ACTC Young Women’s Conference a Success
The 4th annual Young Women LEAD (YWL) conference on October 11 and 12 brought a message of achievement to nearly 600 high school girls from 17 high schools in Kentucky and Ohio.
“ACTC and the community have gone above and beyond to make this conference a success,” said Nina Wells, External Affairs Specialist with Toyota Manufacturing-North America, the conference’s main sponsor. “The conference helps girls with the choices they need to make in life. They learn important information about what they can do and what they should avoid to become successful.”
Keynote speaker Julie Marie Carrier shared her life story from high school to the Pentagon to award-winning national speaker, and she told to girls to follow her ABCs of success – Always Be Confident. Area businesswomen and leaders presented sessions on careers, health and safety issues, self-image and self-esteem, empowerment and the college experience.
“My daughter came home very ‘empowered,’ and she loved the speakers,” said Mary Adams, a Guidance Counselor at Lawrence County High School who came with a group of students. “I think it was a wonderful experience, and I’m glad that our students got to share in it. I’m so thankful for all of the sponsors who make this event happen.”
This was the fourth year that the conference at ACTC’s Technology Drive Campus was sponsored by Toyota in partnership with SOAR and local supporters. The students, teachers and visitors appreciated the quality of the presenters and their messages of achievement.
In addition to LCHS, students attended from the Ashland Independent, Boyd County, Dawson Bryant, East Carter, Elliott County, Fairview Independent, Greenup County, Holy Family, Lewis County, Raceland-Worthington, Rose Hill Christian, Rowan County, Russell Independent, and West Carter high schools plus the Morehead Youth Development Center.
“The students leave feeling that they can accomplish something,” Wells concluded. “I look forward to this conference continuing for years to come.”