Impact Prevention hosts annual youth summit

On Tuesday, youth from across the county met at Ohio University Southern to discuss ways to reach out and create an inclusive environment in their schools.

Impact Prevention hosted a youth summit, with high school students from Chesapeake, Dawson-Bryant, Fairland, Ironton, St. Joseph, Rock Hill, South Point, Symmes Valley, and Tri-State STEM+M Early College High School taking part.

Altogether, there were about 90 students in attendance, Haley Shamblin, with Impact Prevention, said.

“Groups are mingling with those from other schools,” Shamblin said. “They’re discussing strategies to reach out, as well as being more assertive.”

This was the third year for the conference, organized by Impact Prevention, which is based in Ironton and works with youth from across the county.

Alex Gnau, a ninth grader at St. Joseph, has been involved with the group’s events for two years.

He said the goal is to give students “the tools to take back to their schools” to tackle issues.

He said this consisted of two priorities — inclusiveness and reaching out to others, and developing an assertive, clear message.

“In a way that is respectful and not aggressive,” he said.

He said groups would then focus on a problem that is “relevant to their school, specifically” and develop a plan to address it.

“And we have had a lot events in the past,” Gnau said, pointing to things such as the group’s annual suicide prevention walk, which starts at the Lawrence County Courthouse.

At the end of the conference, the schools made presentations to the others and spoke of projects they were developing.