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2004 Conference Resources
2004 Conference Pictures

On August 2-4, 2004 a group of 100 youth from through out the state of Utah gathered together in an event unlike any other. The sixth annual Utah Youth Conference on Service (formerly the Utah Youth Summit) was held on the campus of the University of Utah. Youth from various organizations such as Clearfield Job Corps, Girl Scouts of Utah, Project Vision One to One, HOSA, Governing Youth Councils, SAVY, Youth Employability Services, local high schools, and various city and county youth councils, commissions and government groups from through out the state convened for this great opportunity to receive exceptional service and leadership training and irreplaceable networking opportunities.

This year the conference was a huge success thanks to new partnerships between the Utah Commission on Volunteers, Utah's Promise, Utah Campus Compact, Utah State Office of Education, and the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center at the U of U. These partnerships provided the conference with greater diversity and access to new resources. A great asset to the conference was the SSUN (Students Serving Utah Network) Representatives, college students from associated campuses through out the state, who served as team leaders and mentors for the high school youth attending the summit. They provided to the participants a link to higher education and service opportunities at that level and will continue to do so through out the coming year. The SSUN Reps were trained by the Utah Campus Compact and are actively involved in service and civic engagement on their respective campuses.

The theme for the conference was "Get A Life" from Winston Churchill's statement "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." The participants received fabulous training on how to "get a life" through break out sessions on international issues, local concerns, and leadership skills that can help them make more of an impact in their communities. They listened to motivational speakers, participated in workshops, and personal and group reflection activities.

A highlight of the conference was the 'Service Scramble' during which youth got the opportunity to visit various community agencies throughout the Salt Lake area. At these agencies the participants received a greater understanding of what the agency does, how it impacts the community it serves, the need for volunteers at the agency and specific ways youth and youth organizations can make an impact with that agency. At some agencies the youth got an opportunity to be involved right away by giving a few minutes of their time to make a difference and since the conference groups have continued to give of their time and services to these organizations. Just days following the summit an email was received saying one of the girls who attended the summit and participated in the service scramble "liked Crossroads Urban Center so much that she called them and organized a service project.  A group of eight spent the morning there helping take donations. It was great!" These youth are taking the initiative and have used what they learned at the youth conference to begin making an impact in their commusnities. Another highlight of the conference was participating with a Rhythms of Life Lunastix activity, a non-profit foundation formed to provide self-sustaining in-school and after-school learning enrichment programs based on kinesthetic skill development.

The Utah Youth Conference on Service was such a success that plans are already being made for the next conference to be held during summer 2005.

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We make a living by what we GET We make A LIFE    by what we give. -Winston Churchill	Conference Partners