Bellevue middle- and high-school students can attend educational workshops and share ideas for youth projects at a conference in March hosted by Bellevue Youth Link.
Several popular youth programs, including the Ground Zero Teen Center and the Bellevue Skate Park, started as ideas hatched and nurtured by teenagers in Youth Link, a program that partners young people and adults in leadership and service.
Youth Link will celebrate 20 years of service to the community by hosting the Youth Involvement Conference 2010 on Friday, March 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at South Bellevue Community Center, 14509 SE Newport Way. People can register now.
The conference is free and is open to students from all Bellevue middle and high schools, including private and home schools. (The day away from school will be an excused absence for Bellevue School District students). Students must pre-arrange the absence with their school. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Students who attend the conference can also earn six community service hours.
The theme of the conference – “Learn it, Earn it and Turn it Around!” – focuses on personal development. Workshop topics will include: technology, job search and interview preparation, college and high-school life, personal finance management, student activism, volunteerism and environmental recreation and conservation.
In addition to the workshops, Darrell Fisher, a professional magician, will be the keynote speaker. Sammamish High School senior Rick Teegarden, who founded the Kids Care Coat Drive Project when he was in seventh grade, will offer proof that any youth can turn an idea into a reality.
The conference is also open to parents, business leaders, youth workers and adults interested in youth needs. Teachers and advisers are encouraged to bring their classes and learn together.
To register for the conference, participants must download, complete and return a signed registration with parent/guardian authorization by Friday, Feb. 19. The conference registration with permission form is available online. Completed forms should be mailed to Bellevue Youth Link or returned to Bellevue City Hall Service First Desk during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.)
For more information, contact Bellevue Youth Link at 425-452-2846.
Bellevue Youth Link is a national award-winning partnership of the City of Bellevue and Bellevue Public Schools that engages young people in community leadership.
