SEEKING to inculcate key developmental skills in some 250 secondary school students, the fourth annual Queen’s College Student Conference (QCSC) was held on Thursday and Friday last, at Queen’s College.

Organised by the Queen’s College of Guyana Alumni Association, New York Chapter (QCAANY), under the theme “Empowering and Inspiring Youth for the Future”, the conference featured two days of packed activities.

Students from 10 secondary schools: Central High, The Bishops’ High, Tutorial High, Christ Church Secondary, North Georgetown Secondary, Brickdam Secondary, Annandale Secondary, West Demerara Secondary, Richard Ishmael Secondary, and St. Rose’s High School, joined Queen’s College students for this top-tier conference.

While addressing the students, QCAANY’s President Karen Wharton highlighted: “We see you as the country most valuable aspects and we want to help nurture your academic and social skills.” She later added, “We want to ensure that you are properly prepared to assume your rightful place in history and assume your role as builders of this great country- Guyana.”

On Thursday, there were 22 workshops- split into morning and afternoon sessions- which varied from leadership, the creative arts, the sciences, technology and after-school life.

The presenters were QC alumni or friends of the alumni association. This year, for the first time however, current students of the college were also presenters who sought to ‘empower’ and ‘inspire’ their peers.

The day ended with an “Ice-Cream social”, the newest addition to the conference activities, where all the students spent the afternoon socialising through games and snacking on ice-cream.

On Friday, the day’s activities began with the ‘Innovation Challenge’ with the participants forming themselves into groups, to pitch innovative solutions they felt could improve their school lives and that of the wider community.

Here, The Bishop’s High School’s project which seeks to install an automated bell system in the school for general notifications, was awarded the top prize. A Queen’s College team, which pitched an idea for youth empowerment, scored second while the West Demerara team brought third with their water purification idea.

Central High School also scored a financial donation from a QC alumnus to help kick-start their own innovation project. Through their presentation, the students said that their school is without facilities for co-curricular activities and events and some of the pre-existing facilities are in a deplorable state.

The students were able to refine and develop their project idea, which seeks to foster camaraderie in the school through clubs and social activities while encouraging the development and sustenance of the school’s infrastructure.

The conference culminated with a career fair organised by alumnus, Shindy Johnson. Added to the information and advice garnered from the workshops, the fair sought to further expose the students to the myriad of career opportunities available.

In closing off the conference, Wharton urged the students, “Always remember where you’re from and you reach back and help others.”

This year’s conference was led by Ms. Wharton; conference chairperson, Dr. Michelle Foster; Ms. Johnson and local alumnus, Ede Tyrell. The next event for the QCAANY will be its Summer Math institute slated for later in the year.