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Wakeman Boys & Girls Club in Bridgeport hosts annual youth conference

Organizers were proud to have hosted so many teenagers in Bridgeport for the unique opportunity.

Angelica Toruno

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Robyn Karashik

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Rose Shannon

Apr 7, 2024, 1:03 PM

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The Wakeman Boys & Girls Club in Bridgeport held their annual Teen Regional Keystone Club Conference on Sunday with almost 300 teenagers in attendance.

It’s part of the Northeast Regional Keystone Conference, which focuses on leadership skills, career development and community service.

The event offered career sessions, art and STEM activities, as well as financial literacy training. Some teens even learned how to drill nails into wood to make bird feeders for blue jays, while others learned kitchen essentials like how to make guacamole.

Organizers said they emphasized the importance of having speakers and sessions that catered to as many different interests as possible.

Claire Russell, chairperson in the NRKC, said it was important to get speakers and presenters that were easy to connect to and inspiring.

It was the first time in 11 years that Keystone brought together so many youths into one place. Organizers were excited to have made it possible.

"This is definitely better than I could have hoped for, better than I expected and I'm super stoked for it,” said Russell.

"We're showing the community that they deserve it too,” said Sabrina Smeltz, the CEO of Wakeman.

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