30th Annual National Youth-At-Risk Conference held in Savannah
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - This week, the Georgia Southern University College of Education is hosting the 30th Annual National Youth-At-Risk Conference. More than 120 training sessions will be held for attendees from all over the country.
The conference is a total of four days, and it not only offers panels of speakers, it also offers sessions for participants to work together and really work on the problems facing our youth.
“More and more of our youth are at risk for a wide variety of issues and we want – they are our future. So, if we want a bright and positive future, we really need to support our youth and help them get there," said Conference Co-Chair, Dr. Alisa Leckie.
That’s what the conference has been about from the beginning. It brings together a diverse group of people from the judicial system, law enforcement, education and other services to help inform people about challenges facing our youth. Organizers said the goal is for people working with children to have a better understand of the issues they may be facing.
“So, we can really meet students where they are at. We can meet them academically in the head. We can meet them socially and emotionally at the heart. We can meet them at the home. We can help them with our hands," Leckie said.
One of the sessions focused primarily on poverty.
“This is important, first of all, because poverty is an issue in the world, in the nation, and certainly all our states. We have had a little bit of improvement in poverty over the last year, but it is still a tremendous issue," said Deonn Stone, the Lead Professional Learning Coach at Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.
Participants were put into groups and acted out the lives of families that live in poverty.
“Children are hurting. They are impacted by many things, and again, this poverty simulation focuses on poverty, but that’s one of those things that actually does impact the lives of children," Stone said.
Other sessions focused on bullying, the risk of suicide, and other issues facing youth. Attendees said each session offered something they can take back with them and use to help children.
“Our role is to educate, but we have to do more than that. We have to provide a comprehensive array of services for our students and families. Parent outreach, allow them to feel welcome when they enter the building at school. That is so important because some parents did not have a good experience when they were students," said Jacqueline Mcghee, a school counselor in Houston County.
The conference will wrap up Wednesday.
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