Second youth leadership conference set for area

By Bob Stuart

Published: July 9, 2008

During trips to school career fairs, Chanda McGuffin noticed that young people were not ready for the next step in their lives whether that move was to college or the workplace.
“You can’t start preparing for college in the 11th grade,’’ said McGuffin, a Waynesboro High School graduate who works as a branch manager for First Citizens Bank in Staunton.
A year ago after much thought and work, McGuffin organized the first Multi-Cultural Leadership Conference.
The second annual conference will be held July 31 through Aug. 3 at three area schools. It is targeted for students in grades 6-12 in the Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro school districts.
A workshop on goal setting and one on interviewing are planned, as well as a career and college fair.
Representatives of Virginia colleges and universities will appear at the college fair, and local employers and recruitment agencies will come to the job fair.
Other activities are planned over three days to help students organize their futures better. There is also a workshop for parents.
“The key is to get them [students] to think about the things they like so they can make decisions appropriate for the transition,’’ McGuffin said.
Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Robin Crowder said the conference can be of great benefit.
“This is really designed for kids who need some direction and guidance and to know what the possibilities are,’’ Crowder said. “Chanda brings a different perspective because she is in the business world. She is very interested in bringing inspiration and hope for the part of our community who does not know what the possibilities are.”
The conference’s major facilitator will be Joseph Robinson Jr.,  a former Pennsylvania Department of Transportation administrator who oversaw the performance improvement and metrics divisions.
Robinson is a University of Virginia graduate and the author of a recently published book, “7 Leadership Imperatives From A Wild Man.”
McGuffin hopes that 100 to 150 students will enroll for this year’s conference.
Registration takes place July 30, at Valley-Vocational Technical Center in Fishersville at 6:30 p.m.
McGuffin said about 50 students attended last year’s conference.
“We received feedback from the kids,’’ McGuffin said. “They told us the things they didn’t like and what workshops they did and didn’t like.”