Youth Empowerment Summit

A FULL DAY OF ENGAGING ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS, INSPIRE ACTION, AND CREATE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!

About the day

The 2024 summit brought nearly 100 students from all over Bartholomew County to the Columbus Learning Center for a day of learning, leading, and growing.

Students were welcomed by local community leaders, including Mayor Mary K. Ferdon, enjoyed a Keynote address, rotated through three thoughtfully-designed seminars facilitated by local experts, and participated in a connection and networking time with over 25 community partners who were eager to share their resources and opportunities with our community’s rising leaders.

Chad Russell | AP History Teacher at Columbus North HS

After several years working in the advertising world, Chad Russell took his passion for youth back to school to attain his Bachelor of Education degree from Indiana University. Upon graduation, he was hired by BCSC and has spent 14 of the last 15 years teaching history courses at Columbus North High School. Known for his creative and dynamic approach to teaching, Chad is passionate about the content he teaches and ensuring his students are equipped with the tools they need for success beyond his classroom.

Outside of the classroom, Chad serves as a life group leader for the Oasis Student Community at Community Church of Columbus and a Lay Counselor at Community Downtown. In his free time, Chad can be found playing board games with his wife, Teresa, and his two children, coaching his son’s baseball team, and cheering on his beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

Keynote Speaker

THE SEMINARS

Students had the opportunity to rotate through three sessions facilitated by local experts and supported by a Youth Ambassador team. These 45-minute workshops were designed to allow participants to reflect on their strengths, share insights with other teens, and take away resources to help them become the leaders they want to be.

mindful CHoices

“The freedom you desire does not mean freedom from the consequences of your choices. Being mindful of our choices can allow for us to feed into our true passions for a better future.” - Chad Russell

Chill Down: Stress Management 101

Skye Nicholson

Has school and life got you feeling stressed out and overwhelmed? Some days you might want to scream at world, run away from it all, or turn invisible. That is our body's natural response to stress, and we have a lot more control over it than most of us realize!

Bio:

Skye Nicholson is the founder and CEO of Soul’s Truth Coaching in Columbus, Indiana, where she conducts group seminars, workshops, retreats, and one-on-one coaching. Using personal story and evidence-based tactics, Skye guides individuals and groups to move past thoughts and beliefs that may be acting as barriers to growth. You can find Skye around town as the emcee of FFY’s annual Great Girls Wonderful Women luncheon, a Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce ambassador, and leading bi-monthly poetry workshops at Bartholomew County Public Library. Prior to moving to Columbus with her family in 2015, Skye led the science department of a multi-campus high school in Chicago, where she received a Fulbright scholarship to act as a cultural ambassador to Namibia in 2010. Skye has published two books of poetry and a guided journal. Visit Skye’s website at soulstruthcoaching.com to learn more.

Puzzle Pieces of Me

Olener Bennet

How often do you find yourself deciding if you want to stand out or fit in? Join me for a conversation in which we will explore ways you can navigate being and bringing your most authentic self in a world based in conformity.

Bio:

Olener “O” Bennett, MSEd. joined Ivy Tech in the Fall of 2016 for the Columbus Campus, in which she was the program manager of the Commit to Finish (CTF) mentoring program. Now as the Director of Student Success and Belonging, O serves as the primary mentor for iGrad, 21st Century Scholars, and Black and Biracial students in the CTF program. She also serves as the program manager for the Columbus Campus Summer Bridge program, Campus Diversity Lead, and an IVYT instructor.* Outside of her role at Ivy Tech, O. Bennett is the Founder/CEO of Coach O, LLC/Coach O Transforms, a conscious-driven coaching and consulting business, in which she empowers her clients to achieve their financial goals.

Accountability in Leadership

Jose Olivo

As a young adult, there are several ways to hold oneself accountable: Setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, being reliable and taking ownership of your actions, for example. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can develop a strong sense of accountability and responsibility that will serve you well as you transition into the workforce, college and eventually into your professional career.

Bio:

Born in San Juan, Venezuela, Jose Olivo went to Tachira University and earned his Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering in 1998. While in college, Mr. Olivo played on the Men’s Volleyball team and later became the Assistant Volleyball Coach at his University. Shortly after, he received a scholarship from the Venezuelan government to study abroad and further his education in the United States in 1999.

He began working at Cummins Incorporated in 2003 as an Account Receivable Specialist while living in Nashville, TN. In 2010, Mr. Olivo moved to Columbus, IN to continue his work with Cummins and he received his Bachelor's degree in General Studies in 2014 while attending Indiana University Columbus. Mr. Olivo began coaching Volleyball at Columbus North High School from 2015 to 2019. However, he left Columbus North to coach volleyball at Central Middle School in order to work with his daughter’s volleyball team for a year. Mr. Olivo is now the Head Volleyball Coach at Indiana University Columbus and is concurrently working at Cummins as an Account Executive Manager.