SUDBURY – There were some strong messages for grade seven and eight students at a health and environmental conference in Sudbury on Thursday.
Students from the French Public School Board were told about doing good work in the community, about environmental issues and about the horrors of opioid abuse.
The conference was broadcast live on YouTube to reach students who couldn't attend because of a snow day or due to distance.
"Today we are putting on an event Mini-Unis. The idea is to empower students to instigate positive change in their communities… either something related to the environment or mental health or their personal well-being or a friend's personal well-being," explained Michel Laforge, French Public School Board.
Emergency Room Physician Dr. Renee-Anne Montpellier attended the conference. She had a harsh but honest message about opioid use.
"We are having an increased number of opioid overdoses and that is touching kids as young as 14-years-old… my message for them is… the risks of taking fentanyl, and how only two grains of salt of it can actually kill them," she expressed.
Montpellier wants students to know that they are not invincible.
"Actually it's the young population between the age of 14 and 24 that we are caring for the most because of opioid overdoses at the hospital and the numbers are increasing," she said.
The environment was another strong focus of the conference.
"Throughout life you develop habits and spending time outside, spending time connecting with nature and trees is a wonderful thing and it helps you through life, and research proves it so just share the importance of our environment," said Daniel Barrette, Rainbow Routes Association Executive Director.
Organizers say knowledge is power and they hope the messages offered here will help the students prosper in healthy and environmentally friendly ways.
