2011 Youth Conference

4/6/2011 10:01:00 AM Email this article • Print this article
2011 youth conference: health and leadership applications
The 2011 Youth Conference: Health and Leadership Applications was held on March 21st and 22nd at Eagle Bluff Learning Center. Fillmore Family Resources and Fillmore County Public Health hosted area 7th and 8th graders for two, day long sessions.

Students from area schools participated in a "Challenge the Media" keynote and then broke into four sessions for the rest of the day. Challenge the Media is a program developed through The Advocates for Human Rights out of Minneapolis, that looks critically at media and how people are portrayed in the media. During the keynote the presenter, Kathy Seipp, talked with the students about how human inequality and violence can develop from negative media exposure, unhealthy stereotypes, and social norms. Kathy and her co-worker, Anna Donnelly, continued the critical analysis of media in their individual break out sessions. In each session students looked at and discussed positive and negative media images, how these images affect the students' lives, and what each student can do to challenge the negative images.

In addition to Challenge the Media break out sessions, students also heard from a number of local experts on topics ranging from leadership and community service to nutrition and physical activity. Each group of students rotated through four different sessions, which included a physical activity. Whether it was the 8th graders "Mastering the Four Types of Physical Activity" or the 7th graders participating in "Project Dance," each student spent part of the day up and moving. Brenda Pohlman, Fillmore County Public Health, and Melinda Lutes, founder of Project Fit Families, each taught a physical activity session understanding the importance of providing students with some physical stimulation in addition to the mental stimulation the other sessions provided.

In "The 'Right' Path" Fillmore County Probation Officers Kari Berg and Jeff True walked students through leadership and community service and how students can become involved. Through the use of team building exercises, including the human knot, students were able to interact with each other in a fun and educational way. Students commented that they liked meeting new people and working with people from other schools. Each break out group consisted of students from the three schools attending that day.

While each break out group consisted of students from different schools, the sessions for the 7th and 8th graders covered the same topics so that each grade received similar information. The nutrition sessions were probably the most varied from 7th to 8th grade. Judy Lacey, University of Minnesota Extension Community Nutrition Educator, led a "Eat and Move to Be Healthy and Happy" session that focused on planning healthy meals. Kitty Baker, Lanesboro Local volunteer, led "You Are What You Eat" that focused on the benefits of local foods.

The 2011 Youth Conference was very successful. Students, staff, and volunteers enjoyed their time learning something different. Fillmore County Public Health and Fillmore Family Resources would like to thank all the schools, presenters, and volunteers that made the 2011 Youth Conference possible.