Student Advisory Council

Manitoba students are the cornerstone of our education system, and their perspectives are crucial in guiding the decisions that impact them. The Student Advisory Council empowers young people to share their voice and experience to help shape the future of our education system.

The Student Advisory Council consists of 30 high school students 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 related to Manitoba’s 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 213 KB).


List of Schools Representing Members of the 2024/2025 Student Advisory Council

  • Balmoral Hall
  • Collège Jeanne-Sauvé
  • College Miles Macdonnell Collegiate
  • College Stonewall Collegiate
  • École secondaire Oak Park High School
  • Glenlawn Collegiate
  • Grant Park High School
  • Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive School
  • Manitoba School For the Deaf
  • Maples Collegiate
  • Mennonite Bretheren Collegiate Institute
  • Morden Collegiate Institute
  • Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute
  • Nelson McIntyre Collegiate
  • Niverville High School
  • Pembina Trails Collegiate
  • Portage Collegiate Institute
  • R.D. Parker Collegiate
  • Saint Mary's Academy
  • Steinbach Regional Secondary School
  • Vincent Massey Collegiate
  • Windsor Park Collegiate

Student Advisory Council Members 2023/2024

Student Advisory Council Members 2023/2024
Aaditya Raj Singh Grade 11 student at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Aadvika Mukherjee Grade 11 student at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute
Allison Beaumont* Grade 11 student at Neepawa Area Collegiate in Beautiful Plains School Division
Brianne Judson* Grade 12 student at Roseau Valley School in Border Land School Division
Edlynne Paez Grade 11 student at Niverville High School in Hanover School Division
Glydel Capua Grade 12 student at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary in Brandon School Division
Griffin Carnelley Grade 12 student at Carman Collegiate in Prairie Rose School Division
Hafssa Jamal Grade 11 student at St. Mary’s Academy
Harisharn Bahra Grade 11 student at Fort Richmond Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Hassan Saijad Grade 10 student at Dakota Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Ievgeniia-Diana Furda* Grade 12 student at École secondaire Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Ivy Zheng Grade 10 student at Vincent Massey Collegiate in Pembina Trails School Division
Jeremy Lloyd Grade 12 student at Northlands Parkway Collegiate in Garden Valley School Division
Julian McArthur* Grade 12 student at École secondaire Kelvin High School in Winnipeg School Division
Kristine-Claire Bolisay Grade 11 student at Steinbach Regional Secondary School in Hanover School Division
Lauren Field Grade 10 student at Balmoral Hall School
London Fraser Grade 12 student at École Pointe-des-Chênes in Division scolaire franco-manitobaine
Mackaila Bruce-Tapley Grade 11 student at Centre scolaire Léo Rémillard in Division scolaire franco-manitobaine
Namirembe Afatsawo* Grade 12 student at Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute in Kelsey School Division
Nilesh Dhakal Grade 10 student at Linden Christian School
Owen Tully Grade 12 student at St. Paul's Collegiate
Pleasant Oyela Grade 12 student at Windsor Park Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Precious Ola-Joseph Grade 12 student at Collège Miles Macdonell Collegiate in River East Transcona School Division
Rafia Oyewole Grade 12 student at Glenlawn Collegiate in Louis Riel School Division
Sally Leask Grade 11 student at Churchill High School in Winnipeg School Division
Samantha Martinussen* Grade 11 student at Stonewall Collegiate in Interlake School Division
Siya Patel* Grade 12 student at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary High School
Stanley Gwanoya Grade 9 student at St. John’s Ravenscourt School
Teniayomi Olumide-Ale Grade 12 student at St. John’s Ravenscourt School
Tony (Seung Woo) Han* Grade 10 student at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in Louis Riel School Division

* Members serving their second term on the Student Advisory Council.

Student Advisory Council Members 2022/2023

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.


How to Apply

Applications for the 2024/2025 Student Advisory Council are now closed. The 2025/2026 application process will begin in the Winter 2025.

Eligibility

Council members will

  • be Manitoba residents
  • are in grades 9 to 12 as of September 1 in the school year in which they serve
  • represent the diversity of Manitoba students
  • have an interest in issues related to education
  • have the ability to work with other people and on a team
  • engage in respectful, open discussions, and be accepting of differing viewpoints
  • be willing and able to serve for a one-year term and attend council meetings

Report of the Student Advisory Council

The 2023/24 council participated in seven meetings and engagements, covering topics such as as Manitoba’s kindergarten to grade 12 anti-racism policy framework, class sizes, poverty in education, in-school nutrition, smartphone use in schools, pronoun use, promoting the student advisory council, COVID-19, emergency preparedness, and mental health and well-being in schools.

The council also participated in virtual and in-person discussions with the Minister. The annual report (Adobe PDF Document 2.9 MB) 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 the 2023/24 annual report to the Minister and received formal certificates to recognize their contributions to the council.

Past Annual Reports to Minister

Report of the Student Advisory Council - August 2023 (PDF document 2.02 MB)

Report of the Student Advisory Council - August 2022 (PDF document 177 KB)

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," said Bijan, former Student Advisory Council co-chair. "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."


"Being on the Student Advisory Council is an honour! As a northern resident, I feel grateful to have the opportunity to advocate for the region," said Namirembe, who has been a member of the council for three years. "It has also been my belief that those directly affected by something should be given the opportunity to provide their insight. When it comes to education, this does not just include teachers and principals, but it also includes students. This is why having a council such as this in place is significant. I have been on this council for the last three years and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!"



Frequently Asked Questions

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

Manitoba youth in grades 9 to 12 as of September 1 in the school year in which they serve .

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 departmental staff 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 the application and answer questions that are included on the application form. Members must:

  • reside in Manitoba
  • be in grades 9 to 12 as of September 1 in the school year in which they serve
  • represent the diversity of Manitoba students
  • have an interest in issues related to education
  • have the ability to work with other people and on a team
  • engage in respectful, open discussions, and be accepting of differing viewpoints
  • be willing and able to serve for a one-year term and attend council meetings
What is the time commitment?

The Student Advisory Council is expected to meet at least four times within its one-year mandate; however, there may also be sub-meetings to attend. The first meeting of the 2024/25 Student Advisory Council is anticipated to occur in September 2024.

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 Student Advisory Council members have?

Student Advisory Council members 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 other education partners 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, meet and work with diverse youth and education stakeholders, and contribute to improving K-12 education in Manitoba. 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 SRUnit@gov.mb.ca.