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Branksome Student-Run M.I.C. Conference Set to Inspire

Fashion, visual arts, medicine, business, entrepreneurship and STEM. These vastly different topics can spark excitement in students of all ages and now, they will come together at this year’s first Motivate, Inspire, Connect (M.I.C.) Youth Conference, being held virtually on Saturday, March 5.
The M.I.C. Youth Conference is a conference for youth, run by youth, to explore a wide array of topics and interests through expert guest speakers. Organized by three Grade 11 Branksome students—Amyna, Seungmyoung and Cindy—their hope is that students can walk away with new skills that they will be able to use, not only in their future careers, but also in living a life that they dream of. Through global networking opportunities, participants will also gain unforgettable relationships that they will carry throughout life.

Hear from the Grade 11 students organizing the M.I.C. Conference.

“Motivation, to me, is a process of giving someone a reason for doing something or achieving a goal,” said Amyna “Through listening to and interacting with the speakers at our conference, you will be able to expand your horizons and be motivated, allowing you to, in turn, motivate others.”

At the conference, Dr. James Giordano, Professor of Neurology from Georgetown University, will give the opening keynote address, and attendees will hear from Cindy Lui from the University of Toronto who is studying criminology, ethics, society and law; Kyoungjin Lim from Johns Hopkins University, who is studying computer science and cognitive science; and Namirah Quadir from Harvard University who is studying neuroscience.

Panelists also include Gira Chawda, who created her own organization called Cracking the Code, which teaches youth how to code in order to break age barriers and build confidence; as well as Mathew Prebeg, who is a research assistant and youth engagement facilitator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Immersive Technology Specialist Michael Carter-Arlt will share his expertise in graphic design, 3D development and digital media, and participants will leave inspired by Closing Keynote guest speaker Joshua “Scribe” Watkins, a storyteller and slam poetry artist.

“Inspiration carries a lot of weight in the word itself, and we are trying to show that our deepest inspiration can sometimes come through our darkest times and going through challenges,” said Seungmyoung.

Cindy feels the connections made at the conference will be valuable to participants. “To me, connection is the subtle instant when we share our emotions, our experience or our perspective with others,” she said. “I think it is through connection that we are truly able to go beyond all types of social, economic and geographical barriers that exist in this world.”

Find out more and register for the conference at the M.I.C. Conference website.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.

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