People in the News
Youth empowerment conference offers bird's eye view to students

In photo, West Islip teacher Anne Marie DeVenti confers with a representative from another district.

Wearing T-shirts that read "Students Against Destructive Decisions," "Productive, not Destructive," and "Your character is who you are," teenagers from various Suffolk County high schools, including West Islip, Central Islip and Bay Shore, attended a Youth Empowerment Conference at St. Joseph's College in Patchogue recently, titled Character: It Becomes You. Organized by Eastern Suffolk BOCES and the Suffolk County Department of Health, the five-hour seminar on character education is part of a national movement to create school environments that foster ethical, responsible, and caring young people.

After welcoming everyone, ESBOCES student liaison Martha Kahan introduced the Northport H.S. lead students, who performed a skit, You Booze, You Lose, during which time-outs explain the need for good decision making. The educational drama, written by the teenagers with advisor Linda Skidmore, was followed by a Q & A session with the audience.

Also on the day's agenda was guest speaker Rose Samuels on the dangers of smoking. Since her laryngectomy (voice box removal due to throat cancer), Ms. Samuels uses a speaking aid device that when held against her throat produces sound vibrations, allowing her to be heard. "I made a very bad choice about cigarettes," she told her audience. "I chose to smoke because I thought it was cool. But I've learned that the past is always right on the heels of the present."

Rounding out the day were presentations by Bay Shore High School, Sachem High School, Youth Enrichment Services (YES), and additional guest speakers. The conference focused on the essential virtues of character: good judgment, fortitude, self-control, positive attitudes, hard work, integrity, humility, gratitude, fairness, and kindness. Character education seminars are part of the Healthsmart curriculum and smoking cessation

training in schools, provided by ESBOCES through a contract with the Suffolk County Health Department under its tobacco control initiative titled "Learn to be Tobacco Free."

Evaluations submitted at the conclusion showed the success of the day with comments from the individual school advisors that stated, "What a great day! Students are inspired.", "The sessions could be longer. Thank you, thank you!" and from West Islip's Anne Marie DeVenti, "I enjoyed this day and I've learned a lot."

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