More than 160 high school students and adult advisers from 15 counties plan to attend the 13th annual Kansas Youth Leadership Summit Aug. 3-5 at Rock Springs 4-H Center, Junction City, Kan.
Some of the students are from Wyandotte County, according to a KYLS spokesman.
KYLS is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation and focuses on reducing underage alcohol and drug use, and encouraging safety belt use and safe driving behavior among Kansas youth.
“During the summit, teams of youth and adults will create action plans to address alcohol and drug use as well as to promote safety belt use and safe driving behavior in their communities,” said Maria Torrez Anderson, KFP program director. “KYLS workshops will motivate and train participants to serve as catalysts of positive change in their communities. As a result, participants will improve their communities, expand their leadership skills and meet other teen leaders from across Kansas.”
Through interactive sessions and skill-building activities, KYLS participants will explore new ways to deal with critical issues facing teens and communities today, including alcohol and drug availability, perception of harm, community social norms, family attitudes, binge drinking, marijuana use, crash dynamics and more.
“It is crucial for Kansas youth to understand the dangers of substance use and poor driving behavior, and one of the best ways to provide that message is by allowing teens to educate one another,” said Chris Bortz, KDOT traffic safety manager. “KYLS provides participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to inform their peers with the right messages and impact the decisions they make in the future.”
Bill Cordes, nationally-known motivational speaker and author who presents to more than 70,000 students, teachers and businesses annually, will lead the summit. KYLS participants will also hear from a young Topeka adult who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of underage drinking.
For more information about KYLS, visit www.kansasfamily.com.