2010 Workshops Include:

A.  Power Trip: What You Need to Know about Teen Dating Violence (Ages 13 – 17)   By:  BWR and LUK’s GIFTS Peer Leaders.  Five peer leaders from GIFTS will present two skits relating to the topic of teen dating violence to a teen audience. They will then lead a discussion about what dating abuse is and the types of abuse presented in the skits followed by a 15 minute video clip on the topic. They will then review and lead a discussion by asking the group questions about what they saw in the video. They will conclude their presentation by providing resources for teens to get information and help.

B.  Sex Jeopardy (Ages 13 – 17)   By: MOC Teen Clinic Peer Educators.  Are you sex educated?  Do you think you know it all? Come test your knowledge against your peers!!  Did you know that the biggest sex organ is the skin!?  We're betting you didn't!  So come find out other facts you didn't know!  

C.  Working with Your Juvenile CORI (Ages 13 – 17)   By:  Lisa Thurau, Strategies for Youth.  This workshop is for young people who may have been arrested and/or are court involved and wondering how their record might affect their ability to find a job.  The workshop will present information on how records are created and to which employers and schools they may be circulated.  We will use real job application forms to practice how to answer questions.

D.  Turning Creative Ideas Into Action (Ages 13 – 21)   By:  Kumar Raj, Youth Venture, Mount Wachusett Community College.   This interactive workshop inspires participants to address community needs by using their passions, skills and interests. Learning to lead and initiate lasting change for a more positive community, participants are invited to work together and will be introduced to various opportunities that can help them achieve success. Over 70 teams have launched in North Central MA and current Venturers (youth involved) will be in attendance to talk about their Ventures (club/organization) and experience.

E. “No Homo" - Did they really just say that? (Ages 13 – 21)  By:  Lesley Hubbard, Greater Boston Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).  Have you ever heard “that’s so gay” or “no homo” uttered in your school? Most teens don't mean it to hurt GBLT people so what's the big deal? This workshop will help students recognize and respond to bullying and anti-glbt (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) language in their schools. Participants will leave the workshop with tools to be effective leaders when it comes to combating discrimination, bullying, and harassment in their schools as well as tools that will make them an effective and trusted ally.

F.  Youth Speak-Out on the Impacts of Violence (Ages 13-21)   By: Kristen Cuneo, Girls' LEAP Self-Defense.  Youth Speak-Outs are youth-developed, youth-led workshops designed to raise awareness about the everyday violence that impacts communities, and to educate participants on some of the ways Girls’ LEAP addresses this issue.    

G.  Mock Trial (Ages 13 – 21)  By: M. Julie Lesure, Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.  Want to learn how a real court room proceeding unfold? You be the Judge! Come join the Mock Trial Workshop! An interactive, realistic portrayal of an actual criminal trial, participants will serve as jurors, lawyers, witnesses and defendants. 

H.  L.O.V.E. - Let Our Voices Educate (Ages 13 – 21+)   By:  Joshua Kessel, Grafton Job Corps Center.  This workshop will give participants the opportunity to increase their awareness to the fact that all types of GLBTQ people live in their community. This awareness will allow for greater appreciation of diversity in their lives.

I.  Career Panel (Ages 13 – 21+)   By:  Cherie Fisher, MY TURN, Inc.  We will have representatives from at least three industry clusters to discuss their field of work and how they achieved their career goals.

J.  Unified Sports (Ages 18 – 21+)   By:  Peter Gjeltema, Unified Sports and Brendan Aylward, NRHS.  Unified Sports is a Special-Olympics affiliated program that pairs a Special Athlete with a volunteer who assists the player. The purpose of this workshop is to inform people from various areas on how to set up Unified Sports programs and enjoy the communal benefits of such a program.  In this workshop, we will discuss what is needed to create, advertise, and sustain a successful Unified Sports program. 

K. Hip Hop Dancing (Ages 13-21+)       By: Maria Vazquez of Sterling Academy. Come learn the best hip-hop moves and show off your own! This high energy dance workshop will get your heart pumping!

L. Don’t Talk About It…..Be about It (Ages 13-17)  By: Cleghorn Neighborhood Center Resident Youth Council. A fun and interactive youth facilitated workshop designed to address the root causes of school dropout and to introduce the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center RYC’s current civic engagement efforts surrounding the issue. Be part of a collective voice, get involved in your school and your community!

M. Youth Leadership: Where Do We Go From Here? (Ages 13-17). By Carlos Moreno, our keynote speaker.  In this workshop, Carlos will share his experiences as a youth leader while re-enforcing why youth leadership is so important today. 

Workshop selection will occur

Friday morning between 9-10 am.