Student leaders from Dubbo, Forbes, Parkes, Gilgandra, Warren and Narromine primary schools all participated in the event, which was held at the Dubbo RSL Club on Friday, May 22.

Grip Leadership managing director Ronan McGinniss said the day was to help student leaders make a positive impact in their respective schools and to their peers.

“Today is for the students so that they can better their leadership roles in their schools in order to have a practical influence on their peers,” he said.

In the first session of the program students learnt how to stand up for themselves and make the most of their leadership opportunities. Scarlett Morrow, from Dubbo North Public School is a junior counsellor, and said she really enjoyed her time at the Grip Leadership program.

“I’ve learnt that leadership is about standing up for yourself and what you believe in,” she said.

Bridget Mrak is a prefect at Middleton Public School in Parkes and said she had also learnt many great ways to become a better leader.

“Leadership is about standing up for myself and having self respect, which allows me to be a better leader so that I can help myself and others,” she said.

In the second session students learnt how to look for opportunities to lead and in the final session of the day they were given ways in which they could develop a leadership plan.

Sophie Hopkin, captain of Warren Central School, said she had learnt how to put more effort into helping her school and peers.

Annie Duff, vice-captain at St Laurence’s Primary School in Dubbo, said she had learnt many new ways to be a better leader for her school and peers.