Their blue wristbands promote a message that serves as the core of the Council for Youth Development’s second annual Youth Empowerment Summit.
“I belong,” the wristband reads. It’s a spirit of empowerment that the council is aiming to spread during its summit, an active week of school assemblies and free community events that support positive youth identity and family engagement.
When the council started its International Youth Day “Shine On” postcard campaign in 2017, council director Heather Carson said people responded. The council wanted to find a way to take youth engagement to the next level, beyond a postcard.
“The idea would not be that people were passive listeners; we wanted them to be active residents who could help build a community where all young people could thrive,” Carson said. “So that means every age has a role to play in making our community welcoming for young people.”
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This year’s summit theme incorporates that exact spirit, that everyone belongs.
Carson said the summit will actively engage the community in a conversation about the power of belonging and how the community can play a role in positive youth development.
“For us, we decided to concentrate one week on a variety of different topics about youth wellness and positive youth development and allow this spark of positivity to ripple out and inspire organizations and individuals to do more,” Carson said.
From Sept. 14 to Sept. 21, the council will partner with dozens of local organizations to host a week of free public events for tweens, teens, young adults and adults. The week begins Sept. 14 with a kick-off celebration at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St.
At the kick-off celebration, people of all ages are invited to explore Exhibit Columbus designer, Bryony Roberts’ work and enjoy Columbus Area Arts Council’s Dance Kaleidoscope performance followed by family-friendly music. The event is from noon to 2 p.m.
Throughout the week, inspirational speaker Nathan Harmon will lead school assemblies for all Bartholomew County seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students. This is his second return to the county after speaking to the community during last year’s summit.
Harmon, a Kokomo native, founded Your Life Speaks, a positive and motivational program for school-aged students that covers a variety of topics including how to combat bullying and finding your “why.” The organization was born from Harmon’s desire to see every person recognize their potential and realize they are more than their difficult past, according to a biography at yourlifespeaks.org.
Harmon will also serve as the summit’s keynote speaker on Sept. 19 at The Commons, 300 Washington St. at 6 p.m. The keynote event is open to the public and will feature a panel of local students who will share the challenges and opportunities to be engaged and involved in Bartholomew County.
On Sept. 17, the Council for Youth Development and Bartholomew County Juvenile Magistrate Heather Mollo will screen the documentary “Angst” about raising awareness around anxiety. The film will begin at 6 p.m. in the Columbus North High School auditorium and will be followed by a panel of experts to address questions about youth mental health and anxiety.
The week closes out on Sept. 21 with a closing celebration at the Columbus Farmer’s Market. The Council for Youth Development will be at the market with free wristbands, activities and maps for Sunrise Rotary Club’s Paint Columbus event at kidscommons, 309 Washington St., and Faurecia’s Family Safety Day at Foundation for Youth, 405 Hope Ave.
“For us, this summit is a catalyst for more,” Carson said. “This is just a spark for more action after. To get everyone talking and thinking about young people, specifically do young people feel a sense of belonging in Bartholomew County?”
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Sept. 14, noon – 2 p.m.
- Kick-off Celebration at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St.
Sept. 16-19, during school assembly hours
- Nathan Harmon Speaker Series at school assemblies
Sept. 17, 6 – 8 p.m.
- Raising Awareness Around Anxiety Documentary and Panel at Columbus North High School, 1400 25th St.
Sept. 19, 6 – 8 p.m.
- Nathan Harmon Keynote and Youth Panel at The Commons, 300 Washington St.
Sept. 21, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Closing Celebration at Columbus Farmer’s Market, 401 Brown St.
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To register for the Youth Empowerment Summit, go to cydbartholomew.org.
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