Attending the Youth Leadership Conference for the first time was a special, spiritual experience for me as a teen in our society today.  This event really helped me to see the true meaning of life as a Christian. I learned a plethora of life lessons that I can apply to my life as a high school student, college student, and a woman.

We listened to guest speakers who spoke to the youth about relationships and communication. Brother Gregory McMullen spoke to us about different relationships and how both genders should treat themselves, and others. When Brother Gregory spoke, I was moved by his enticing words of wisdom and advice. The one thing that stuck to me from his speech was that if you hang out with the wrong crowd, it defines who you are. I learned to choose my friends wisely because you may never know what can happen.

I also learned that I am a queen; no man has the right to use me. I am a precious temple, and God does not want for any man to knock my temple down. I would personally encourage other teens to attend this event because it does change you and you can learn so many things. You meet new people, and you feel like part of a community.

ABIGAIL AGBI
Ninth grader at Bard H.S. Early College II
VBCC Youth Ambassador

[hr]

The Ambassador Leadership Conference was a new experience for me.  It reminded me of a mini-Kujenga weekend retreat.  It was a good place to make new friends and hear about people’s different views of the Church.

We heard from different seminarians about vocations and how you know when God is calling you. The bishop also spoke about why it is important to stay active in your church.
Brother Gregory, our motivational speaker, always knows how to connect with the youth. He spoke about peer pressure and relationships.
All in all, it was a great opportunity and I hope to do it again soon.

KEVIN MILLER
High School Senior and
Parishioner of Our Lady of Light, St. Albans
VBCC Youth Ambassador

[hr]

As a young Catholic Christian, saying “Yes” to leadership is the first part of your calling and so it is essential to have the necessary support to keep going. The Youth Leadership Conference helped me develop necessary skills and strengthen my faith and conviction in embracing my position as the future of the Church.

With the help of inspirational speakers and spirit-filled seminarians and priests, I realized that Christ has a calling for me and I am sure that my fellow youth came to a similar conclusion. Experiencing a spiritual and fun-filled event with other youth was a blessing and convinced me to keep growing in my church.
ZEUS SUMRA
First Year at BMCC,
Parishioner of St. Matthew’s, East New York

[hr]

The Youth Leadership Conference was both a spiritual experience and it helped me in my growth as a young man. Three different seminars were held at this conference. I attended the session on successful skills conducted by seminarian Dwayne Davis. We learned about resume building and how to interact in a interview when trying to get a job.

After this, Brother Gregory McMullen gave a very powerful speech on relationships and respect. He inspired me as well as everyone else in the group to change our ways and become more dedicated followers of Christ and more active leaders in our church.

This was a youthful and spiritual experience that I would recommend to any young person who wants to grow spiritually and also make new friends in the process.
BRANDON DINGLE
Parishioner at Our Lady of Charity, Brownsville
11th grade at Brooklyn College Academy
VBCC Youth Ambassador