CENTRAL SQUARE – More than 200 Central New York middle and high school students enjoyed a full day of activities aimed to empower them to be great leaders, at the 19th Annual Student Leadership Conference.
It was sponsored by the Central Square Student Leadership Task Force.
Building on the chilly winter season, the theme of this year’s event was “There’s S’no’w-body Like Me,” and differentiated learning opportunities were woven throughout various guest speakers, ice-breaker activities, collaborative forums and workshop sessions.
Students and staff from 17 different schools spanning the region attended the conference, which included schools from Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, Baldwinsville, Cato-Meridian, Central Square, East Syracuse-Minoa, Hannibal, Liverpool, McGraw, Mexico, Oswego, Pulaski, Sandy Creek and Solvay school districts.
Keynote speaker Kate Garnes also emphasized the theme of the conference, reminding each attendee that, “There is nobody on earth like you. Nobody has your story.”
Throughout her presentation, she encouraged the growing leaders to “Think It. Speak it. Live it” and urged them to ask themselves every day, “Are you living the legacy you want to be remembered by?”
While workshops included sessions on teamwork, public speaking, group skills, time management, school spirit and the importance of working together, the conference’s overall mission was to help participants gain the foundational tools of leadership, and then to encourage each to cultivate these tools in their own communities.
PVM students Kylee Galarneau and Shelby Pappas, both NYS CLSA (New York State Council on Leadership and Student Activities) District 10 representatives and co-facilitators, worked alongside CSSD Task Force Advisor, Debbie O’Mara, and the District’s Student Leadership Task Force to bring this annual event to Central New York.
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