Students learning to become positive changemakers

Prince Edward County students were among those who participated in a Words Matter Conference to explore becoming positive changemakers.

The Hastings Prince Edward District School Board partnered with Harmony Movement to take a stand against hateful language and focus on creating lasting, respectful and inclusive school communities. And as part of the year-long Words Matter Campaign, more than 500 students in Grades 6-12 throughout HPEDSB schools recently participated in the Words Matter Student Conference to empower them to become proactive changemakers in their schools.

During the day-long events, students participated in a variety of activities about leadership and creating positive change, including understanding allyship and identifying inequities. At the end of the day they developed action plans for change at their respective schools.

As part of Words Matter, students in all the boards schools will be learning steps to take when hearing harmful or discriminatory language, as described in a Responding to Harmful Language infographic.