Illuminate Experience

Hi everyone! My name is Naomi, and I am a Grade 10 student at White Oaks Secondary School. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the National High School Business Conference. Here are my thoughts highlighting what I learned.

The conference started with Mr. Grenon, who talked about forensic accounting. He explained how he looks into fraud, money laundering and other financial-related topics. Hearing about his job was interesting as when I first thought of an accountant, someone who works with crimes like a detective doesn't come to mind. It was eye-opening and it proved that there are so many different jobs out there.

Moreover, I was intrigued by the two keynotes. Keynote number one was hosted by Ms. Jodi Buckley about CPAs. Previous to this, I was unaware of this career path. It was interesting to hear how she went from being an undergrad to enrolling in the CPA program, which helped her develop crucial skills. Skills like good communication, leadership, problem-solving, decision making, self-management, teamwork, professional and ethical behaviour. This was evident in the prerequisite courses needed for the job which were abroad arrays of different subjects. Moreover, the flexibility of the job to travel and the high salary even for those just starting was surprising.

In keynote number two, the speakers talked about mental fitness. They taught about the three core muscles; saboteur, sage, self-command, and how we should exercise our 'sage' muscles more.

Next was the Q&A panel where the speakers talked about their university experiences. I remember a question being asked about how to stand out compared to your peers. The speaker answered by saying networking and making connections. This response was helpful since the question asked is something I commonly think about, as I attend a competitive high school program and am always looking for ways to have an edge.

Finally, was the "Who did it Challenge". I've never participated in a case study like such, but it was so much fun. I was able to meet new people and make connections. It also allowed me to be investigative like a CPA and use some creativity.

Overall, the conference and competition were very memorable and educational. Job well done!