Advisory Groups and Task Forces

Student Advisory Council

Manitoba students are at the heart of our education system and their opinions play an important role in the decisions that affect them. A priority action in Manitoba's K to 12 Education Action Plan, is the establishment of the Student Advisory Council, which will enable youth to contribute their voice in shaping our education system in Manitoba.

The Student Advisory Council consists of 30 students, aged 14 to 18, with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds, and perspectives from across Manitoba. Council members will provide insights and advice to the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning regarding current and emerging issues and topics that relate to Manitoba Kindergarten to Grade 12 students. Students will form a network to advance innovation and improvement in Manitoba’s education system.

For the terms of reference see the Student Advisory Council Terms of Reference (Adobe PDF Document 418 KB).

Student Advisory Council Members

Student Advisory Council Members 2022/2023
Aaron Linke Grade 12 student at École Edward Schreyer School in Sunrise School Division
Abdul-Wassay Mirza Grade 10 student at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School in Winnipeg
Aiden Anderson Grade 12 at student at J.H. Bruns Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Allison Beaumont Grade 10 student at Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute in Beautiful Plains School Division
Bijan Salimi Grade 12 student at Morden Collegiate Institute in Western School Division
Brianne Judson Grade 11 student at Roseau Valley School in Border Land School Division
Ebubechukwu (Isabella) Nebo Grade 10 student at Institut collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Ella Hamilin Grade 12 student at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate in River East Transcona School Division
Ievgeniia-Diana Furda Grade 11 student at École Secondaire Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Jordan Gottfried Grade 12 student at Collège Lorette Collegiate in Seine River School Division
Josh Nienhuis Grade 12 student at Springfield Collegiate Institute in Sunrise School Division
Julian McArthur Grade 11 student at École Secondaire Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Katherine Dueck Graduate of the Class of 2022 at Green Valley School in Hanover School Division
Layne Hunnie-Menow Grade 12 student at Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre in Frontier School Division
Lily Rich Grade 12 student at Balmoral Hall School in Winnipeg
Mia Beetham Outingdyke Grade 10 student at Portage Collegiate Institute in Portage la Prairie School Division
Michael Akinbode Grade 10 student at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon School Division
Mya Dueck Grade 11 student at Boissevain School in Turtle Mountain School Division
Namirembe Afatsawo Grade 11 student at Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute in Kelsey School Division
Nicholas Johnston Grade 10 student at Landmark Collegiate in Hanover School Division
Nicholas Spenst Grade 12 student at Collège St. Norbert Collegiate in Seine River School Division
Nira Atwal Grade 10 Student at Balmoral Hall School in Winnipeg
Rania Ibrahim Graduate of the Class of 2022 at The University of Winnipeg Collegiate in Winnipeg
Samantha Martinussen Grade 10 student at Stonewall Collegiate Institute in Interlake School Division
Seung Woo Han Grade 9 student at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in Louis Riel School Division
Siya Patel Grade 10 student at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary in Brandon School Division
Suroor Ajani Grade 12 student at Erikson Collegiate Institute in Rolling River School Division
Sydney Rose Povey Grade 12 student at École Secondaire Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Viraaj Raina Grade 11 student at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Vuk Roca Grade 12 student at Collège Garden City Collegiate in Seven Oaks School Division

Student Advisory Council Members 2021/2022

Student Advisory Council Members 2021/2022
Aadvika Mukherjee Grade 9 student at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg
Aidan Tully Grade 11 student at St. Paul's Collegiate in Prairie Rose School Division
Allison Beaumont Grade 9 student at Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute in Beautiful Plains School Division
Ashton Kaleta Grade 12 student at Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School in Mountain View School Division
Bijan Salimi Grade 11 student at Morden Collegiate in Western School Division
Breanna Bacala Grade 12 student at Vincent Massey Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Breanna Roussin Grade 12 student at Balmoral Hall School in Winnipeg
Brooklynne Grieger Grade 10 student at Collège Miles Macdonell Collegiate in River East Transcona School Division
Bunny Davis-Holstein Grade 12 student at Technical Vocational High School in Winnipeg School Division
Celena Atchison Grade 11 student at Seven Oaks Met School in Seven Oaks School Division
Christyna Caldwell Grade 12 student at Hamiota Collegiate in Park West School Division
Clark Kernaghan Grade 12 student at École Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Eric Wang Grade 10 student at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School in Winnipeg
Heavendeep Kaur Nandwal Grade 12 student at Glenlawn Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Janik Grenier Grade 12 student at École régionale Notre-Dame in Division scolaire franco-manitobaine
Joshua Nienhuis Grade 11 student at Springfield Collegiate Institute in Sunrise School Division
Kamryn Brown Grade 12 student at R.D. Parker Collegiate in the School District of Mystery Lake
Katherine Dueck Grade 12 student at Green Valley School in Hanover School Division
Kaydon Laurin Graduate of the Class of 2021 at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate in River East Transcona School Division
Lenea Perrin Grade 9 student at Steinbach Regional Secondary School in Hanover School Division
Lily Rich Grade 11 student at Balmoral Hall School in Winnipeg
Namirembe Afatsawo Grade 10 student at Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute in Kelsey School Division
Pearl Janman Grade 9 student at Dakota Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Rania Ibrahim Grade 11 student at University of Winnipeg Collegiate in Winnipeg
Rebecca Cheasley Grade 11 student at Birtle Collegiate Institute in Park West School Division
Ryan Malabanan Grade 11 student at Sisler High School in Winnipeg School Division
Skylar MacLean Grade 10 student at Westwood Collegiate in St. James-Assiniboia School Division
Suroor Ajani Grade 11 student at Erickson Collegiate Institute in Rolling River School Division
Tairan He Grade 11 student at Vincent Massey High School in Brandon School Division
Vuk Roca Grade 11 student at Garden City Collegiate in Seven Oaks School Division

Status

Established July 2021.


Applications for 2023/2024 are now being accepted until March 31, 2023

Term

Student Advisory Council PDF Poster
Poster (opens PDF poster 3.96 MB)

Students are members of the Student Advisory Council for a 12-month term starting in August 2023 and ending in August 2024.

Eligibility

Council members will

  • be Manitoba residents
  • be between 14 and 18 years of age as of September 1, 2023
  • represent the diversity of Manitoba students
  • be knowledgeable about issues related to education
  • have the ability to work with other people and on a team
  • be approachable and effective communicators
  • engage in respectful, open discussions, and be accepting of differing viewpoints
  • be willing and able to serve for a one-year term and attend the meetings

How to Apply

Step 1: Complete the PDF application form. You may download and save the form as a PDF to your digital device, and complete it using Adobe Acrobat. Alternatively, you can print it off, complete it by hand, scan it, and save it as a PDF.

Step 2: Have your parent/guardian fill in the consent form, scan it, and save it as a PDF.

Step 3: Get your resumé/CV ready (two-page maximum) and save it as a PDF.

Step 4: Attach the PDFs of your application form, resumé/CV, and consent form (if applicable) to an email and send it to agenbrdcom@gov.mb.ca. In the body of your email, please include your name, phone number, and email address. Use "Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Student Advisory Council" for your subject line.

Application packages must be submitted online or received by March 31, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.

Application Form (opens PDF poster 895 KB)
Parent/Guardian Consent Form (opens PDF poster 582 KB)

Selection Process

After the application deadline of March 31, 2023, the Manitoba government will review and evaluate the applications received.


 

Report of the Student Advisory Council

The 2021/2022 council participated in nine engagements, covering topics such as poverty and education, mental health and well-being, curriculum and assessment, student presence and attendance, and the K to 12 Action Plan. The council also participated in virtual and in-person chats with the Minister. The annual report outlines how members

  • participated in discussions and consultations to provide input on various aspects of the education system, and how they affect the children and young people who use them
  • brought their insights to the department to help inform their work
  • provided feedback on department projects and worked collaboratively with fellow council members to provide input into education-related projects and initiatives

At their final in-person meeting, council members presented their 2021/2022 annual report to the Minister and received formal certificates to recognize their contributions to the council.

Inaugural Student Advisory Council Video



Student Testimonials

"The experience on the Student Advisory Council has truly been eye-opening. It has shown me that we have gone far too long without hearing marginalized voices in the decision-making process and I am glad that this historic council has and will continue to change that," Bijan Salimi a student at Morden Collegiate. "I would highly encourage students to take the step of becoming advocates and aid in helping create positive change on a provincial level. The ability you have to create change just by sharing your own perspective of the education system is incredible."


"It was such a privilege to be able to meet and work with students from all over Manitoba, and I can say without a doubt that I created some long-lasting friendships," said Suroor Ajani, Student Advisory Committee co-chair and a student at Erickson Collegiate Institute. "Students have a different lens when it comes to education in Manitoba, perhaps a lens that adults may not look through. This is why it is so important to have youth voicing their opinion about issues that impact them firsthand, and the council was my outlet to achieve this."


Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply to be on the Student Advisory Council?

Manitoba youth who are 14 to 18 years of age as of September 1, 2023, are eligible to apply.

What will the Student Advisory Council do?

The Student Advisory Council will provide insights and advice to the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning and department regarding issues/topics that are current and emerging for Manitoba Kindergarten to Grade 12 students.

What are the criteria on which applications will be reviewed?

Manitoba youth can apply to be part of the Student Advisory Council. Students will submit a CV/resumé and answer questions that are included on the application form. Members must

  • reside in Manitoba
  • be between the ages of 14 and 18 as of September 1, 2023
  • represent the diversity of Manitoba students
  • demonstrate knowledge about issues related to education
  • demonstrate the ability to work on a team
  • demonstrate the ability to engage and learn in respectful, open discussions and be accepting of differing viewpoints
  • engage in respectful, open discussions, and be accepting of differing viewpoints
  • be able to serve for one year
When is the deadline for applications?

The deadline is March 31, 2023.

What is the time commitment?

The Student Advisory Council is expected to meet at least three to four times within its one-year mandate; however, there may also be sub-meetings to attend. The first meeting of the Student Advisory Council is anticipated to occur in August 2023.

Who will the Student Advisory Council report to?

The Student Advisory Council will report to the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning.

What responsibilities would the Student Advisory Council have?

The Student Advisory Council will be responsible for

  • attending meetings
  • participating in discussions/consultations to provide input to the Minister and department staff on aspects of the education system and how they affect the children and young people who use them
  • bringing youth insights to the department and the education sector to help inform our work
  • providing feedback to requests on department products (for example, surveys/discussion papers)
  • working collaboratively with fellow council members to provide input into education-related projects/initiatives
What benefit would I get from serving on the Student Advisory Council?

Members of the council will have a chance to develop and demonstrate leadership skills, experience sitting on a council, meeting and working with diverse youth as well as other education stakeholders, and contributing to Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K–12) education continuous improvement. Each member will receive a formal recognition certificate signed by the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning confirming their participation at the end of their term.

Will members' expenses related to attending Student Advisory Council meetings be covered?

Yes. Members shall be paid reasonable travelling and other out-of-pocket expenses, not to exceed guidelines set out in the Government of Manitoba General Manual of Administration, which are incurred in discharging duties in connection with the council.

If you have questions about the Student Advisory Council, you may email them to agenbrdcom@gov.mb.ca.