New Emergency Contact for Parents/Guardians During the Summit

post 02/27/25

The confirmation Welcome Letter sent to parents/guardians and teens lists Laurie Shaw Casarez as the emergency contact for the event for you.  She has the flu! We've changed the contact to Marie Malaniz.

NEW CONTACT

(971) 382-2460

Marie Alaniz

She, Her, Ella

Youth Prevention Education Coordinator

Hablo español

Marion County Health Promotion & Prevention Services

Online Registration is now closed.

post 02/27/25 2:30pm

Missed the deadline? You can still register in-person at the event.

Meet your ILEAD'25 Youth Committee

post 02/25/25

Thanks to the teen leaders pictured (including our 2 stick people in lieu of photos), ILEAD is going to be an amazing event this Saturday.  For a list of our YC members and the schools they represent, click the Sponsors and Organizers tab.

ILEAD IMPACT Award Nominations Program is closed. Deadline was Jan 21st. 

post 02/03/25

Thanks to all those who submitted! Stay tuned for emailed announcements mid-February if you nominated.

Online Registration Is Now Open

post 01/29/25

ILEAD IMPACT Awards Nominations Deadline: January 31st

post 01/16/25

 For more detailed information see the IMPACT Awards tab on our website.

To nominate scan the QR code in the image above or go to this link: https://forms.gle/vzjFqssVf2jaY73n8

Accepting Nominations for the IMPACT Awards

post 01/06/25

Check out Awards tab for detailed info and the link to submit 1 or more nominations!

(Pictured:  2023 Youth IMPACT Award Recipient Zeta Sulzmann of North Salem High School.)

REGISTRATION begins this month. 

Stay tuned!

posted 01/06/25

Are you following us on Instagram and Facebook? 

We post alot of information there so you should probably join up!

Instagram:  @ileadyouthsummit

Facebook:  /ileadoregon 

 2025 Workshop Descriptions below!

ILEAD is offering three (3) workshop breakout sessions this year.

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: Read through the workshop descriptions below and decide on the ones you want to attend. 

STEP 2: Register at this link

Workshop Breakout Session #1:

• Becoming a Champion of Life

• [Health & Wellbeing, Personal Growth, Leadership Development, College and Career Readiness]

Presented by Amanuel Smith (aka Coach Manny) who serves as President of the nonprofit football organization Oregon Trenches University. Currently, he’s also a coach for The Frame Academy Coaches Tour in Germany and the West Linn High School D-Line coach where they just landed the 2025 6A Football State title.

Coach Manny will share his athletic journey all the way to Division I football highlighting the ups and downs of being a student athlete. Discussion will also center around how to overcome life’s challenges including "life after sports."

• Budgeting and Saving: Goals and Tools

• [Life Readiness, Financial Literacy]

Presented by Certified Financial Counselor and Community Development Specialist Jacklyn Olive with Embold Credit Union

Budgeting is the foundation of personal financial planning and allows us to manage our money by tracking our income and expenses. Since every person is different, it is important to know how to create a budget to use for their own specific needs.

Workshop Objectives: *Understand how short-term and long-term financial goals are set and utilized. *Understand the primary components of a budget and how one can be created/ maintained. *Understand the different types of income and expenses. *Learn tips to keep your budget relevant.

• Find Your Leadership Style

• [Leadership Development]

Presented by Chemeketa Community College - Bachelor of Applied Science in Leadership and Management instructor Marg Yaroslaski.

There are many buzzwords around leadership - servant leaders, coaching, lead by example - but what is YOUR leadership style?  In this workshop we will explore some of the common leadership styles and how you fit in to those.    

NOTE:  Come prepared with a story about a leader you admire AND a story about a time you led well.  We will pair that up with some current leadership theories to see what your leadership future might look like.  

• How to Maximize Your Strengths & Skills Today!

• [Leadership Development, Personal Growth, Workforce Readiness, College Readiness]

Presented by Ray White and Jessica Peterson of the nonprofit Be Blac Foundation. Due to popular demand, these two dynamic speakers are returning for another year at ILEAD!

What makes you unique is your greatest asset—and in this interactive workshop, you’ll discover how to use it to lead and thrive! Designed for high school students, this session will help you identify your strengths and gifts, understand how they shape your leadership potential today, and prepare you for success in life after high school. Whether you're focused on building your confidence, planning your future, or finding your voice, this workshop will equip you with practical tools to identify your skills and level them up to create the future you want.

Key Takeaways:  *Learn how to identify and develop your unique strengths and gifts.*Explore ways to lead confidently in your current roles and responsibilities. *Gain tools to leverage your strengths in college, career, and beyond.*Build a plan to align your strengths with your goals for the future.

Workshop Breakout Session #2:

•  The Calm in the Storm

• [Health and Well Being, Personal Growth]

Presented by Professional Counselor Associate Blanca De La Rosa with Western Oregon University.

Learn how to manage anxiety during turbulent times.

A look into the effects of uncontrollable life events on anxiety and ways of making something less severe against your catastrophizing thoughts. 

*Catastrophizing: a type of thinking that involves exaggerating the negative potential outcomes of an event or situation. 

• Credit and Debit

• [Life Readiness, Financial Literacy]

Presented by Presented by Certified Financial Counselor and Community Development Specialist Jacklyn Olive with Embold Credit Union

In today's economic society it would be rare to not use credit to pay for things such as online or large purchases, car repairs, or emergencies. Credit can be an overwhelming topic, but understanding credit is critical to the responsible management of your finances.

In this workshop, you will be given resources to help you check your credit report and score and improve that score if needed. We will also cover different types of loans and how to use loans for large purchase planning.

Debt is an important concept to consider when understanding credit. Credit and debt often go hand-in-hand, and this guide will help you understand how your debt can affect your credit standing and purchasing power. 

• Leading Through Core Values [with LEGOS]

• [Leadership Development, Personal Growth, Career Readiness]

Presented by Chemeketa Community College - Bachelor of Applied Science in Leadership and Management instructor Marg Yaroslaski.

Participants will be led through a process of identifying their values and from that moving to core values using research completed by Brene Brown. Time will be spent looking at how values show up for us. Small group activity designing communities that welcome everyone using LEGO bricks.

• Unlocking Your Potential

• [Personal Growth, Health and Well Being]

Presented by Oregon Native American Education Foundation President Ulana Cole and Board Member Maria Lua Nava.  Due to popular demand, ONAEF is back again for another year at ILEAD.

Presentation addresses challenges all youth face whether it be at home, with peers, or life in general. How do you navigate through them to become the best you can be? Begin to unlock your potential by looking inside yourself first.

• GIVE & GROW: Young Leaders in Philanthropy

• [Leadership Development, College and Career Readiness, Workforce Readiness]

Presented by Not Just Fundraising Founder and CEO Lenita Dunlap, MPA, MA

This is an energetic workshop that will teach you how to turn your ideas into real community impact! Through hands-on activities like "Event Vision Mapping" and "Rapid Fire Solutions," you'll learn how to plan successful events, build strong teams, and create lasting change in your community. Join nonprofit expert Lenita Dunlap to discover how you can become a more confident and effective young leader while having fun and connecting with other changemakers.

Workshop Breakout Session #3:

• Mental Health in Athletes

• [Health & Wellbeing, Personal Growth, Great for Athletes, All are Welcome]

Presented by WFMC Health Licensed Professional Counselor Miguel Gonzalez who also happens to be a graduate of McKay High School in Salem and former collegiate athlete.

The workshop will focus on identifying mental health concerns for athletes and then turn to improving mental health and overall well-being, your self-esteem,  and performance.  

• Investing

• [Life Readiness, Financial Literacy]

Presented by Presented by Presented by Certified Financial Counselor and Community Development Specialist Jacklyn Olive with Embold Credit Union

This workshop covers different kinds of investments and how they can help you to achieve your financial goals. 

*Understand risk vs. return and diversification, *Learn about common types of investments. *Understand common options for retirement savings. *Learn what kind of investor/saver you are and the pros and cons of each type

• Shattering Your Shell

• [Personal Growth, Leadership Development, Public Speaking, Health and Well Being]

Presented by The Salem Playhouse Founder Zach DuFault

Back for a 3rd year in a row, Mr. DuFault brings back his highly-rated workshop for ILEADers to build confidence, voice, and coping skills in life. Facilitating performing arts (acting) games and exercises, learn how you can break out of your shell and help others do it too.

• Essay Writing for College Applications & Scholarships

• [College Readiness]

Presented by Senior Associate Director of Admissions Cady Campbell of Willamette University

Here's another workshop highly-rated by past ILEADers! In this workshop, you will explore the purpose and value writing has in applications for college admissions and scholarships, provide tips on what makes strong writing, and explore ways to get started in writing confidently about yourself and your experiences.

• Value Shields: Recognizing Your Strengths and Talents

• [Health & Wellbeing, Personal Growth]

Presented by Oregon State University Master of Public Health Student Cassandra Sanchez Soriano. She’s also a former ILEADer and graduate of Early College High School in Salem.

This interactive session is all about building a personal vision board that represents who you are and where you're headed. Think "Arts & Crafts".  This workshop is both reflective, empowering, and a great brain break after a full day of workshops and summit activities. Using creativity and self-reflection, you'll design your own “shield” collage that reminds you why you’re a natural-born leader, what you value in life, and how you can use this shield at home to stay strong when life gets challenging. Let’s celebrate what makes you *YOU* and empower your journey as a remarkable youth leader!  

NOTE: Bring some of your own stickers, pictures, and notes to add to your shield.  Workshop will provide images too.

*The End*

ILEAD Youth Summit 2025 is just around the corner!

Write it in your planners. Set a reminder on your cell.

Check out our deadlines and burn them into your brain:

• January - Nominations for ILEAD Impact Awards begins. 
• Mid-January-- Registration opens here from our website. 
• January 31—Nominations for Impact Awards closes.
• February 27—Registration deadline to attend. Register before 12noon. 
• March 1—The summit is here!

Summit Schedule

Registration

Register Here

You can also click on the blue box on our event page that says "Register Here" and shows the symbol for a computer mouse with cord. On laptops, the blue box is found near the top of the event page on the left-hand side.  On a smartphone, it's found at the bottom of the page.

Registration Tips

• Be sure to include an email address you check often.

• Your registration confirmation will automatically be emailed to you.

• If under 18 years old, your listed parent/guardian will be emailed a consent form link within 48 hours of your submission. Their electronic signature is required.

Email confirmations and reminders will be sent leading up to the event too!

Transportation

There are many transportation options to get to the summit held at the Knudson Branch of the Boys&Girls Club of Salem, Marion, and Polk Counties.  

Branch Location:  1395 Summer Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97305

You can...

1. Drive (and carpool) with your own car and park in the nearby ILEAD parking lot several blocks down from the summit on Hood Street. Look for our parking lot sign. A summit shuttle will be provided to&from the event.
2. Get dropped off and picked up. NOTE: Drop off at the gates but do not drive into the Knudson Branch parking lot.
3. Ride a bus/shuttle coordinated by your school, youth group, etc. with their fieldtrip permission slip.
4. Ride the shuttle coordinated by the Boys&Girls Club for Woodburn High School students only. Shuttle will pick up at front entrance of WHS. WHS students registered will be notified directly by email with more information.  A Boys&Girls Club fieldtrip bus form will be provided.
5. Ride the Cherriots bus on the #3 or #13 which drops riders at Capital and Market Street. Be sure and figure out your routes before the event.  Cherriots customer service will even help you plan your route.  Be sure to contact them at the link above.

Bad Weather and Road Conditions on Saturday?

• We have a "2-hour delay" plan if roads are bad due to poor conditions in the morning.  The summit would run from 12noon-4:15pm (instead of 10am-4:15pm).  This modified plan would still include all workshops, if possible.
• Our 2024 summit had semi-bad road conditions in some parts of Marion, Polk, & Linn Counties but Salem-Keizer area main roads were good. We implemented a "Come-When-You-Can" plan which worked out great for everyone.  This may be another option we choose this year, if necessary.
• If weather conditions are too rough to be on the roads at all, we will go 100% virtual on ZOOM for the summit.  Zoom start time TBD.  Check your email that morning for multiple updates and check our social media sites too. Do not check here on the website; no new info can be provided here on weekends.

ILEAD will decide on which of the above modified summit plans will take place either Friday the 28th in the late evening, or Saturday the 1st by 7:30 am.

We will immediately notify participants of these changes on our Instagram and Facebook pages; through emails to youth, parents and chaperones; and, through text messages.  

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ileadoregon 

Instagram:  @ileadyouthsummit

We will make a decision late in the evening on Friday the 24th or by 7:00am Saturday the 25th.

ILEAD Impact Awards

The ILead Impact Awards celebrate the great work being done in our community around youth leadership development, volunteerism and leadership, health & safety promotion, and overall wellbeing.

Nominate here

Deadline to submit a nomination/s: Friday, January 31st.

 There are three awards:

• the Youth Impact Award,
• Youth Leadership Program Impact Award, and
• the Adult Impact Award.

For the Youth Impact Award

An award recognizing a high school-aged leader (aged 14-18*) who significantly impacts others. Their effort can impact their peers, local school, neighborhood, community, the Mid-Willamette Valley region, and/or beyond. This award thanks the recipient for their service, leadership, and example they set to teens who work to improve our world.

*Some exceptions to the age-range if the young person is finishing up high school through alternative programs that extend beyond 18 years old. 

Youth Leadership Program Impact Award

An award recognizing an outstanding teen leadership program such as student government, ASB, mentorship and outreach, or other. Program can be on or off campus, and has provided a significant impact with their school, neighborhoods, or community. 

For the Adult Impact Award

This is an award recognizing an adult, adult group, non profit organization, or program who significantly impact a local school, local community, or even the Mid-Willamette Valley region in teen leadership development and/or youth personal growth. This award thanks the recipient for investing in the next generation of leaders.

Nominations

• We will reach out to nominators on whether or not your nominee was selected. We like surprises, so don't tell your nominee(s); we will work with you or others on coordinating a surprise visit to their school or place of work. Teen awardees receive a formal printed invite to the summit.

• Anyone in the Marion, Polk, and Linn Counties area can submit or be nominated.

• Awards will be presented to youth during the summit, while adults at their place of employment on their surprise visit.

Proud Event Sponsors

City of Salem: A Safe Community Program (Substance Use Prevention)

Marion County Health and Human Services - Health Promotion and Prevention

Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties

Special Thanks 

2025 Youth Committee 

2025 Collaboration Committee

Our hard-working Collaboration Committee consists of local professionals, experts, and other stakeholders in the fields of Positive Youth Development, Adolescent Substance Use & Gambling Prevention and Intervention, Youth Health and Safety, and Leadership Development. Thank you for your service to youth!

• Marie Alaniz
• Ann Krier
• Kyle Buse
• Zach DuFault
• Ray D. White
• Heidi Johnson
• Kyle Tarr
• Joe Bosquez
• Angel Marin
• Laurie Shaw Casarez