Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.