Illuminate x Markham

Hi everyone! My name is Christina and I am a Grade 9 student at St. Robert CHS. Today, I had the pleasure to attend Illuminate x Markham’s regional conference. Here are my thoughts highlighting what I learned.

One of my main takeaways from the conference is the importance of taking risks. During her talk, Christal mentioned how high school is the prime time to take risks and experiment with new things. She explained how it would be completely okay if we didn't succeed because people wouldn't care; it would just be beneficial to our experiences. This helped to encourage me to take more risks in the future.

Another one of my main takeaways is the importance of emotional intelligence and networking. I learned from Alina how necessary it is for me to expand my network and build connections with people who are different from me. She gave anecdotes to illustrate her points which further helped to clarify the idea and made the experience all the more enjoyable.

Additionally, I really appreciated Mash’s advice on the various ways to set myself aside from the competition. He emphasized the need to consistently put myself in uncomfortable and challenging situations to overcome my social anxiety and to grow as an individual.

I am really grateful to have had the opportunity to attend this informative and fun conference, being able to hear from the keynote speakers and their fulfilling advice. I have learned many valuable lessons that I will be taking with me throughout my career, applying to whatever I strive to do.