Feb. 6, 2025
Keynote speaker: ‘You are leaders right now, if you want to be’
High school students from Springfield and five rural schools attended the Youth Empowerment Project Conference 2025, presented by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks on Feb. 5. The annual event brought together about 75 young people to learn about place-based philanthropy and community leadership at Ozarks Tech’s Lincoln Hall.
“I want to challenge the notion that you are future leaders — you are leaders right now, if you want to be,” said Dr. Marcos Silva in the keynote address. Silva is the executive director of RGV LEAD, which works with school districts and businesses to improve pipelines to employment in the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas. “You have value, ability and talent — don’t keep your talent to yourself.”
Dr. Marcos Silva speaks to YEP Conference attendees.
After a tour of the Ozarks Tech campus, students engaged in a placemaking exercise led by Addison Jones and Laura King of Better Block SGF. Working in small groups, students sketched ideas to activate locations like underused parks or abandoned buildings to improve the quality of life in their hometowns.
Springfield City YEP chapter members collaborate on a placemaking exercise led by Better Block SGF.
During the conference’s final session, Bailey Pyle and Nia Howard of Burrell Behavioral Health led students through a “Be Well” experience to better understand brain health and develop healthy practices for dealing with the unique stressors of adolescent life.
The CFO’s YEP program is designed to instill core values of grantmaking, service, education and fundraising in high school and middle school students. YEP currently engages students in 10 regional chapters and one for Springfield’s high schools.
