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HomeNewsArchivesSeventh Annual Teen Summit Coming to UVI this Weekend

Seventh Annual Teen Summit Coming to UVI this Weekend

July 25, 2007 — This weekend more than 150 V.I. teens, adult caregivers, organizers and invited guests will arrive at UVI's St. Croix campus for a conference focusing on living safe and healthy lives.
The 7th annual Teen Summit, hosted by the St. Croix Unity Coalition (SCUC), is a weekend-long interactive educational forum free of drugs, alcohol and violence.
Attendees "will engage in educational sessions designed to provide young people ages 12 to 17 with positive, motivational workshops and activities," according to an SCUC news release.
“Past summits have shown positive results among participants, and we hope to see the same results this year,” said SCUC President Annette Scott.
During the weekend, teens will stay in dormitories on campus and attend classes, according to Fernando Webster Jr., program coordinator. "Hopefully the college environment will help promote an environment of higher learning," he said.
The summit, which runs Friday through Sunday, will use activities such as daily physical exercises, a barbecue, sports, talent competitions and cultural games to motivate, educate and entertain its participants. A wide array of community professionals will talk to students about underage drinking, conflict resolution and — new to the summit this year — financial planning.
"We hope the students receive a lot of information they can retain and spread to other individuals in the community," Webster said.
The coalition recently received a grant from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention/Drug Free Communities (CSAP/DFC), and The Village-V.I. Partners in Recovery (VIPR), an affiliate of the Westcare foundation, was named the coalition's fudiciary agent.
VIPR Vice President Kendall Tutein lauded the efforts of the coalition: "For the past 10 years, (the coalition) has been implementing a prevention-education environmental strategy that focuses on reducing the use of alcohol and other drugs among the youth by increasing protective factors, decreasing risk factors, heightening awareness for family and community partnerships that send a message, letting everyone know that neighborhoods are fighting back."
According to the coalition, there are many opportunities to become involved in its efforts.
"The SCUC needs people who care about our youth and want to create positive messages and opportunities to help them grow to become strong, healthy adults who can contribute to the growth of themselves, families and their community," Webster said.
For more information on the summit and other SCUC activities, contact Fernando Webster Jr. at 719-9900.
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