Students from around the region will be voyageurs over the next two days to learn character-building lessons from the past.
More than 100 students from Northwestern Ontario are at the first Leading with Character Conference, which began Wednesday. With a strong focus on inclusion, the conference will teach students how to become leaders.
Keewatin-Patricia District School Board Superintendent Sean Monteith said regional school boards have been planning the conference since September. Monteith said the Ministry of Education has been stressing character education in schools.
"The ideas is to focus on character education with specific focus on inclusion of everyone making everyone feel like they’re included in the school community," Monteith said.
St. Ignatius student Jeff Miller, 16, said he came to the conference to learn character building skills that he can use in the real world. Miller said he’s also excited to meet students from across Northwestern Ontario.
"I think it will be a great time to see all these different people and all different ages," Miller said. "Just mingle with them and learn all these different leadership skills."
When they’re not living the life of a voyageur, students will hear from motivational speakers like Luca "lazylegs" Patuelli.
Born with arthyogryposis, the Montreal man has limited use of his legs and has to use crutches. But the disability hasn’t stopped him from becoming a world-renowned break dancer.
Patuelli has been featured on MTV, America’s Got Talent and The Today Show. Patuelli said he teaches students that there are no limits and no excuses in life when facing adversity.
"They’re (students) the ones that are our future," Patuelli said." I believe that if we can all motivate each other then we can build a positive society and I think that’s what we need right now."
