ALEXANDRIA, VA – The City of Alexandria invites high school students to register for the 10th Annual Youth Leadership Conference, to be held from August 8-10. This free conference, open to rising 9th through 12th graders residing in the City of Alexandria, empowers emerging young leaders by providing training and connecting them to resources in the community. This year’s conference theme is “Find Your Voice, Find Your Strength, Find Your Future!” Eligible students must register for the conference by August 2.
The three-day conference will be in-person and will feature interactive workshops teaching youth how to engage, lead, and advocate for issues in the community.
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 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.
Community leaders interested in participating in the networking session must register by August 3.
Students who attend the conference in its entirety are eligible to receive a $20 gift card. Youth will also receive updates throughout the year about internships, volunteer and leadership opportunities, and other ways to get involved in the Alexandria community.
In addition to skill-building, the Youth Leadership Conference helps to strengthen the essential building blocks that are based on the 40 developmental assets young people need to succeed. 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.
This 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.
Visit alexandriava.gov/ACAP for more information about the Youth Leadership Conference.
