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Today I am in Kansas City, MO at the Midwestern Youth Summit sponsored by the US Department of Education. It is designed to hear the voices of youth throughout the country on what is needed to improve education in America. The summit is held in partnership with the National Leadership Conference for Camp Fire USA, where I am proud to serve as a trustee on the national board.
The youth at the summit developed nine action plans to enhance the experience of high school students and encourage them to finish school and attend college. The Kaufman Foundation and Sprint Foundation were the lead sponsors for the event, which was attended by over 150 youth from the surrounding area.
The smidgen of insight today is that while many organizations work with youth, few truly engage youth and give them a voice as leaders. Today was a reminder of how important it is to really listen to youth. Giving them a voice not only builds their self-esteem, they have far more capacity to help the world than we as adults give them credit for.
A new trustee on the Camp Fire board is Steve Culbertson, the CEO of an international nonprofit, Youth Service of America. YSA’s mission is to empower youth around the world and remind them that their voice matters. He was smiling as he witnessed his mission in action.
Dennis
