Leadership conference in Sudbury hears from world record holder
Wednesday in Sudbury, Scott Hammell, a four-time Guinness World record holder, escape artist and magician, was the keynote speaker at a high school leadership conference.
Grade 9 and 10 students from Sudbury Espanola and Manitoulin Island had the opportunity to learn new skills and set magical goals for the future.
As part of his presentation, Hammell demonstrated how to escape from a straitjacket. He said there is a message in his trick.
“I hope to show the students that taking something impossible (and) breaking it down into a bunch of small steps is the key to getting there,” he said.
Hammell also talked to the students about the importance of shifting from anxiety to excitement in pursuing goals.
“So often we are either focused on things that are probably never going to happen in the future or we are dwelling on things that have gone wrong in the past,” he said.
“(That) leaves the present moment for us … that's where life is -- that's where everything is happening.”
In all, 90 students at Rainbow District School Board schools were part of the leadership conference.
“We work to help them get the leadership skills they need to start projects within their schools and to start different initiatives,” said Jocelyn Kuntsi, student trustee.
“Sometimes bringing a bunch of leaders together or potential leaders gives them that confidence.”
“(It) brings all of our schools together to hear from wonderful speakers on student-relevant topics,” said Bruce Bourget from the Rainbow District School Board.
- Download the CTV News app now and get local alerts on your device
- Get local breaking news and updates sent to your email inbox
“So we are super proud of them and it's an amazing opportunity for them to exercise their very strong leadership skills and further develop them for future opportunities.”
Organizers said the student-led conference was supported by the Ministry of Education Speak Up grant and the theme this year was leadership through action.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.