**Empowering Youth for a Better Tomorrow: The Passaic County Teen Summit**
The Passaic County Teen Summit is a dynamic, biannual event that brings together 250 high school students from each of the 25 high schools across the county. Held every spring and fall, the summit serves as a platform for young people to engage in meaningful dialogue, develop leadership skills, and inspire positive change within their communities.
This impactful event is made possible through the collaboration of key organizations, including the Passaic County Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, United for Prevention in Passaic County, the Office of the Executive County Superintendent of Schools, the Passaic County Teen Summit Committee, and the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute (LMTI). Together, these partners are committed to empowering youth and addressing pressing issues that affect teens today.
Central to the summit’s mission is the involvement of LMTI, which provides participants with valuable training in leadership development, team-building activities, and action-oriented workshops. These workshops equip students with practical strategies for driving community-level change, such as creating impactful public service announcements (PSAs) and implementing environmental strategies to improve their surroundings.
A notable feature of the Teen Summit is the participation of Passaic High School students, including members of Teen PEP (Teen Prevention Education Program). These students bring their energy and creativity to the event by taking part in a PSA contest, where they develop and present public service messages aimed at addressing important topics such as mental health, substance abuse prevention, and healthy decision-making. The contest not only provides a platform for students to voice their concerns and ideas but also enhances their skills in communication and advocacy, enabling them to be agents of change in their school and beyond.
By fostering a culture of empowerment and equipping students with the tools needed to enact change, the Passaic County Teen Summit plays a crucial role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
