UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Student Senate Elects New Student Trustees for 2026-2027

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Student Senate held its annual Student Trustee Election on February 26, 2026, electing Grade 10 students Ava Andress from Thousand Islands Secondary School (TISS), and Grant Emmell from South Grenville District High School (SGDHS) as the 2026-2027 Student Trustees.

The duo will serve as co-chairs of the UCDSB Student Senate and replace the 2025-2026 Student Trustees Allison Gibson and Alexander Moussa at the end of the 2025-2026 term.

This year's election saw strong interest, with 10 candidates from 10 different UCDSB schools.  Candidates delivered speeches outlining their goals and vision for student representation, followed by a question-and-answer period before Student Senate members casted their votes by secret ballot.

Student Senate includes representatives from every UCDSB secondary school as well as members of the Indigenous Leadership Program (iLead) and Akwesasne.

"My goal as Student Trustee is to ensure all students feel heard and supported by strengthening connections between students and the school board. Even small changes can make a big impact," says Andress.

"I am committed to making sure everyone has an equal opportunity at their schools no matter what school they go to or where they live," says Emmell.

In addition to co-chairing Student Senate, Student Trustees attend regular UCDSB Board Meetings to share student perspectives and participate in provincial events hosted by the Ontario Student Trustees' Association - l'Association des élèves conseillers et conseillères de l'Ontario (OSTA-AECO).

"I'm looking forward to working with Ava and Grant in their new roles next school year. Our Student Trustees are a vital part of the Board of Trustees as they are the voice of students across our board and bring a fresh perspective to the table," says Vice-Chair of the Board Lynda Johnston and Student Trustee mentor.

The next Student Trustee term runs from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027. Each Student Trustee receives a $2,500 honorarium upon completion of their term.