At the June 17 Public Board Meeting, students from the Delta Youth Advisory Council (DYAC) lit up the room with stories of leadership, creativity, and community impact. Representing six of the seven high schools in Delta, these student leaders shared the incredible initiatives their school DYACs have worked on over the past year—and their exciting plans for the future.
Delview Secondary: Building Tradition & Connection
Celine and Melanie described how Delview focused on tradition and connection. Their Flex Buddy Fridays paired older students with younger ones for mentorship and support, while handwritten welcome notes on lockers sparked joy and belonging. To help build community they held various events including a social event for international students, a waffle fest and a culture day where students could celebrate their differences through food, clothes and games. And to foster responsibility, they focused on getting students involved in recycling initiatives.
Celine and Melanie, with Vice Principal Christine Oliver
North Delta Secondary: Igniting Husky PRIDE
Jaskiran and Simran spoke about how their DYAC identified low school spirit and started working on initiatives to bolster Husky PRIDE – Performance, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Environment. They launched a Student of the Month Award and surveyed peers about mental health, uncovering a need for more awareness and support. One of their creative solutions was to place student artwork in washrooms to help reduce vandalism and uplift spirits. NDSS DYAC students are also planning to spotlight Husky PRIDE during learning time and assemblies, and have been putting in the work to initiate an annual awards night, so that students’ efforts can be validated and recognized.
Jaskiran and Simran, with Vice Principal Vlad Nikic
Burnsview Secondary: Fostering Belonging
Nav highlighted his school’s growth plan and peer mentorship program. Burnsview’s DYAC is focused on fostering a stronger sense of belonging. They have been identifying challenges facing students from responsibilities at home, financial barriers, fear of asking for help and health issues to limited access to food and language barriers. Their goal is to help people feel confident, comfortable and connected so that they are set up for success. Plans for next year include working on a community fridge, and a prayer/decompression room.
Nav with Vice Principal Rebeca Rubio
Delta Secondary: Creating Connections
Kaleb and Ethan highlighted how their DYAC has been hosting events such as Club Week and Global Games (board games night to help welcome international students to the school community) to make it easier for students to get involved in school activities. They also surveyed students to see how DYAC can best support them moving forward. Looking ahead, they are hoping to create a Grade 8 Buddy System, where senior students pair up with Grade 8 students to help ease the transition to high school. They also plan to start a Volunteer Clean Up group to beautify areas around the school, such as the courtyard. This will give students an opportunity to work together to make a tangible difference to their school, providing both a rewarding experience and deeper connections. They also hope to put some more student-friendly spaces around the school so that students have additional places to connect with each other, outside of the atrium and cafeteria.
Kaleb and Ethan with Vice Principal Joanna Macintosh
Seaquam Secondary: Prioritizing Well-Being
Sarah, Nathan and Sivish explained how their group had focused on the theme of well-being (mental, emotional and social) as it is foundational to student engagement and achievement. To help promote connection, inclusion and belonging, they built a cozy corner under one of the stairwells to create a relaxing, calm and comfortable place for students to meet, and hope to expand the initiative to other stairwells this year. They also created posters aimed at making students smile. Their DYAC is now planning an event to build inclusion and belonging among international students.
Sarah, Nathan and Sivish with Vice Principal Margaret Callander
Sands Secondary: Guiding the Way
Jeremy and Nauf talked about their school’s focus on three areas – mentorship workshops to prepare Grade 8s for high school which covered topics such as social media safety, belonging and active witnessing; a club fair to help students find their interests; and a survey to help identify and address the most common issues that students face. They also took the time to reintroduce and explain what DYAC is, especially for students new to the school, to help ensure every voice is heard.
Jeremy and Nauf, with Vice Principal Tom Inkster
Words of Encouragement from the Board
“It’s so exciting and inspirational to hear students report on what they’re doing,” said Chair Joe Muego. “It takes such courage to stand up and do what’s important for students in your schools. As student leaders, you are not just shaping your schools, you are shaping the future. Thank you!”
“It’s incredibly respectful and community-minded of you to take on the task of advocating for others,” added Trustee Ammen Dhillon.
“DYAC meetings are one of my favorite parts of being a trustee,” shared Vice Chair Val Windsor. “It’s amazing to see students sharing best practices and making real change. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the board—we’re here to support you. My sincere thanks to the Vice Principals who are supporting the DYAC program.”