High School Girls Propose Solutions to Social Challenges at UVI Leadership Conference
For the second year, the University of the Virgin Islands College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences hosted the “Young Ladies Learning to Lead” Conference and Competition, which according to UVI is aimed at “bringing girls together to acquire new knowledge and skills relative to personal and professional development, as well as to provide them an opportunity to learn and demonstrate leadership skills.
2024-04-09 20:07:03 - VI News Staff
Participants were female high school students from schools across the territory, who first participated in a conference prior to the competitive part of the activity. During the collaborative session, the girls were able to work on developing self-esteem, empathy, and demonstrating authenticity. They learned about various leadership styles, how to build relationships, how to effectively work in teams, and how to effectively speak in public. Students were also given training in preparing for their academic journey beyond high school.
After the conference at the end of February, the girls then had about a month to prepare for the competitive portion of the event. They were tasked with “using the knowledge and skills that they had acquired to implement an idea that would address a social problem…that impacts the Virgin Islands territory,” according to Anna Clarke, chair of the event committee. Their chosen topic had to be something that is widely seen to be a social problem in the community, having received some type of public outcry.
Additional requirements were that the problem had to be solvable using strategies that harnessed the skills of the contestants or the collective efforts of VI residents. Solutions presented should not include the expectation of assistance from any government entity, and the problems chosen must be ones that can be addressed with measurable goals towards a viable solution.
On March 27, competition day, the girls went before a panel of three judges to present their problems and solutions. Savanna Holley of the Good Hope Country Day School was ultimately adjudged the winner, with her presentation on how to solve the issue of youth apathy towards the environment.