High School Recognition Day and New Generations Conference
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
FOR THESMACHER HIGH SCHOOL RECOGNITION DAY/
NEW GENERATIONS CONFERENCE
FOR THE ROTARY CLUB OF CLEVELAND
To be held March 1, 2018
It is our responsibility as Rotarians to prepare each new generation for civic participation by improving their life skills to ensure a better future. However, young adults don’t like being told what to do and often feel that nobody is listening to them or their concerns. This sense of alienation from the rest of society can be dysfunctional and violent. As community leaders, we can fulfill our promise to the younger generation by providing a forum for their voices to be heard. In a non-threatening environment, the new generation can voice their concerns, express their hopes and ambitions and seek solutions to the problems that concern them and their communities.
Purpose of the Rotary “New Generations” Conference
The purpose of the Rotary conference for new generations is to create a forum for dialogue between community leaders and young adults to:
1) Provide young adults with an opportunity to voice their concerns, articulate their vision of the future and identify the support they need to help achieve their goals,
2) Encourage community leaders to include young adults in the process of examining community needs, and
3) Instill a shared sense of responsibility for the success of the community.
Because Rotary represents a broad spectrum of community leaders and organizations, the Rotary Club of Cleveland is in a unique position to facilitate this dialogue.
Participants
The youth will be those selected by high schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as outstanding seniors for the current academic year. These students and their faculty are invited to attend the Thesmacher High School Recognition Day on March 1, 2018 starting with a motivational speaker at 8:45 a.m. and then breaking into small group discussions until 11:45 a.m.
Community leaders will be invited from organizations or will be individuals interested in the future of our community. Conference Format
The program will be a forum for discussion, not a platform for speeches or lectures. Facilitators will be trained by professional trainers to stimulate the exchange of ideas in a non-threatening environment. The process will be structured to give all participants an opportunity to contribute to the dialogue.
Location
The New Generations Conference will begin in the Bridge View Room (3rd Floor) at the Windows on the River on March 10, 2016.
Report on the Conference
The Conference will be summarized into a report for the Club, other Rotary Clubs and other civic groups and leaders, especially those who are invited to participate. It is expected that this conference will be a model for others to emulate. It is expected that the “New Generations” conference format will be incorporated into all future Rotary Club of Cleveland high school recognition programs as a regular component for community and youth dialogue.