The first McKinley Youth Leadership Conference, put on by Leadership McKinley, is slated to be held at Red Rock Park Oct. 26 through 28.
Gallup Fire Department Deputy Chief Jesus Morales was present at the Oct. 9 regular meeting of the Gallup City Council to speak for the item. Specifically, he asked the City of Gallup to be a sponsor for the conference in order to waive attendance fees at Red Rock Park.
The item discussion began with a video in which Gallup youth spoke about issues that were important to them, such as the justice system, the environment, steady income and homelessness. They also said they would like to become more involved in their community.
“Our youth are faced with more challenges and distractions [than ever],” Morales said.
McKinley Youth Leadership is a mentoring program initiated by the McKinley Leadership class of 2018. The program is open to youth ages 12-15 who are interested in developing leadership abilities to take charge in their communities.
According to the group’s website, the conference will help attendees build networks, share passions, discover strengths and develop a vision of the difference they will make in their community and beyond.
The three-day conference will include team-building exercises and breakout sessions on various topics including conflict management, social media and social styles. The sessions will be led by prominent Gallup figures including McKinley County Commissioner Bill Lee and Katherine Babcock.
“[The future growth of kids] starts with what happens at Red Rock Park,” District 2 Councilor Allan Landavazo said.
He said holding this conference “is a job well done.”
The item was approved with a 5-0-0 vote.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit: www.kickittoday.org.
By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent
