By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) will host 650 students and teachers from across the country this week for the 2026 Canadian Student Leadership Conference.
The annual event, which runs Oct. 8–11, brings student leaders together for four days of workshops, activities and guest presentations that are focused on youth leadership and community engagement.
School principal Jennifer Mills said 25 HHSS students were selected as spirit leaders to help with conference operations and mentor visiting delegates. She said a major part of this year’s conference will be a town-wide scavenger hunt on Saturday afternoon, taking participants through the high school and the village of Haliburton, giving visiting students a chance to see the community.
Most of the conference programming will take place at Camp White Pine. The event officially opens Thursday (Oct. 8) at 7:30 p.m., with a welcoming presentation hosted by HHSS students. Speakers are scheduled throughout the conference, headlined by opening keynote presenter Alan Doyle, founding member of Canadian folk-rock band Great Big Sea.
The conference marks a return of the leadership gathering to Haliburton County, giving local students a chance to play a major role in organizing a national event.
Mills said the conference has been a significant opportunity for local students, describing it as “the best thing I have ever been a part of for leadership for students.”
Organizers expect the influx of delegates and staff to bring more people into the village during the conference, particularly during Saturday’s community-wide event.
