We had 50 incredible youth attendees from 17 states, eight youth-led presentations, and 18 total youth presenters. Students attended workshops on various topics, including learning to advocate for one’s health services and how to speak with providers, innovations in medical technology, and strategies for fighting youth substance abuse. Most importantly, youth experienced the power of connecting with and learning from their passionate peers nationwide.
“I really valued hearing everyone’s diverse perspectives at the conference, and it helped me realize how interconnected healthcare is, especially among youth.” – Youth Participant
“When my student-based health center supervisor introduced me to these sessions, I thought it’d be a rare opportunity to work with others and gain a deeper insight about how our healthcare industry connects to the student-based health centers in our communities…everyone here has similar goals and aspirations, you feel…comfortable to engage and speak up.” – Youth Participant
“As I attended the various workshops and presentations, I built a great community of peers who shared my passions for the field of youth health advocacy. We were still able to have important conversations and discuss our personal health-related interests, regardless of the virtual format – which helped make the conference engaging and exciting.” – Youth Participant