9TH ANNUAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE HELD IN RED LAKE - P7

The Ninth Annual Youth Leadership Conference kicked off day one on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at the Red Lake High School with registration, an Honor Song, prayer and welcoming by Conference Facilitators Chance Rush, Tom Barrett Jr. and Mylo Smith; Welcome Address by Chairman Floyd "Buck" Jourdain and the Youth Council Address by Brandon Strong and Jerald Cobenais.

Workshops and presentations followed and some of the subjects included suicide prevention, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, cyber bullying, self-esteem, the value of a college education, hand-drum making, and Ojibwe language.

A Walk was also sponsored by Red Lake Family and Children Services on the Prevention of Child Abuse.

A youth basketball tournament was also scheduled for all three days, and the first day's conference featured a high school exhibition game between two Native American teams who played in the Minnesota Class A State Tournament at 7 PM in the Red Lake Humanities Center.

Although they did not face each other in the state tournament--the Red Lake Warriors were eliminated in the first round, while Fond du Lac was eliminated in the second round--there was the possibility they would meet and battle it out there. Earlier in the year FDL had beat Red Lake in Fon du Lac.

Fon du Lac took an early lead by as much as 9 points in the game, but Red Lake came rumbling right back to take the lead after about five minutes of play, and it was a lead they would never give up. The Warriors won 112-75.

Other events planed include a banquet featuring comedian "Soup Juice," a Shateboard competition and a Hip Hop Show.

Day two of the conference is on Thursday, May 1st and ends on Friday, May 2nd.

The Conference was sponsored by the Red Lake Youth Program, Red Lake Indian & Free Prevention Treatment Program, Red Lake Chemical Health Programs, Red Lake Tribal Council and Red Lake Schools.

(Salena Beasley contributed some photographs to this article.)