(ThyBlackMan.com) Focused on Human Growth and Development (male responsibility, puberty, bullying and social media, and interactive fun learning experience) during this educational summit for middle and high school students.
The St. Patrick’s Day Teen Summit provided needed and transformative information to the middle and high school students not only attending, but contributing to the learning and sharing of information and knowledge.
Youth, teens and young adults need this type of engagement to empower them with knowledge and preparing them for the 
challenges of peer pressure, social exposure to sex, drugs and drinking and the vital understanding of physical, psychological and hormonal changes that happen during puberty.
Organizations like The Bridge of Northeast Florida, Inc. fill in the gaps of educational, social and community based learning opportunities that students may not receive at home or in school.
The social interaction is important with youth, teens and young adults, they have the opportunity to share what they have learned and able to properly process the information.
Critical and higher order thinking are encouraged by the students through question and answer sessions to allow students time to apply their learning to real world situations through discussion and role playing. The role playing allows the students to act out situations that they have seen or experienced to teach them skills to deflate potential violence and harm.
The diverse workshops where relevant to boys and girls, each in their separate rooms with experienced medical personnel that shared information that was age appropriate and factual. The benefits to open discussions like this are that information is not withheld, even if uncomfortable, it is better for the youth of today to understand why and how their bodies are changing.
Too many youth do not have open conversations with their parents and guardians which will lead to false information being shared among peers that can have serious health related consequences like pregnancy, transmission of STD’s, exposure of HIV which may lead to AIDS and just as importantly understand that personal hygiene is a daily activity.
Workshops composed of Male and Female Responsibility, Sexual Health and Bullying Prevention, Understanding Your Body for both males and females and Social Media Safety, Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking prevention. Presenters like William Jackson of Edward Waters College provide their experience in sharing key elements that empower the students and engage them in open and honest discussions.
These are relevant subjects that youth, teens and young adults need to talk about and allowed to ask questions. These summits provided the middle and high school students with factual information that provide them with skills that will last a lifetime and guide their educational journeys even into higher education. Many of the conflicts, challenges and struggles that children, youth, teens and young adults face can be addressed by education, mentorship and teaching them how to apply their learning to real life. The stakes in keeping our children safe are too important not to engage children, youth, teens and young adults in workshops like these.
More needs to be provided even during the summer months were teens have more down time and less supervision by adults. Education is key to keeping youth, teens and young adults out of the criminal system and keeping them in the educational system.
More information:
Cynthia Gibson, Program Manager
cynthia@bridgejax.com
The Bridge of Northeast Fl.
Jacksonville, Florida
904-354-7799×128
www.bridgejax.com
“Where Children and Opportunities Connect”
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/Bridgejax/
Staff Writer; William D. Jackson
Find out more about this talented writer over at; OCS For Education.
