City of Bridgeport Announces April Youth Summit

From the City of Bridgeport:

The city of Bridgeport has announced the Bridgeport Youth Summit to mark a new direction in support of Bridgeport youth. The day is being planned under the auspices of Bridgeport Prospers, the cradle to career collective impact movement in Bridgeport. United Way of Coastal Fairfield County is the backbone support organization for this movement. More than 65 youth and adults have been meeting for a year to make the Bridgeport Youth Summit a reality. The city is not only working to close the achievement gap, we are working to close the opportunity gap.

Bridgeport Youth Summit takes place Friday, April 1 with 1,500 Bridgeport youth, from seventh grade through 25 years of age, gathering at the Website Bank Arena at Harbor Yard between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Youth will be connected to role models and resources and exposed to higher education, career pathways, leadership opportunities and will be given the chance to contribute to the development of a youth policy agenda. There will be entertainment, announcement of contest winners, motivational speakers, workshops and leadership skill building. Local employers will be providing information and there will be other activities throughout the day.

Seventh and eighth-graders will arrive at 10 a.m. to begin their schedule of activities and depart at 4 p.m. Eleventh and 12th-graders will arrive at 10:30 a.m. and depart at 4:30 p.m. after their day of activities.

National guest speaker Dr. Adolph “Doc” Brown will present a speech to all students at 1:45 p.m. There will also be an address from Mayor Joseph Ganim. Other youth, ages 17-25, will arrive at 4:30 p.m. and wrap up at 7 p.m. before hearing from Dr. Paul Broadie, president of Housatonic Community College.