High school students will package 10,000 meals for the hungry, Community Advocate Carlos Ojeda, Jr. to offer Keynote Address
225 high school students from Durfee High School, Atlantis Charter Public School, Westport High School, New Bedford High School, Fairhaven High School, and Wareham High School will arrive on the UMass Dartmouth campus for the University's Leduc Center for Civic Engagement Youth Civic Engagement Summit, Thursday, October 9, 2014, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at UMass Dartmouth's Woodland Commons. The Summit will include a Keynote Address from author and community advocate Carlos Ojeda, Jr., a workshop for students on using the power of their voice to make change, and conclude with a food-packaging event to raise awareness about the issue of hunger.
Carlos Ojeda Jr., author of The Power of Youth, serves as President & CEO of CoolSpeak, a national youth engagement organization delivering key programs and events to keep students inspired, parents involved, and teachers engaged. Carlos has been called one of the most dynamic speakers in America today and as a community advocate, he has worked extensively with high school and college aged youths, spreading his message of education, leadership, community activism and entrepreneurship.
Following the speaking program, noon - 1 p.m. at the Tripp Athletic Center gymnasium, students will package 10,000 meals for the hungry.
The UMass Dartmouth's Leduc Center for Civic Engagement was started in the Fall of 2008 with a mission to affect positive change in the community by increasing the breadth and depth of community service and service-learning by fostering reciprocal partnerships. UMass Dartmouth students contribute nearly 200,000 hours of service, valued at more than $5 million, to the community every year.
UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.