Tomorrow's Leaders Today
2009 Youth Leadership Conference
Schedule of Activities and Workshops

Wednesday, July 29th

11:00AM-1:30PM
Arrival and Registration
  • (Lunch may be purchased for a nominal fee in the UMD student cafeteria)

2:00PM-5:00PM
LARGE GROUP OPENING SESSION - Ballroom B
  • Large group activities
  • Musical Performance - Ms. Mari Harris
  • Keynote Speaker - Foster Club All-Stars

5:00PM-6:00PM
Dinner - Kirby Cafeteria

6:00PM-8:00PM
Session I - Workshops
  • Mask Making Part I
  • Presenters: Lutheran Social Service SEARCH Program
    Room: Ballroom A
    Participants work in pairs to create their own personal mask.
    Limited to first 25 participants!
  • Leadership and Diversity Through Song
  • Presenter: Ms. Mari Harris
    Room: Garden Room
    This energetic and upbeat musical workshop will teach you about leadership and diversity and leave you with a sense of empowerment and groove.
  • Meet Minnesota's Youth Leadership Councils
  • Presenters: Council members - Current and former foster care youth
    Room: Ballroom C
    Learn what its like to be a member of the new Youth Leadership Councils in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Wilmar.
    Their mission is to include the voice of youth in decisions about how the foster care system works, and to educate youth, foster parents, child welfare workers and the public.
    Are you interested in joining? Or starting a Youth Leadership Council in your own community?
  • Sharing Foster Care Stories with the Public - Tell It Like It Is
  • Presenters: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room: Rafters
    The FosterClub All-Stars have shared their foster care stories with Congress, on national TV and radio, in Time magazine and in newspapers across the country. In this workshop, consider why and how to share your story in public for a meaningful purpose. The All-Stars have good ideas to share based on their own experiences.
  • Is College Right for Me?
  • Presenter: Linda Pesch
    Room: Kirby 311
    Explore college why’s and why not’s, how to and when to. Participants will walk away with concrete ideas of how to maneuver the college superhighway. Where to look, how to look, how to apply, how to pay, and how to survive!

8:00PM-9:00PM
Theater Group - R5 Productions - Ballroom B

9:15PM-9:30PM
Chaperone Meeting

9:30PM-12:00PM
12:30AM
Lights Out!

Thursday, July 30th

8:00AM-9:00AM
BREAKFAST

9:00AM-10:00AM
LARGE GROUP SESSION - Ballroom B
  • Large Group Activities
  • T-shirts distributed
  • Prizes Awarded
  • Youth Leadership Award

10:00AM-12:00PM
Session II Workshops
  • Mask Making Part II
  • Presenter: The SEARCH Program
    Room: Ballroom A
    Completion of masks made earlier, and interpretation of masks
  • Give Back, Get Ahead
  • Presenter: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room: Rafters
    How can you leverage your foster care experience by turning what you know into something that will improve the system and make life better for other kids? You hold the power! Learn tried and true strategies for turning your foster care experience into expertise by leading a Community Service Project. Your efforts will not only provide value for others, but also for your own educational and career success.
  • Point of View
  • Presenter: R5 Productions
    Room: Ballroom B
    Sit down with R5 and discuss the evening performance in more detail!

12:00PM-1:00PM
LUNCH

1:00PM-3:00PM
WORKSHOPS
  • Wall Climbing/Leadership Initiatives
  • Presenter: UMD Outdoor Program
    Room: Meet in the Ballroom
    An introduction to the Vertical Pursuits indoor climbing wall! Learn how to develop your leadership skills in a challenging, energetic, and fun way. There will be NO sitting down in this session!
    Limited to first 30 participants!
  • Race to Freedom Part I
  • presenter: Melvin Carter, Chris Crutchfield & friends
    Room: The Garden Terrace - Meet outside the Ballroom for directions
    Explore what freedom means to you. Be an active participant in this physical and spiritual journey. Use your wits and take part in a series of activities to achieve freedom.
    Limited to first 40 participants!
  • How to Start Your Own Business
  • Presenter: Ben Stowe
    Room: Ballroom A
    Do you have a dream about starting and running your own business someday? Ben started his own DJ business at age 16! This will be a fast moving, practical session on how to jump into the world of self-employment and succeed.
  • Being Me in a World Full of Expectations and Conformity
  • Presenter: Linda Pesch
    Room: Ballroom C
    Explore the things that make us unique, maintaining the things that make us unique while “fitting in” to the many groups and organizations we all deal with on a daily basis. Your unique leadership skills will also be explored!
  • Youth Speak with Listening Panel
  • Presenter: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room: Rafters
    Participants break into small groups and tackle issues related to foster care, such as education, health care and housing. Youth identify obstacles and challenges to success for their topic then brainstorm a list of recommendations. Each group prepares a presentation of their ideas, and delivers onstage to a group of leaders in the foster care system, such as the state’s Independent Living Coordinator and Foster Care Manager.

3:00PM-5:00PM
WORKSHOPS
  • Race to Freedom Part II
  • Presenters: Melvin Carter, Chris Crutchfield & friends
    Room: Outdoors
    Continuation of 1:00 - 3:00PM session
  • Together for Youth
  • Presenter: Shirley Duke and GLBT youth
    Room: Ballroom A
    Queer kids are so much more than those shallow stereotypes. Teen members of Together for Youth (a GLBT social/support group) present a series of skits designed to educate and entertain.
  • Leadership and Diversity Through Song
  • Presenter: Ms. Mari Harris
    Room: Garden Room
    This energetic and upbeat musical workshop will teach you about leadership and diversity and leave you with a sense of empowerment and groove.
  • All-Star Panel
  • Presenters: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room: Rafters
    Join the FosterClub All-Stars as they share the wisdom they’ve gained in their transitioning process. Topics for discussion may include permanency, adoption, transition planning, recruiting teen foster homes, transitional housing, activating youth advisory councils, education, health, court and self-advocacy, disabilities, community involvement.
  • Search and Rescue
  • Presenters: KYouth Emergency Service Assistance Response Unit (YESARU)
    Room: Ballroom C
    Learn from these youth how they have become official “first responders” in their community, and how negative images of youth in the community have been changed as a result.

5:00PM-6:00PM
DINNER

6:00PM-7:00PM
Newspaper Fashion Show - Ballroom B

7:15PM
Sobriety Support Group

7:15PM
TLT Sweatshirts for sale in the Garden Room

9:00PM
BOARD BUSES FOR THE HARBOR CRUISE!

9:30PM-12:30AM
VISTA CRUISE

1:00AM
Lights Out!!

Friday, July 31st

8:00AM-9:00AM
BREAKFAST

9:00AM-10:30AM
CLOSING LARGE GROUP SESSION - Ballroom B
  • Large group activities
  • Prizes Awarded
  • Youth Worked Award?
  • Heart and Soul Award
  • Performance by Ms. Mari Harris
  • Slide Show
  • Open Microphone

10:30AM-11:00AM
MOVE OUT OF DORMS & RETURN KEYS TO CHAPERONS
  • Chaperones please return keys to the conference registration room

Noonish
ON YOUR WAY HOME! DRIVE SAFELY AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!