Listen to podcast with Student Trustee Lauren Barry, Centre Hastings Secondary School
What is it like being a student senator, student trustee and having a voice as a student? Those questions were asked of Grade 11 Student Trustee Lauren Barry, Centre Hastings Secondary School.
Barry recently participated in a Student Voice Practitioners podcast. It is a series where young people share their voice on a range of issues, from prioritizing the disengaged to the ways in which young people are making a difference in their communities. Listen
In this podcast you will hear about Lauren Barry's student voice journey. Here are some highlights:
- Lauren was a legislative page in Grade 7
- She was part of the Ministry of Education's Minister's Student Advisory Council in Grade 8 and got a lot out it by "seeing like-minded students from across the province was really incredible."
- She joined the Student Council at Centre Hastings Secondary School in Grade 9
- She applied to be one of two student senators at her school in Grade 10 and was selected
- In Grade 11, she applied and was selected to be one of two student trustees
Quotes by Lauren Barry in the podcast
On being a student trustee: "Our job is to represent students, as accurately as we can, at the Board level. We attend monthly Board meetings, have a non-binding vote. We rely on the school senates for information and opinions which we can bring to the Board level."
On students sharing their opinions: "All student voices in a school matter, not just the ones on student council."
On why it matters to listen young people: "In schools and at school boards, the decisions are made by adults. Sometimes they overlook that students should be giving their input. Students' voices and perspectives on different issues are totally different than those of adults, so the more students that are willing to speak up and that are willing to say 'hey, that's not right,' or 'hey, what if we tried this,' I think that's very important."
On the young people and the future: "Young people are our future. The more students that realize 'oh, if I speak up, change can be made, then that will impact our future. . . Teaching them that their voices matter is very important, they shouldn't be quiet students . . . everyone can be a leader and everyone can put their opinions forward."
For more information, contact
Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, 613-966-1170 or 1 800 267-4350, extension 2354, [email protected]