Teen Summit 2023

Sanctuary, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, announces Teen Summit 2023 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Boys and Girls Club.

This free, interactive summit will feature educational workshops, engaging art and exercise sessions, a Teen Talk panel and a closing rally with a DJ, games and door prizes.

Seeking to empower and educate local youth, morning workshops will be facilitated by trained Sanctuary advocates. Topics include self-care and self-esteem, bullying, sexual assault and teen dating violence.

Sanctuary educator Kenyata Simmons said it is important to equip youth with the tools and knowledge needed to provoke positive change in their communities and to create a culture of intolerance of violence.

“Their voice, their input and their perspective matters,” she said. “This summit creates a space where we can have substantive conversations and talk about the issues teens face in a positive, safe and responsible manner.”

Teens will get to share their perspective on these topics and more in an open-dialogue panel hosted by Simmons and six teen ambassadors.

“If anyone remembers the 1990s BET talk show ‘Teen Summit,’ it gave teens a platform to voice how they felt about a variety of issues they were facing during those times,” said Zirconia Vansauwa, Sanctuary, Inc. communications and community engagement coordinator. “With our local teen summit, we seek to create a safe space similar to that one that allows teens to express their thoughts and ideas about the world around them.”

Lunch will be provided by Little Caesars Pizza, thanks to a donation from Living Water Ministries. The space to host the event was graciously donated by the local Boys and Girls Club.

“The Teen Summit will give teens another opportunity to learn skills to prepare them to have a great future,” said Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Terrence Davis.

The second half of the day will be filled with art and exercise sessions, including Cricut creations, music and beat-making, sports, a hip-hop step class and logo design. The day will end with a pep rally.

“We look forward to sharing the day with our youth and offering education in a fun and engaging environment,” said Sanctuary, Inc. Executive Director Heather Lancaster. “Organizers and facilitators have provided a well-rounded event with a focus on topics any teen can find relatable. We really appreciate everyone working so hard to bring this vision to fruition.”

Registration is free but required. Registration now on Eventbrite by searching Sanctuary, Inc. Teen Summit 2023.

Sanctuary’s services are funded in part or in whole by state and federal funds.

For more information, visit our website www.thesanctuaryinc.com or email zirconia@thesanctuaryinc.com.