After a long and demanding process, countless meetings, back and forth emails, impromptu conference calls and the like, the 2013 South Florida Youth Summit has come and gone.  It was great 2-day summit featuring empowering workshops for youth.  Brought about by the collaboration of over 24 individuals, sponsors and partners, the Youth Summit was able to touch the lives of over 300 kids over the course of 2 days.

Included during the 2-day summit was a college fair, awards and honors for those who’ve impacted youth and provided opportunities for them to become better, productive citizens.  The summit also featured its flagship experiential learning workshops with over 10 speakers presenting on topics ranging from leadership development, critical thinking, conflict resolution, personal branding, S.T.E.M. education, health and wellness and more.

Even the parents got a chance to experience the Youth Summit as it also included a special 2-hour parent session, titled “Getting to Know Your Teenage.”

Broward College proved to be a great backdrop for the summit, as middle and high school students were able to participate in the summit in a college atmosphere, while moving from class to class for their workshops and being on their own during the learning process.

This year, just like 2012, is sure to be a memorable experience for the youth who attended.  My prayer is that, ultimately the summit will lead to, as our closeout speaker and friend, Jarrod Uddin, put it, “a life changing day” – the day they realize that have something greater to live for.  The day they realize that truly have a purpose.  The day they realize that they have to account for their own actions and live life in view of how they can contribute to making our world a better place to live for everyone.

Do you recall an experience that lead to your life changing day?  If so, share it in the comments below.