Schimmel Family to kick off National UNITY Conference

Schimmel Family to kick off National UNITY Conference

Woodland Hills, CA¬ Louisville Cardinals super sixth-woman, sophomore guard Jude Schimmel, who won the Elite 89 award for the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, will kick off the National UNITY Conference along with her parents Rick and Ceci Schimmel to be held in the greater Los Angeles area from July 12-16, 2013. The Elite 89 is presented to the student athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating in the NCAA championship finals. The Louisville women’s team lost to UConn in the national championship game last April. Jude’s sister Shoni is unable to attend as she will be playing in the World University Games in Russia.

As many as 1200 Native American Youth Leaders from throughout the U.S. are expected to attend the UNITY conference in Woodland Hills just outside of LA.

Other confirmed Keynote Speakers include: The 1491s (comedy group), Alex Shulte (LPGA golfer), Charles Pierson (CEO, Big Brothers and Big Sisters) Leroy Not Afraid (Crow Nation Legislative Branch, Justice of the Peace), and Deborah Parker, Vice Chairwoman of the Tulalip Tribes. The lineup of this year’s Keynote Speakers is gearing up to make this National UNITY conference one of the best ever!

For over 30 years the National UNITY Conference has brought Native Youth Leaders to cities all across the United States to participate in a drug and alcohol free setting. The youth led five day conference will have a packed agenda including motivational messages, team-building exercises, health and fitness activities, cultural exchange, workshops, banquet, and closing commitment ceremony.

About UNITY, Inc.

United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) is a national network organization promoting personal development, citizenship, and leadership among Native Youth. UNITY's mission is to foster the spiritual, mental, physical, and social development of American Indian and Alaska Native Youth and to help build a strong, unified, and self-reliant Native America through greater youth involvement. UNITY's network currently includes 140 affiliated youth councils in 28 states. Youth Councils are sponsored by Tribes, Alaska Native villages, high schools, colleges, urban centers, and others.