High school students learn about leadership

Shannon LeClair  

Times Reporter 

 

Five students from Strathmore High School (SHS) travelled to Prince Edward Island last month for the Canadian Student Leadership Conference.  The first conference was held in Yorkton, Sask. in 1985 and is held in a different community each year. 

The mission behind the conference is to promote and develop leadership within Canadian high schools. In the mission statement it states, ‘our aim is to motive, prepare and empower Canadian students for present and future leadership in their schools, activities, workplaces and communities – locally, nationally and globally.’  

The five students Shayla Kopp, Jenista Kippin, Rebecca Grudeski, Jason Wilson and Britney Davidson all spoke about their time at the conference.

Each were asked the same question, beginning with explaining who their favourite speaker was. For Shayla Kopp, the speaker that stood out spoke about living in the moment, making good choices and not holding yourself back. 

“I think my favourite speaker would be Phil Boyt because I have heard him before and he was even better I think this time,” said Kippin.

“I (also) really liked (General) Rick Hillier, he was a speaker, because I liked his idea that you can’t just lead, people aren’t just going to follow you, you have to give them a reason.”

Ian Tyson was Grudeski’s favourite speaker

“I just really connected to what he was saying. There was a point to be made that was more relatable to people,” said Grudeski.

For Wilson, General Rick Hillier was also his favourite speaker. 

“I just liked his message … his message was inspire somebody and then once you have inspired them use their inspiration to motivate yourself,” said Wilson. 

“One of the ones I really liked was Ian Tyson because he just got everybody kind of involved and made it more personal for you. It made you listen more and understand what he was trying to say,” said Davidson. 

All five students took a different lesson home from the conference.

“I did a course on how to organize yearbook. They taught us how you should get everyone together and how you should run the meetings … so that was really cool,” said Kopp.

“I learned about different styles of leadership, how you don’t have to be loud and standing on a table with a microphone to lead, which is good for me because I am not that kind of person,” said Kippin.

“I think it is more a lot of little things that you do, it’s like whether or not you are willing to help people when you see that they need it.”

Kippin belongs to the Me To We club at SHS where she is in a leadership position. She feels better prepared now and less anxious about her role with the club. 

Since returning from P.E.I Grudeski says she has begun noticing when people need help, both at school and work, and she tries to help them however she can.  

Wilson feels the workshops he attended at the conference gave him ideas on different ways the school could become more of a community instead of sticking to cliques. 

“I think the conference just reminded me that you don’t have to do big things to be a leader. (The) little things that you do, little kind things for others, you’re being a leader everyday,” said Davidson.