The key focus was on body image and how it is influenced by peers, society and, most of all, the media. There was also an opportunity to discover how views on lifestyle choices have changed over the years.
Pupils were encouraged to think about t
he message that they receive from advertisements, music videos, supposed role models, etc, and analyse how reliable they are as a measure of a successful life.
Although organised through the religious and moral education (RME) department, the conference is very much a cross-curricular event with staff from home economics, history, computing studies also involved.
The conference is also greatly indebted to Lisa Hornell, the local Seven Arches Trust youth worker, who contributed a great deal to the thinking behind the day as well as to the audio-visual presentations.
Mr Isdale Anderson, principal teacher of RME said: "If the conference gets pupils to question a lot of the harmful and distorted messages that they receive daily about the kind of people that they should be and to think more for themselves about important lifestyle choices, then it will have been a success."
BOOK AWARDS: On Tuesday afternoon, Monifieth High School was visited by author Graham Marks as part of the Angus Book Awards.
Monifieth High School third-year pupils Lauren Dewar and Erin Westwater with Angus Book Award author, Graham Marks.
His novel, 'Omega Place', had been nominated along with four others for the award.
The other books were 'Close Up', by Sherry Ashworth; 'Leaving Poppy', by Kate Cann, the eventual winner of the award; 'Bunker 10', by Jan A Henderson and 'Henry Tumour', by Anthony McGowan. The award scheme has been running for 13 years and it enables third year pupils to read and vote for their favourite book.
During his visit, Mr Marks explained about the trials and tribulations of being an author and the pupils were able to ask questions about his ideas and his future novels.
After the question-and-answer session, he was presented with a thank-you card and a gift by third year pupil, Stuart Buist.
On Tuesday evening, pupils from the two third-year classes attended the official awards ceremony in Montrose Town Hall.
For the full Monifieth High School report read this week's
Guide & Gazette.The full article contains 402 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
