The members of the 2024-25 Sun West Student Leadership Program: (Front: left to right) Isabelle Hoffman (Biggar Central School 2000), Sophia Macalalad (Kindersley Composite School), Eliana Dahl (Davidson School), Julia Wiens (Beechy), Elizabeth Oakland (Eston Composite School), Walker Lowe (Kyle Composite School), Hunter Garrioch (Loreburn Central School), Zain Laheeb (Elrose Composite School), Adrianna Walsh (North West Central School), Jan Nasibog (Rosetown Central High School). (Middle: left to right) Irish DeGuzman (Kindersley Composite School), Sierra Tully (Dinsmore Composite School), Pieghton Oickle (Kenaston School), Emma Torrens (Kindersley Composite School), Kenna Chester (Kindersley Composite School), Cadence Hallborg (Eston Composite School), Harlie McNeeley (Dinsmore Composite School), Belle Ringdal (Kenaston School), Wade Halliday (Rosetown Central High School), Bentley Atkinson (Kindersley Composite School), Korina Medancic (Biggar Central School 2000), Piper Pincemin (Kindersley Composite School), Isabella Alexander (Davidson School), Ariyanna Huda (Elrose Composite School), Yevheniia Taranukha (Biggar Central School 2000), Trudy Wiebe (Westcliffe Composite School), Abigail Dowson (Biggar Central School 2000). (Back: left to right) Matthew Possberg (Loreburn Central School), AJ Brit (Davidson School), Tari Wenzel (Rosetown Central High School), Finn Low (Davidson School).
Every year, students in Grades 8-12 have the opportunity to participate in the Sun West Student Leadership Program. The program starts right in the fall when veterans of the previous year's Leadership Teams take the Travelling Road Show to schools across the Division. They encourage students to attend the annual Student Leadership Seminar usually held in October each year. At the Seminar students participate in a number of leadership skill building challenges and from there have the opportunity to apply to become part of the Student Leadership Program for the school year. Below is a video featuring highlights from the 2024 Sun West Student Leadership Seminar:
Each year, a team of 20-30 students are selected to be part of Sun West Student Leadership Teams where they will have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities and challenges throughout the year. The Student West Student Leadership Teams meet once a month in Rosetown for a full school day. These meetings are held in conjunction with the monthly meetings of Principals and/or Vice-Principals who transport the students to Rosetown.
Read and watch the history of the Sun West Student Leadership Program.
For more information about the Sun West Student Leadership Program contact the Program Adult Advisors, Vanessa Lewis at vanessa.lewis@sunwestsd.ca, Kristin Sampson at kristin.sampson@sunwestsd.ca or Mike Fedyk at mike.fedyk@sunwestsd.ca
At each meeting, the student leaders will plan activities for the year as well as participate in other leadership activities and opportunities. Below are the major projects that Student Leadership Teams are responsible for each year.
In the 2024-25 school year, there are 31 members of the Sun West Student Leadership Program (see picture above), who are divided into three teams. These are Team Sun West, the Youth Consultation Team and the Comm Squad.
More information on Sun West Student Leadership activities during the 2024-25 school year is coming soon!
Team Sun West members are responsible for planning all aspects of the annual Sun West Student Leadership Conference that is usually held in April and that attracts over 100 Grades 7-12 students every year. They select the speakers, theme, meals and all activities. They lead motivational sessions and market the conference. The video above shows the highlights of the 2023 conference held in Kindersley.
Every September, veterans of Sun West Student Leadership Teams visit schools across Sun West to make presentations about student leadership and encourage students to attend the Student Leadership in Rosetown in October. The Travelling Road Show includes important information about student leadership and is always a lot of fun! The video above was used to promote the Road Show in 2023.
Every two years, Sun West holds the ROADS TO SUCCESS Career Fair that features displayers and presenters from postsecondary institutions and employers including businesses, government and other organizations. Hundreds of Grades 10 and 11 students attend every year in Rosetown. Sun West student leaders help organize the Career Fair including recommending speakers, helping set the agenda and promoting the event. Above is a video created by student leaders to promote Career Fair in 2024.
Every year, the Sun West Board of Education sponsors a group of Sun West students to attend the Canadian Student Leadership Conference (CSLC), which typically takes place in early October. All Sun West student leaders are eligible to apply for the sponsorship and usually a number of members of Sun West Student Leadership Teams are selected to attend. The picture above is of the Sun West delegation to the 2023 CSLC in St. John, New Brunswick. Information is made available about the conference in the Spring each year. Click here for more information on CSLC.
The Youth Consultation Team is responsible for bringing student issues and ideas to the Sun West Board of Education. Each year they solicit the viewpoints of students on matters related to education and bring forward proposals to the Board of Education at a meeting in May. The video above shows highlights of the 2024 presentation to the Board of Education.
The Sun West Leadership Teams recently launched an Online Student Leadership Handbook that provides student leaders in Sun West schools with valuable information and ideas on Spirit Days and Events, Building Relationships, Team Structures, Marketing and many other exciting and useful activities. The content for the website was developed by students and more information is added all the time.
The Culture Festival is a new idea of the Student Leadership Teams that will planned for the first time during the 2024-25 school year. The idea is to showcase the cultures and traditions represented by the many different cultures within Sun West and encourage inclusiveness and respect for diversity. It is expected that it will include students from various cultures performing dances and songs from their homelands such as Tinikling, the national dance of the Philippines performed in the video above.
The Provincial Youth Council is a group of 12 students selected by the Ministry of Education from across Saskatchewan to represent student concerns and ideas to the Minister of Education. School Divisions may nominate students for the Council and Sun West sometimes nominates members of the Sun West Student Leadership Teams. Most recently, Jan Nasibog, was nominated by Sun West and served on the Provincial Youth Council in 2023-24. The video above features Jan talking about her experience on the Provincial Youth Council.