Students across the Mountain State will join together on Wednesday, Aug. 9, to discuss the potential impact of the second annual Young WV Power Building Conference, which will take place Sept. 8-10 on Marshall University’s Huntington campus.
Just as the inaugural event, the conference will be student led, with presentations and networking events planned and implemented by West Virginia leaders under 25. Last year’s conference addressed topics such as voter engagement, racial justice, mental health and LGBT advocacy.
Kiara AnnaLeigh Eldridge attended the first conference and will be back this year. The 17-year-old Chapmanville Regional High School student from Logan County said the Young WV Conference connected her to other exceptional peers.
“Young WV is a place where everyone fits in, and they’re able to find their calling,” Eldridge said. “Young WV has given many young adults including myself the opportunity to fulfill their full potential, and that sets us on our way to accomplishing and reaching our dreams.”
Jennifer Wells, schools’ organizer for the Charleston-based Our Children, Our Future, helps put the wheels in motion for the Young WV Power Building Conference. She said she expects the second annual event to double last year’s attendance to 300 students.
“Last year’s group of attendees consisted of youth from our rural and southern region,” Wells said. “Members of that group, such as Kiana Minter and Jazmyne Early, are now empowered to lead 4 workshops this year, ranging from self-care to racial and social justice in their local schools and communities.
“The mission of the conference is actually complete—building a voice for West Virginia’s youngest and brightest,” Wells said.
