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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 (
418 KB).
Student Advisory Council Members
| 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
| 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
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 ( 895 KB)
Parent/Guardian Consent Form ( 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
- August 2022 ( 2 MB)
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.
