Sarah Pruys
The annual Young Women’s Conference was held this past weekend at Sunny Cove Camp, just east of Fort Frances.
Thirty-eight girls in Grades 7-12, from both the Rainy River District School Board and the Northwest Catholic School Board, came together to celebrate their differences, make new friends, and create lasting memories.
Due to a lack of funding, the event was held over two days rather than the usual three, although the same number of sessions still were offered.
The closer location made it easier for guest speakers to come and go, so the participants were able to hear from the OPP, try “Zumba,” and learn about the local Shelter of Hope, among other topics.
As co-chairs of the event, Carla Magisano and Jen Baker were responsible for organizing everything for the students.
Magisano, a vice-principal at Fort Frances High School, found her first time working on the project enjoyable.
“Working with other teachers across the district was nice; to see people co-ordinating things and taking on jobs,” she noted.
“Everyone tells me it went well.
“Cloverleaf donated pop, juice, and milk for the whole weekend, so a big thank you to them for that,” Magisano added.
Because the travel time was shorter, Magisano said they were able to get things started sooner.
“So the students showed up [Friday], ate lunch, and then activities started,” she remarked.
And with most of the students hailing from close to town, organizers also were able to reduce transportation costs in order to provide the girls with the same valuable experiences as usual.
The conference opened with a journal-writing session, followed by “icebreakers.”
Patty Wirtanen and Laura Chabot, from Child & Family Services, then spoke with the students.
They did some activities; they practised some forms of breathing and yoga,” Magisano noted.
“I think initially they identified what causes stress for the students, and then talked about stress-relieving activities and techniques–healthy choices like eating and sleeping,” she added.
Cindy Richard from the “Shelter of Hope” then outlined what the shelter does, as well as discussed monitoring relationships.
On a lighter note, the students all decorated a quilt square, which were sewn together the following day as a way to remember everyone who attended.
This year, the finished quilt will hang in Crossroads School in Devlin.
After dinner, each school took part in a the talent show, then wrapped up the evening with beading and making dreamcatchers.
Saturday was just as busy, with local OPP Cst. Anne McCoy speaking about Internet safety.
She also talked about the notion that when you post something online, it’s out there for good—and that students need to consider what they want people to see.
“The kids were interested,” said Magisano. “They asked questions and got involved.”
Krista Neilson, with the local Northwestern Health Unit office, later hosted a session entitled “Healthy You!”
“She discussed healthy choices and healthy foods, and healthy lifestyles,” Magisano said.
Now that the conference is over, the girls will return to their respective schools and decide on a way to share their experiences with their peers.
“Some of the girls are going to do presentations, posters, or bulletin boards,” noted Magisano.
The annual conference, which has just finished its 13th year, is held for a variety of reasons.
“One is that it allows an opportunity for students to network and get to know each other,” explained Magisano.
“It offers an opportunity to learn and develop leadership skills.
“I think the important thing is that gives students a background for their future and skills they can develop,” she added.
“The workshops teach them things like self-esteem, job opportunities, and learning about themselves . . . just an awareness of the world around them, and the opportunities that they can find.
“From my perspective, they all had a good time,” Magisano said. “There was a lot of smiles, giggles, and signing each other’s T-shirts.
“You can see a difference from the start, where people are quiet and sitting with friends that they know,” she noted.
“And eventually as the days progress, they are mingled, which is nice to see.”
