A grade 12 student at Glenmary High School in Peace River will have an opportunity to advocate for fellow classmates and students all over the province.
Mikayla Dubois was one of 41 students who were appointed to the 2020-21 Minister’s Youth Council.
The council will meet with Education Minister, Adriana LaGrange.
Mikayla tells the Trending 55 Newsroom that it was a long process.
“I started the process of applying for it in March and got the e-mail that I was in it, in July,” recalls Mikayla.
“When I got the e-mail, I ran around the house screaming and my grandparents were like ‘what the heck is going on’ and I screamed ‘I’m in the council.’”
Mikayla says a big part of her advocacy will focus around supports for students, especially those with special needs.
“I think that mental health needs to be better supported within schools and we also need more special needs supports,” she says.
Mikayla says she survived brain cancer, and that she is visually and hearing impaired, which is why she wants to be a voice for anyone with special needs.
Mikayla also told us that the cancer has been in remission for around seven years.
She says many different people encouraged her to apply for a seat on the council.
“Definitely Mrs. Coen. She was the one that made me aware of the program and kept tapping on my desk encouraging me to apply. Mrs. Goudreault for making sure I would be able to access to application, and scribing for me, which made it so much easier for me,” praises Mikayla.
“Even Rhonda Davison, my tutor encouraged me. We were driving to my youth group and I was telling her about it, and she said that I would be the perfect advocate for special needs students in Alberta.”
Her final message of praise was for her family.
“I really also want to thank my grandparents for keeping me calm during the application process,” says Mikayla.
She also is thankful LaGrange established a council to hear from students.
“I really think what she (LaGrange) is doing is great.”
The council already met once, and will meet another two times during this academic year.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
