My Speeches

Doug supports youth to"Speak Out" about education

Posted on Mar 09, 2009

 The Speaker: The hon. Member for Battle River-Wainwright.

Student Engagement Initiative

Mr. Griffiths: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to say a few
words today about Speak Out, the Alberta student engagement
initiative that was launched by the government last fall. The role of
the student engagement initiative is to motivate Alberta’s youth to
participate in an ongoing province-wide discussion on education.
Asking for students’ input and taking action on their ideas will create
more actively engaged citizens and a stronger education system. To
date the Speak Out team has conducted 30 Speak Out forums in high
schools across the province. The Speak Out interactive website is
being actively used by students. In fact, there are over 3,500 posts
on the discussion forum, and the numbers grow daily.
On May 3 and 4, 2009, the first Speak Out Annual Student
Conference will bring together approximately 200 youth from all
over the province to explore and discuss recommendations for the
education system. At the forum the Minister of Education will be
announcing the three winners of the Speak Out video contest, the
theme being What I Want, What I Need: My Vision for Education.
The deadline for the video contest submissions is March 31, so
interested students still have a few weeks to enter a video.
Students have an opportunity to apply to become a member of the
Minister of Education’s student advisory council, which will be
formed in May after the first annual conference. This council will
explore new and innovative ways to improve learning opportunities,
and council members will act as representatives for Speak Out in
their communities and schools.
More information on the conference, video contest, advisory
council, and Speak Out in general can be found online at the Speak
Out interactive website at speakout.alberta.ca.
Youth can and should influence the decisions today that affect the
rest of their lives. Their perspectives are essential to future changes
and decisions being made in education. I’m excited to hear what
students have to say because every single voice counts. I urge all
young Albertans to become involved and to speak out.
Thank you.