Social ChangeMakers Day of Dignity Student Conference
Everyone has the right to equal opportunities to realize their full potential.
This message, along with many others that promote equality and inclusiveness, filled the minds of secondary school students on Tuesday, September 29 at the Social ChangeMakers Day of Dignity Student Conference. Up to five students and one teacher from all Grand Erie secondary schools were invited to participate in the annual event hosted this year in partnership by the Board and Harmony Movement.
"Day of Dignity is a day where students and teachers come together to explore what dignity means," said Lynn Abbey, Principal at Delhi District Secondary School. "One of the things we always ask students to do is think about how they can act with dignity for their whole school and ways that they can help the school act with dignity for all the students."
This conference is one of two throughout the school year that brings students into a space where they can explore strategies to create positive change within their schools. In the spring, they reunite to share their successes.
"It's a fabulous celebration to see all the great things that they've done over the year," said Abbey. "The students grow a lot over the course of the year as well. They're getting the seeds of knowledge today and by the time they come back in the spring we have full fledge flowers blooming great stories of dignity."
The day provided students with the opportunity to build equity leadership skills, strengthen their voices, create action at school and in the community and interact and network with other student leaders.