On Feb. 2, Great Neck North High School welcomed student leaders from 24 schools for the annual Nassau County High School Principals’ Association Athletic Leadership Conference.

More than 120 high school sophomores and juniors from across the county attended the event to collaborate with other student leaders and develop skills to support fellow athletes at their respective schools.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Empathy in Sports.” The half-day event started with a discussion led by Randy Nathan and Krissy Holak from Positive Coaching Alliance, a national organization dedicated to supporting athletes and coaches.

The discussion was moderated by North High principal Dan Holtzman, who also serves as president of the Nassau County High School Principals’ Association.

Participants then attended breakout sessions with a focus on team-building skills and fostering a positive sports culture.

Members of the North High Athletic Leadership Club played an active role in the conference by greeting participants, assisting with check-in, and attending sessions.

North High’s student participants were sophomores Emma Lavian and Victoria Zargari, and juniors Isabella Brown, Evan Lavian and Aybriel Schnatz. Faculty advisors for the Athletic Leadership Club are Alyssa Boll and Jennifer Nastri.

This is the second consecutive year that North High has hosted the Nassau County High School Principals’ Association Athletic Leadership Conference.

This annual conference provides an opportunity for student team leaders to meet their counterparts from other high schools and share ideas about the meaning and significance of leadership on and off the field.