DATE: 8/23/04                                                                                                   WRITER: Pamela Bryant, (803) 553-7705                                                                 EDITOR: Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

YLI to host symposium concerning troubled teens

SUMMERTON -- Clemson University ’s Youth Learning Institute (YLI) will host a “ Symposium on Troubled Teens” Sept. 16-17 at the Robert M. Cooper 4-H Leadership Center, a camp and conference center located in Summerton.

This two-day conference is designed to equip participants with skills to more effectively nurture teens in crisis into successful adulthood.

The symposium is designed specifically for parents of teens, foster and adoptive parents, teachers, social workers, child and family counselors, mental health workers, juvenile justice staff, psychologists and therapists, attorneys, and all others who work with teen populations.

The program will expose individuals who work with teens to new approaches to serving the needs of this population. Eight mini conferences will focus on critical issues facing teens in crisis, offering innovative strategies and techniques that have proven effective.

“Symposium participants will have the opportunity to learn and network without distractions,” said Sharon Easley Williams, director of youth and family programs for YLI. “From laugh therapy to a brain-based accelerated learning model and cutting-edge methods of boosting health and performance, we feel confident participants will leave with practical tools.”

Williams added that hosting the symposium at Camp Cooper will allow participants to experience the value of networking and group sharing in a laid-back camp setting.

“Shorts and sandals are required! After all, learning takes place where people feel relaxed and where there is open communication,” said Williams.

In addition to learning opportunities, the symposium will give participants the chance to challenge themselves to high and low impact adventure courses, including a high ropes course and a 40-foot climbing wall, with the assistance of trained camp staff. Free time will also offer opportunities for water recreation, as the camp grounds stretch across a 110-acre peninsula on the Wyboo Creek section of Lake Marion .

The YLI is a vital component of Clemson University ’s youth outreach effort, and helps fulfill Clemson’s mission of public service by using the research and knowledge of university faculty and staff to develop programs that specifically reach youth.

For more information about the symposium or to register, participants should contact Sharon Easley Williams at (803) 348-1368. Find out more about Camp Cooper on the web at www.clemson.edu/yli/cooper.

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