THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KPR STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE MAY 16 FOCUSES ON POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATES Close to 200 Grades 7-10 students from schools across the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPR) will gather for the annual Student Leadership Conference at Trent University May 16. The conference will run from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in Lady Eaton College, with the keynote presentation at 9:20 a.m. featuring award-winning film producer and director Paul Saltzman. This year's theme is YOSO: You Only School Once - Think, Be, Inspire. The event is open to two students and one staff advisor from each school. Following are more details: Student Leadership Conference May 16, 2013 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Trent University, Lady Eaton College, Peterborough This annual conference provides students (Grades 7 to 10) with an opportunity to expand their leadership skills, explore leadership opportunities, and develop strategies and ideas to build a strong school community. The conference will be a fun, interactive and informative day with an important theme, YOSO: You Only School Once - Think, Be, Inspire. The event is also a chance to recognize and reward all Student Leaders in the Board for their hard work and continued effort in creating an inclusive and positive school climate. In conjunction with Student Trustee Vivienne Jaehn-Kreibaum, members of the KPR Student Leadership group will facilitate active, hands-on, small group workshops in carousel format, all of which tie into the theme and focus on helping those around us to reach their full potential. The keynote speaker for the conference is Paul Saltzman. Saltzman is a two-time Emmy Award winning, Toronto-based film and television producer/ director known for over 300 productions. In 2008, he made his feature-film directorial debut with the documentary Prom Night in Mississippi, with Morgan Freeman, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, 2009. His second feature documentary, The Last White Knight, featuring Delay de la Beckwith, Jr., Harry Belafonte and Morgan Freeman premiered in 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2011, with Patricia Aquino, Saltzman founded the non-profit organization, Moving Beyond Prejudice, to work with students, youth-at-risk and community groups, using Prom Night in Mississippi to launch discussion. In December 2011, he was invited to the White House to screen the movie and hold a Moving Beyond Prejudice discussion with the audience. While there, he was honoured, as a community leader, at a reception with the President and the First Lady. -30- For information, please call Judy Malfara, Communications Officer - School Liaison, at 705- 742-9773 or toll-free at 877-741-4577, ext. 2001 .