Students Leading Students Conference focuses on healthy schools

Stepping Up and Sending Off

The Rainbow District School Board Student Senate will host the Students Leading Students Conference on Tuesday, April 21st and Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009. Students will gather at the Howard Johnson on Brady Street to participate in a variety of activities aimed at nurturing leadership in young people. Entitled Stepping Up and Sending Off, the conference will focus on healthy schools and explore a number of themes, including sustainability, school improvement, potential, growth and unity.

“The Students Leading Students conference will foster open dialogue and create opportunities for empowerment to make our schools even greater places to learn,” says Director of Education Jean Hanson. “Students will be role models for their peers.”

She adds: “The conference will celebrate the student voice and let students know that they have an important role to play. When we enable students to be heard, we engage them in building healthy school environments where all young people feel like they belong. We inspire young people to reach their full potential and achieve success.”

The first day of the conference will involve two students from each secondary school. They will identify and solve challenges facing schools. One student from each school will participate in a panel on the second day of the conference. They will share an experience with other students about an issue that has had an impact on their high school years. The purpose of the panel is to illicit stories that will give students perspective, insight and advice.

The second day of the conference will involve ten students from each school – the two students from the first day along with eight additional ambassadors and a teacher representative. Students will hear from renowned inspirational speaker David Major. They will participate in workshops, roundtable discussions and team building exercises. Students will work together to create goals for their respective school improvement plans.

Director Hanson 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 Alexandra Schwabe of Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, the Student Senate provides a regular forum for students to come together to network and share ideas.

The Student Senate includes Alexandra Schwabe and Haritha Popuri of Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, Mike Price and Billy Mekers of Lasalle Secondary School, Becky Hunda of Sudbury Secondary School, Chris MacCullough and Allison Aho of Lockerby Composite School, Angele Sweeny, Darren Sabourin and Amy Mikkelsen of Espanola High School and Brittany Chedore and Kaitlin Gervais of Chelmsford Valley District Composite School.

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Media Contact:

Jean Hanson, Director of Education,
Rainbow District School Board, 705.674.3171, ext. 7215.