(Ren Bohachewski/Submitted)

By Cam Lee

Dedication to leadership

Nipawin sisters receive prestigious leadership award

Oct 16, 2025 | 2:50 PM

A pair of Nipawin teachers have won a prestigious award for promoting student leadership in schools.

Denise Worsley-McClelland and Andrea Hayes, who are sisters, were awarded the David Connell Dedication to Leadership Award at the Canadian Student Leadership Conference.

Hayes told northeastNOW they got the award due to their involvement with the student representative council (SRC) and LP Miller School.

“Every province had a teacher that was nominated and then received the award, so both of our names got put forth,” Hayes explained.

Hayes took four students to the conference in Halliburton, Ontario and received the award on behalf of her sister.

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

8h ago

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

12 Best Tips to Spend Less at Christmas

Nov 18, 2025

Worsley-McClelland said both she and her sister have helped coordinate the SRC in organizing dances, pep rallies, activity days, and more.

“We’re working with small groups of students to create an atmosphere of belonging and caring and celebrating within our building,” she said.

Worsley-McClelland takes care of the SRC for grades seven through nine, while Hayes and a group of other teachers organize the SRC for grades 10 through 12. Worsley-McClelland said their goal with the younger students is to prepare them for leadership so by the time they get to the older grades, they are able to run more of the programming by themselves.

Denise was in Nipawin during the conference and was shown a video by fellow teacher Ren Bohachewski that showed that Worsley-McClelland and Hayes would receive the award.

“It was very emotional,” Worsley-McClelland said. “To be able to receive it with your sister is pretty special.”

Their effort in guiding youth in leadership is far from over. Nipawin LP Miller School will host the provincial Student Leadership Conference next fall – the first one held in Saskatchewan post-COVID.

“We are looking for billets, and we are looking for sponsorship,” Andrea said. “We are hosting about 1200 people, so 1000 students and 200 advisors, plus our own staff and students.”

Hayes said they’re excited to bring back the spirit of the Student Leadership Conference and bring back leadership to the kids.

–

cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com