A Sturgeon Composite student has been appointed to work with Alberta’s education minister this school year to help reshape education in the province.
Sturgeon Composite Grade 12 student Kylie McGuire was announced Aug. 20 as one of the 40 youths picked to serve on the Alberta Education Minister’s Youth Council. The council comprises junior and senior high students who advise Minister Demetrios Nicolaides on education matters.
“Student voices play an essential role in shaping every level of our education system,” Nicolaides said in a media release.
“By sharing their diverse perspectives, council members help us make informed decisions that reflect the needs of all Alberta students.”
The council will meet with the education minister and his staff several times during the 2024-25 school year to provide advice, develop leadership skills, and learn about government.
Previous students from St. Albert-area schools to serve on the Minister’s Youth Council include Declan Cayanga (2017-18) and Avalina Zenari (2022-23).
Student leader
This year’s council includes seven returning and 33 new members. McGuire is one of the new ones.
A Sturgeon County resident, McGuire said she joined the council to get more involved with her community.
“I feel like people love to complain,” she said, but don’t often act to resolve those complaints.
“If you want something done or something changed, or don’t like what’s going on, it’s really important to make sure people hear you.”
McGuire said she sees community service as a great way to socialize and is always looking to get involved with her community. She has previously served as co-president of her school’s Interact (junior Rotary) Club, a member of the student council, and a volunteer with the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation.
McGuire said she is excited to learn of her appointment to the council earlier this month, and hopes to encourage her fellow Interact Club members to apply for it in the future.
McGuire said she plans to press Nicolaides on the province’s new ban on cellphone use by students in class.
“Having our cellphones on us can be an asset,” she said, and it was more effective to teach students how to use them effectively instead of banning them completely.
“Taking them away outright just makes people want them more.”
McGuire also planned to call on Nicolaides to ensure teachers have the training to help students with their mental health.
“Our generation, we’re fed so much information all the time, especially online, and we are always seeing the best version of people,” she said, which can cause students to feel isolated and inadequate.
The council’s first meeting will take place Oct. 4-6 in Edmonton. Visit www.alberta.ca/student-engagement for information on the council.
