MYAN Conference, Bar Harbor, Maine

MYAN Conference, Bar Harbor, Maine
Shopping Guide
December 15, 2004

Students from MSAD 55, MSAD 72 and MSAD 61 attended a youth leadership conference in Bar Harbor. Teen in grades 8-12, from all over Maine participated in workshops from fundraising to domestic violence. The Maine Youth Action Network (MYAN) organizes the conference annually. Speakers range from a group of youth sharing their successes to clinical specialists.

Governor Baldacci opened the two-day conference with a keynote address that held the attention of over 400 students.

Getting youth involved, empowering them to communicate with adults and engaging their energy in a positive way is the message that many of the adult leaders got as they were drawn to certain break out sessions.

Students from Lake Region, Fryeburg and Sacopee Valley School District seemed eager to bring ideas from the conference back to their schools. They will tap in to groups already in place such as the Student Council, Interact Club and Natural Helpers to report their trip. Additionally, the three school districts hope to meet at least quarterly to work on a regional project. Cindy Roy, a youth leader, will be coordinating the larger group.

Funding for the conference was made available through the Bridgton Healthy Maine Partnership. This is one of the 31 partnerships of the Department of Education and the Bureau of Health made possible with the tobacco settlement funds.

For more information on the Partnership for the youth groups, call Sue McNamara at Sacopee Valley High School.