Rubbing elbows with community leaders and participating in interactive workshops are in store for participants of Alexandria’s upcoming 12th annual Youth Leadership Conference.
Registration for rising 9th to 12th graders closes Aug. 8, and the event will be held Aug. 12-14 (Tuesday to Thursday) at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive). This year’s theme is “Young Voices, Powerful Choices!”
“In addition to skill-building, the Youth Leadership Conference strengthens the 40 developmental assets young people need to succeed,” the city said. “These assets include a sense of feeling valued by their community, self-esteem, recognizing themselves as a resource to others, and planning and decision-making.”
According to the city:
To facilitate youth-adult partnerships, the conference will include an afternoon networking session with community leaders, including City of Alexandria Council and school board representatives, City board and commission leaders, non-profit executives, and City staff. The networking session will provide a forum in which organizations can connect with the City’s youth leaders to share volunteer and leadership opportunities and recruit youth who have the necessary skills to participate in a leadership position on a board or commission.
The conference will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 12 and 13, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 14. A free lunch will be provided.
Students who attend the entire conference can receive $20 gift cards and will have access to internship and volunteer opportunities, according to the city.
The event is hosted by the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy, the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center, the Alexandria Library, and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria.
