When: April 3, 2018; 4-7pm

Where: Columbus State University campus in the Multipurpose Room at the Rec Center

Leadership Columbus is co-sponsoring a Career and College Fair to benefit at-risk youth in Columbus, GA. The event will serve youth through the Empowered Youth of Columbus.

The EYC mission is to provide meaningful out-of-school training and activities for students through a network of public and private partnerships. The EYC has been working through a Dream Catcher curriculum with youth at The Club (a teen center sponsored by Boys & Girls Club of the Chattahoochee Valley). The College & Career fair will capitalize on the investment that is being made for these youth through this curriculum. “We want youth in our community, regardless of background or economic status, to be empowered with the knowledge that they can be successful as they move forward to college or to other avenues of their adult life,” says Kristin Barker, a member of the Leadership Columbus group.

Our goals for this fair are to:

1. Expose middle and high school youth in our community to the full array of opportunities that exist as they enter high school and graduate to pursue higher education and a career in adulthood

2. Encourage middle and high school youth in Columbus, GA to begin preparing for post high school opportunities

3. Introduce the youth to resources that will help them prepare for post high school opportunities

Thirty-four vendors consisting of area business, arts organizations, city departments, and institutions of higher education will attend the fair to share information and inspiration with the youth. “We hope that many of these vendors can provide some type of interactive moment with the kids,” says Scott Sullivan, another member of the Leadership Columbus group. “This would be something like health care workers taking blood pressure or a photographer taking a photo.

We want to show the kids all of the opportunities available for them including employment in a variety of industries.”

The group organizing this event includes five professionals attending the 2018 Leadership Columbus class and six youth attending the 2018 Youth Leadership of Columbus.

Please direct questions regarding this event to Kristin Barker at 706-507-8327.