Future looks bright at Sturgeon Heights

Assiniboia

As we start the second half of the school year, I find myself reflecting on a wonderful afternoon spent with an incredible group of Grade 12 students at Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate earlier this month.

These students spent the past several months immersed in a unique student leadership course that spanned September to January. The course was taught by Eric Vincent – a long time teacher and one of the school’s football coaches – and is designed to help students develop both individual and group management skills through a wide range of real life experiences.

I was deeply moved by the thoughtfulness of their questions. The students wanted to understand leadership beyond titles, asking what motivated me to run, what it means to be a woman in this role, how I’ve handled moments of doubt or failure, and which people inspired me most in life. What struck me more than the questions themselves was the sincerity behind them. They weren’t looking for polished answers; they wanted to understand how real people navigate real challenges. Looking at them, I saw a group of young people who weren’t just preparing for leadership but practising it now through curiosity and an eagerness to learn.

For months, these students poured their energy into the life of their school by volunteering outside the classroom to set up events, organize tournaments, support fundraisers, and co-ordinate guest speakers to come to their classes. They took ownership of problem solving and have shown a level of responsibility and teamwork that would impress any adult committee.

This is what leadership rooted in service looks like – young people choosing to give their time, their ideas, and their enthusiasm to something larger than themselves. It’s collaboration in motion. It’s young people choosing service over spotlight. It’s exactly the kind of leadership that strengthens our communities—now and in the years ahead.

I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride. Not just in them, but in the next generation of leaders we are seeing all across Manitoba. There’s a willingness among young people today to step forward – to contribute, to co-operate, and to care for their communities – that gives me enormous hope.

If this is the future of leadership in our province, then we are in very good hands. Each of these students has shown that leadership is less about standing in front, and more about lifting others up. Their spirit of service and collaboration will carry them far. As their MLA, I am so proud of what they’ve already accomplished – and I’m excited to see the remarkable things they will do next.