Horizons returns to Bert Church High School on Wednesday, March 5th, a day of leadership training to help inspire students to build confidence and community.
The district-wide conference, designed by the Canadian Student Leadership Association (CSLA), will be happening in 22 different locations across the country throughout the remainder of the school year.
Daphne Mohr, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Bert Church High School, is part of the organizational team from that school's 20/30 Student Leadership class. As part of her curriculum, she is in charge of planning and hosting the event, which includes encouraging other schools to attend.
Having gone three times in the past herself, Mohr says she can attest to the empowering and insightful experience she's gained each time.
"Horizons is a fun and inspiring experience for students as they listen to keynote speakers, connect with leadership students from other schools, and of course, learn about student leadership in Airdrie," Mohr explained.
At the 2025 Horizons conference, inspirational keynote speakers Levi Stanford and Nadia Ladack will be taking the stage.
Stanford is an award-winning Cardston-based motivational speaker who teaches life lessons through his experience of losing his left hand in a tragic accident just five days after getting married.
Ladack is a speaker who specializes in youth entrepreneurship and career paths.
Mohr also said a "think tank" led by a CSLA representative will also be part of the day's program, along with student-led activities to break the ice and make new connections.
"I am the most excited to meet new people from different schools and to show other students what the leadership program is like at Bert Church," Mohr added. "As this is my last year hosting Horizons, I am hoping that I can learn and grow from the motivational keynote speakers and team-building exercises at the conference."
Grade 7 to 12 students from schools in Airdrie, Rocky View County, and beyond are invited to come take part. Mohr said her leadership team is hoping to welcome more the 350 participants.
"Horizons is an amazing opportunity for students to learn and develop their leadership skills, introduce student leadership to those who may not know much about it, and build a strong community within the district.," Mohr reiterated.
She explained that other province-wide leadership events like the Alberta Student Leadership Conference (ASLC), which Bert Church hosted last year, has helped her grow as both a student and a person.
"My favourite part of leadership conferences is having friends from Medicine Hat that I met at ASLC, or friends from Chestermere that I met at Horizons," Mohr said. "Hosting leadership conferences connects schools and leadership programs, making it easier for us to collaborate and share ideas."
Horizons will also take place in La Crete, Fort McMurray, and Olds in Alberta next month.
Anyone interested in attending or finding out more information can be found at www.studentleadership.ca/horizons.
Registration runs between 8:15 and 8:55 a.m., with the conference taking place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Registration fees are $35 per student, $30 if the student belongs to a CSLA member school, and with lunch included.
