“Light Tomorrow with Today” by Taylor Gess and Phoebe Strom, MYP Youth Summit Planners

Metro Youth Partnership and youth representatives from area schools will come together for “Youth Summit 2009: Light Tomorrow with Today” on September 23 from 8am-3pm at Oak Grove Lutheran High School. This  event is designed by teens, for teens.

“We are recruiting approximately 200 high school students from the greater metro area to learn leadership and community activism. This peer-to-peer communication is essential for the grassroots change we want to occur. We are turning peer pressure positive,” says Taylor Gess, Core Team Planner.

Area students who are interested in participating in this “emerging leaders” all-day event must complete an application with one of the core team planners whose name appears on the school poster or with their school counselor. Students are encouraged to carpool to Oak Grove. They will have snacks and lunch at Oak Grove, and they will be bussed to local middle schools for the interaction time with younger students. The event is free.

The day will be organized into two parts. Part one will include on-site facilitated sessions that address issues faced bys tudents today: gender roles, diversity, homelessness, the environment, and materialism. The second part will bring Youth Summit participants to area middle schools to interact with the next generation of young leaders. The high school students will talk about good and bad peer pressure.

All along the way, the Youth Summit 2009 core team of student planners is gaining experience with fundraising, leadership, teamwork, and responsibility.

“Rather than waiting for someone else to solve problems, each one of us needs to take the initiative and light tomorrow with our actions today,” said Gess.

“On September 23, we are going to create the future and light tomorrow with today. Each person we motivate will influence many more, and these positive changes will spread throughout our community. Will you be a supporter?” asks Phoebe Strom, Youth Summit 2009 Core Team Planner.