The annual Children's Coalition Ouachita Youth Summit was held on Wednesday, November 6 at the University of Louisiana Monroe and the entire conference welcomed over 500 students and professionals to learn about important topics facing today's youth. 

Students from middle and high schools including public, private and charter attended this one day leadership training. They learned about topics including anxiety, online safety, vaping and leadership. 

Professionals who work with youth including nurses, social workers and school counselors also received training on topics including online safety, vaping, trauma, child sex abuse and STIs. 

Many thanks to our event sponsors: Brentwood Hospital, Marie's Medical, ULM and the ULM Kitty Degree School of Nursing. 

KEDM Public Radio | Having the pressure to perform well at school can cause anxiety in children. With school starting back up, that means your child is at risk of experiencing some form of anxiety. Patti McGilton, Infant Mental Health Consultant for the Children’s Coalition of Northeast Louisiana, talks about the signs of back to school anxiety and what to do if your child experiences it.

Parents and professionals need timely education on the laws, science, society, and culture that children are up against everyday. Time to Talk brings you accurate and appropriate information from state and local experts about issues that affect children, so that you can understand and communicate with and about them.

Through this segment, you'll develop a sophisticated understanding of the issues faced by youth today and be encouraged to confidently discuss tough topics that face our children.

Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, 90.3 KEDM Public Radio and BayouLife Magazine.

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Middle and high school students from across North East Louisiana got a chance to learn a little bit about volunteerism, leadership, and service learning at ULM. This is the first time the Children's Coalition of North East Louisiana has had a Youth Leadership Summit. The coalition brought in different speakers to talk to 200 youth about alcohol abuse, depression, and respect.
This 5-hour summit is the first one of it's kind in Ouachita Parish and the Children's Coalition is hoping this program will help guide students through their adult life.

More than 250 middle and high school students learned about making a positive impact in their school and the community Tuesday.  

Motivational speaker Logan Weber urged the group to use encouraging language, expect opposition, but never give up on their goals.  "It is choosing to use positive words to speak to people in and around your life, that makes a difference," he tells the attentive crowd.
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West Monroe ninth-grader Kayla Herrington told her mom she wasn’t sure if she was the right person to be a part of the Ouachita Youth Leadership Summit.  "I expected my friend to get in and my mom said not to put myself down.  After hearing what he had to say, I don't feel down.  I feel like I can do anything," said Herrington.

The session invited applicants from over 20 local schools to participate.  The future leaders were reminded of self-awareness, creating good relationships, and finding ways to serve.  Herrington has one group in mind she hopes to be a part of during her high school years. "The Civitan Club, where they do a lot of community service," she said.
Fellow freshman Sam Gray feels he can lend support to those struggling with school work.  "If people needed help with math, I could help tutor them."

The summit puts a focus on inspiring and instructing students about the value of leadership and volunteering.  Speakers share their knowledge about key issues in relationships and substance abuse, as well as health and nutrition. 
Children’s Coalition Youth Development Coordinator Jan Daniels says most students have questions when it comes to being an example among their peers.  "What children are asking for and what they're needing is leadership skills.  They are wanting to learn how to handle certain situations."

The coalition cites the website DoSomething.org in noting 93 percent of youth want to volunteer, but do not know how to begin the process.  The students learn about developing a personal action plan for community service.  

A balance of service and knowing your individual strengths is an essential part of the process.  "I think probably the key point is self-awareness," says speaker Melanie Massey.  She wants the students to realize their individual skills and abilities, and how it benefits a group as a whole.  

Massey includes a strengths test for students to discover those traits.  "Some will really take this to heart today, and go home and be really excited about it.  Others might go back to school and encourage their teacher, or club leader, to let others take it and see how they can best use their gifts," she said.

The summit was coordinated to take place in October, which is recognized as Volunteerism Awareness Month.  

More than 250 teens from seventh- through 12th-grade met Tuesday at the University of Louisiana at Monroe for the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana's first Ouachita Youth Leadership Summit.
Children's Coalition youth development coordinator Jan Daniels said the 256 teens were chosen by principals and counselors from Ouachita Parish, Monroe City, private and parochial schools.
Daniels said the Coalition got a grant from the Junior League of Monroe to start the event, and she saw the need after spending time in Monroe City and parish schools.