The school year may be over, but five Cochrane High School students already have a special date marked on their fall calendars.
The CHS leadership students will travel to Haliburton, Ont., to take part in the 40th Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC), held Oct. 3 to 7. The event focuses on challenges facing today’s youth and equips them with skills they can share with others.
It’s about the 12th time CHS leadership teacher Lisa Gordon Reece has taken students to the national gathering.
“It’s a great way to meet other leadership and like-minded students from across the country,” said Gordon Reece. “There are usually about 700 students and 200 advisors who attend. There are fantastic speakers and workshops. It’s an opportunity for team building, and the kids bring back tons of energy and great ideas for the school year.”
This year, students Marsha Kravchenko, Mia Jacobs, Tyler More, Hanna Shelstad, and Nora Leinenweber will represent Cochrane High.
“I’m hoping to learn how to make new friends, because there are going to be a lot of people to meet,” said Kravchenko. “Also, how to survive in the world on your own and how to problem-solve.”
Mia Jacobs, who was involved in leadership at Manachaban Middle School for three years, is continuing to build upon those skills.
“I enjoy planning events and working with other people,” she said. “That’s what leadership is all about—especially here, where we organize so many big events. It’s honestly a lot of fun, even if it’s hard work.”
Jacobs said the national conference will offer a chance to expand on those experiences.
“It’s an opportunity to learn how to interact with people and enjoy new experiences from everyday opportunities.”
Tyler More, now in his second year with the leadership group, hopes the event will further build his personal and social skills.
“I want to become more sociable, meet new people, and develop stronger team-building skills to grow as a leader,” he said.
He particularly enjoyed helping to organize school events and ranked the Right to Play Dodgeball Tournament as one of the year’s highlights.
Hanna Shelstad, a former student at Westbrook School, joined the leadership group at CHS to get involved in school life. She was especially excited about a pep rally taking place the week of the cheque presentation.
“I joined because I wanted to help with school community activities,” she said. “At the conference, I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning new skills.”
Nora Leinenweber knew of the Grade 9 leadership program and jumped at the opportunity when it came around again in Grade 10.
“I thought it would be a great chance to learn new skills and make friends—and it worked,” she said. “I’ve grown a lot as a person. I’ve acquired new skills and I hope to keep building on them.”
Cochrane High teacher Alex Singeris, who will also be attending, is returning for his second time as a staff advisor. He’s no stranger to the conference—he attended as a CHS student in 2014, with Gordon Reece as one of his instructors.
“It taught me how to survive in the world and provided tools that a lot of people don’t learn—how to problem solve, how to make friends, really take the most out of anything I walk into,” said Singeris.
He credits Gordon Reece for inspiring his career path.
“I had her as a teacher for four years, and she inspired me to come back as a teacher. Now we teach together.”
To help make the trip more affordable, the Cochrane Lions Club has donated $2,500 toward the students’ expenses.
“This will go a long way in helping the kids reduce their costs and ease some of the stress, allowing them to have a better experience,” said Gordon Reece.
Gene Fox, of the Lions Club, said they’re proud to support the next generation of leaders.
“It’s an honour to be approached by the CHS leadership group to help them attend the national conference and represent Cochrane,” said Fox.
He added that several of the students have already begun volunteering with the Lions and hopes to see more involvement this summer.
The Canadian Student Leadership Conference traces its roots to Yorkton Regional High School in Saskatchewan. In 1985, the school was asked to host the provincial leadership conference, and that same year, then-premier Grant Devine challenged them to turn the event into a national initiative in celebration of the International Year of the Youth.
Since then, it has grown into one of Canada’s premier student leadership events.