GIVING their best to themselves, their peers and their school was the theme of a leadership event in Tamworth this week - for children.
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The GRIP Student Leadership Conference took place at the Tamworth town hall on Tuesday, drawing schools from the local area and as far away as Scone and Narrabri.
The event is aimed at students in upper primary school, and this year's topics were Developing Myself to Lead, Making a Difference to My Team and Making a Difference to My School.
Among the attendees were 11 Nemingha Public School pupils, all part of the student representative council.
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SRC co-ordinator Toni Reid said the Year 5 and 6 students had "found it invaluable" and it "just backs up everything we're doing in the classroom".
"We're trying to encourage the kids to be more independent but also take up responsibility as well."
The conference included information, games and role-playing, and Mrs Reid said it had been "a method of presentation in getting across their message that really worked".
"The kids said ... they were totally engaged the whole time."
Boggabri Public School assistant principal Jacqui McInerney said it had been a "very fun and inspirational way to instil some leadership qualities into students and give them motivation for where they can go and how they do that".
Mrs McInerney said the annual event was a must on the school calendar, as it helped the young school leaders develop skills such as responsibility, empathy and goal-setting.
All of the eight school and sports captains attended.
"[The event focused] on their own strengths, and giving their best assets as part of a team and working together, collaboratively, to get to certain goals," she said.
Mrs McInerney said other desirable qualities in student leaders were understanding "how they can positively influence their peers and other students ... and their ability to have an influence and change their community".
And the event had already made an impact on the youngsters' outlook.
"They're actually thinking about things at school they can change that are achievable - but also, some of the bigger things happening in society, they're starting to tick over and think how they can have influence over that to assist our community," Mrs McInerney said.