Inspiring future leaders

Four Shawnigan students made their way to Ontario last week to participate in the 2018 CAIS Senior Student Leadership Conference hosted by Lakefield College School.

 

Tolani A., Nathan G., Isaac L., and Kerry W. joined students from across Canada to engage in learning and discussion regarding environmental stewardship, social responsibility, digital citizenship, and personal leadership development.

 

The trip started with some free time spent exploring Toronto and the University of Toronto’s campus, before the group bussed out to Lakefield to join their fellow delegates. After spending the first day getting to know their teams through icebreaker games and a scavenger hunt, the attendees spent the second day of the conference immersed in discussion groups and workshops organized around the theme of student leadership strategies. The students also enjoyed keynote addresses from leadership expert Joel Hilchey and entrepreneur Sunshine Quem Tenasco.

 

“Joel was hilarious and incredibly engaging, and brought up some very interesting points regarding leadership, success, and what holds us back in life,” says Kerry. “Sunshine is a successful entrepreneur who is committed to helping indigenous women succeed in business. She was very inspirational. It was a day where we were all able to reflect and develop many valuable new ideas.”

 

The third day started with a seminar led by accomplished veterinarian Elizabeth McGregor where the students explored different leadership tools and the foundations of effective group dynamics. In the afternoon, they listened to a presentation called “Get Real,” focused on LGBTQ+ community issues and inclusive solutions, before enjoying a semi-formal dinner complete with fun activities in the evening.

 

The final and busiest day started with another inspiring keynote address on the topic of leadership, reputation and trust, followed by a lively and entertaining Air Band event.

 

“I will never forget this experience,” shares Kerry. “Everyone who had the opportunity to come to this conference was so lucky because we feel that we can bring some really great skills back to Shawnigan.”