It’s the second delegation of pupils sent by Where There’s a Will (WTAW), accompanied by WTAW board member and retired Scone High principal, Lindy Hunt.

They will attend the seventh annual National Student Leadership Summit hosted by students at St Peters College, Adelaide, which will help shape the lifelong skillset of its 150 attendees.

“The summit is run by students for students,” Ms Hunt said.

“Teachers don’t take part, we stand by and watch, words can’t explain the change in students once they’ve attended the summit.”

That skillset will then filter throughout our five high schools, Merriwa Central, Scone High, Scone Grammar, St Jospeh’s, Aberdeen and Muswellbrook High at the second annual Upper Hunter summit on May 29, hosted by the 18 leaders.

The national summit was established in 2011 and this year’s information booklet states that “Each student’s personal leadership style will be enhanced and accelerated”.

It also reads that “Personal development avenues include increased self-awareness as a leader; strategies to foster positive and transparent relationships with others; methods for critical decision making and a heightened awareness of a moral compass as well as the leadership opportunities that lie ahead”.

Ms Hunt said WTAW provided opportunities for people to learn more about mental health.

“All people can influence others in a positive way, WTAW is very focused on Visible Wellbeing, a program designed by psychology researcher Professor Lea Waters,” she explained.

“The major focus is on whole communities working together to the same end, we’re all looking at how to improve how our community members feel, generally speaking when we feel good we function well.

“WTAW has a multi-faceted approach to learning about and improving wellbeing through education across the whole of the Upper Hunter community.

“Our Upper Hunter schools are all doing Visible Wellbeing, along with employing a whole range of strategies to enhance the wellbeing of students and teachers.”