Tomorrow's Leaders Today
2008 Youth Leadership Conference
Schedule of Activities and Workshops

Wednesday July 30th

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
  • Mille Lacs Lake Drum and Dance Group
  • Musical Performance - Ms. Mari Harris
  • Large group activities
  • Presentation by 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:
    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:
    Learn what its like to be a member of the new Youth Leadership Councils in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Wilmar.
    Their mission is to include youth voice 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 - In a Safe Way
  • Presenters: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room:
    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.
  • Search and Rescue
  • Presenter: Youth Emergency Service Assistance Response Unit (YESARU)
    Room:
    Learn from these youth how they became official "first responders" in their community, and how negative images of youth in their community have been changed as a result.

8:00PM-9:00PM
THEATER GROUP - R5 PRODUCTIONS - Ballroom B

9:15PM-9:30PM
CHAPERON MEETING

9:30PM-12:30PM
DANCE AND ACTIVITIES
  • Dance in Ballroom B
  • Art Projects in Ballroom C
  • Hot Spot Cafe in Rafters
  • TLT Sweatshirts for sale in the Garden Room

1:00AM
LIGHTS OUT!

Thursday July 31st

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
  • Get Educated!
  • Presenter: FosterClub All-Stars
    Learn from youth who aged out of foster care. What does it take to make it to (and in!) higher education? How can you use your foster care experience as a plus on your applications and qualify for the maximum amount of financial aid on your FAFSA? What is the FAFSA? Learn about scholarships just for youth in care, and the challenges foster youth face when away at school. All of this will be discussed through first-hand stories from the All-Stars.
  • 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
    Meet and greet 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 30 participants!
  • How to Start Your Own Business
  • Presenter: Ben Stowe
    Room:
    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.
  • Band Together
  • Presenter: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room:
    This workshop will show you how to turn your foster care experience into expert knowledge which can be applied to fun, attention grabbing community service projects benefiting all youth in care. The All-Stars will help you get your ideas from the drawing board to reality. Community service projects are a powerful way to use your voice for improvements in the foster care system.
  • Stressing Out
  • Presenter: Dr. Daniel Casey
    Room:
    Learn how to handle stressful situations and major stressors in your life. Learn about body reactions and how you can take care of yourself and others!!

3:00PM-5:00PM
WORKSHOPS
  • Race to Freedom Part II
  • Presenters: Melvin Carter, Chris Crutchfield & friends
    Room: Outdoors
    Part II of 1:00 - 3:00PM session
  • Together for Youth
  • Presenter: Shirley Duke and GLBT youth
    Room:
    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 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.
  • Youth Speak - Adults Listen!
  • Presenters: FosterClub All-Stars
    Room:
    In this workshop the All-Stars will show you how to tackle issues related to being in foster care and aging out of care. Together you will identify the challenges to success for the topics you choose as important, and then decide what should be done to change things for the better. All of your recommendations will be presented to a group of leaders in Minnesota's foster care system.
  • Youth Advocacy - Find the Power to Make a Difference
  • Presenters: Kate Reuer, Lutheran Social Services & Minnesota Youth Leadership Council members
    Room:
    Identify problems that need to be addressed in the lives of young people in foster care. Identify personal strengths, supportive people, and resources in your community as a way to solve these problems. Learn about the power of telling your story.

5:00PM-6:00PM
DINNER

6:00PM-7:00PM
NEWSPAPER FASHION SHOW - Ballroom B

7:00PM
Sobriety Support Group

7:00PM
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 August 1st

8:00AM-9:00AM
BREAKFAST

9:00AM-10:30AM
CLOSING LARGE GROUP SESSION - Ballroom B
  • Large group activities and prizes
  • 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
  • Chaperons: please return keys to the conference registration room

11:30AM
Please join us for lunch! It's all paid for!!

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