The Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference is a multi-state leadership conference that was created to bring together youth from across the southern region. (https://4-h.ca.uky.edu/SRTLC) 

 Of survey respondents, 60% of youth indicated this was their first time attending the Southern Regional Teen Leadership Conference.  90% of teens indicated they felt supported by other teens and 87% indicated they felt like they mattered.   When asked, “The most useful thing I learned at 4-H SRTLC was…,” one youth said, “The best ways to help myself and avoid peer pressure," another youth stated, "How every person has a different perspective, style and way of leading others."  Respondents were asked, “why programs like SRTLC should be supported,” and one youth said, “It helps 4-Hers potentially step outside of their comfort zones and teaches them valuable leadership skills as well as giving them the opportunity to connect with kids from other states."

This year the conference had over 400 attendees and through their community service project, were able to create 1000 paper cranes, dog toys and help spruce up the camp!   

Ultimately, the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference was designed to give youth a voice, a seat at the table, to help build a meaningful conference.  This conference allows youth and adults from across the southern region to interact and build those strong youth-adult partnerships to promote positive change in the everyday lives of youth.