Over 200 students of Potomac Job Corps Center attended the First Annual Youth Conference hosted at the Potomac Center on Saturday, September 25, 2010. Supported by the Ward 8 Drug Free Coalition and the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, a day-long event included exciting and interactive workshops designed to inform and empower students on critical issues impacting their day-to-day lives.

Some workshops like “Pop Bottles Fried Out my Mind” and “One Drink does More than You Think” gathered large numbers of students to demonstrated the videos and genuine models of damaging consequences of smoking and alcohol abuse. The others, including “Let’s Talk About Sex Before U Flex” and “The Life Planning and Goal Setting”, contained more composed tone and relied profoundly on students’ active  participation.

“The purpose of the Youth Conference was to reintegrate the importance of making the right choices as well as to showcase the damaging consequences of any substance abuse” said Jeffrey Barton, the Center Director of the Potomac Job Corps Center. “We wanted to create an engaging interaction between students and trainers, and it was pleasing to see the high level of interest and participations from the students”.   

After the workshops, the Youth Conference continued with various sport activities, including three on three basketball and double dutch competition, prizes and give-a-ways, entertainment, cookout style lunch and a host of other fun activities.

“This is such a fulfilling day” said Tyler Davis, 17 year old Culinary Arts student of Potomac Job Corps. We’ve learned a great deal about the tobacco and alcohol prevention, had fun with Duble Dutch and Basketball competition, and later on this evening we will have a roller skating trip! This is remarkable!”