Hundreds of students will attend QC Youth Conference next week

More than students will attend the 36th annual Quad Cities Youth Conference (QCYC2022) at the RiverCenter next week in Davenport.

The conference is a two day bi-state conference geared toward encouraging and empowering youth in grades 7-12, a news release says. Middle schools and junior highs will attend on Tuesday, with high-school students in attendance on Wednesday.

Each day students attend a keynote presentation, three breakout sessions decided during the registration process, and a community resource fair. Lunch and entertainment are provided during the midday break.

Students represent schools from Rock Island, Henry and Whiteside counties in Illinois; Scott, Clinton, and Muscatine counties in Iowa.

This year’s theme is “Owning Your Story.” The keynote presenter will be Tom Akers, who has been an educator for more than 31 years. He is the superintendent of Cambridge Schools and founded the Rock Falls Alternative School.

Akers has appeared at the conference twice as the keynote speaker with his plays “Fallen” and “A Place at the Table,” and several times as a workshop presenter. He is the author of five books and three published plays. T

“Owning Your Story” is designed to leave attendees with a legacy of hope and resiliency. The keynote will focus on furthering self-esteem and building confidence to handle the challenges students face now and in the future.

Students will be presented with ways to build their capacity for resilience, including developing a willingness to ask for help and connecting to people in their environment who will help build their resiliency.

The Quad Cities Youth Conference’s mission is to provide youth with opportunities to establish contacts with community resources and enhance decision-making skills necessary for a socially complex world.

The conference was established in 1985. Past topics include stress management, gender and sexuality, suicide awareness and prevention, internet safety, mental health awareness, resiliency and more. Each presentation and workshop serve as safe places for youth to explore concepts not typically covered in the classroom.