Leadership camp provides valuable opportunities for local youth

MELINDA WINTER Special to The Standard

SCUGOG: The Port Perry High School (PPHS) Leadership Committee has been hard at work since September, meticulously planning another epic three-day leadership camp experience for students. Former teacher, Karen Kettle, propelled Leadership Camp to become a yearly tradition at PPHS and continues to be a sought after activity that students strive to get involved with.

Meeting weekly, the dedicated student committee members have carefully crafted engaging programming, designing workshops and activities which they believe will provide invaluable lessons and insights for the participants.

This year's theme, "Survivor," was cleverly chosen to mirror the challenges and teamwork required in the popular reality TV show. As the highlight of the camp, the Committee secured an incredibly inspiring guest speaker, Maryanne Oketch, the winner of Survivor's 42nd season. Oketch captivated the students with her personal stories of navigating the highs and lows of high school and how those formative experiences ultimately led her to triumph on the hit television series.

Over 90 exceptional students were nominated by their peers and teachers to embark on this transformative adventure, underscoring the school community's immense value in fostering strong leaders. The primary purpose of the leadership camp is to build a sense of community among the participants while cultivating their leadership capacities through hands-on activities and thought-provoking discussions.

The Committee's tireless efforts have been generously supported by a variety of community sponsors, whose contributions have been instrumental in making this enriching experience possible. We are deeply grateful for their support and belief in our students.

A big shout out goes to the Camp Committee Heads, Asia Osmansoy and Mia DiCrescenzo, as they led the Committee throughout the year and the Camp Committee team, Abigail Nelski, Alyson Elliott, Callum McDougall, CJ Tonna, Grace Jackson, Gracie Westbrook, Jamie Meyers, Jessica McGoey, Katelyn Fasolino, Louise Cohoon, Luke Marlow, Nikita Mohile, Parker Stanway, Sophie Smith, Tanner Scott, Wade Stanley.

As the 2024 camp draws to a close, the PPHS community is already buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the next iteration of this impactful leadership program in 2025. We can't wait to see what our students will achieve next year!