What made you want to become a student trustee?
I've always had an interest in leadership and representation. Ever since I was young, the idea of getting to positively shape the school experience for my peers seemed like a project that I would never get tired of. I thought the position might be a good fit for me and I decided to run because I wanted to be able to have conversations and interactions with people that would really create meaningful progress and contribute to that level. I was also interested in the inner workings of the school board.
What do you or have you done in your school and/or community?
I feel very lucky that my school and community have never had a shortage of opportunities for me. I'm so grateful for the overwhelming support of the school staff during my various leadership roles. For example, in intermediate school, I was elected co-leader of our Intermediate Student Council and we ran fundraising events and took part in WE Day. I also took a position on the Gananoque Library’s public board of directors for four years, during which I brought a student's perspective to library programming and helped design a creative writing contest. This year, I was elected co-president of High School Student Council, which is like a graduated level of the Intermediate Student Council.
What does women’s rights and empowerment mean/look like to you?
To me, female empowerment has always been about ensuring that women aren't held back by stereotypical feelings of inadequacy or lack of confidence and that they have enough self-assurance to take on roles that appeal to them. I want women to feel that they can speak up and that they aren't dependent on others to make their voices heard. And especially, that what they have to say is valuable. This year, I am part of a mentorship program called Girls SysTEM, which is a STEM-focused mentorship that pairs girls from high school with a professional STEM mentor, with a goal of tackling the under-representation of women in STEM-related fields. (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.)
I feel like with all the roles that I have taken over my lifetime, so far, I feel that the fundamental beliefs, the right to learn and women's rights are definitely something that motivates me, in every facet of my leadership roles.