The Robins Community Action Team hosted its first Teen Leadership Summit at the Robins Conference Center Wednesday, June 16th.

 The Robins CAT provides a comprehensive umbrella of care for the people of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, through a combination of various helping agencies who deliver responsive community care through proactive and coordinated programs and services.

Erica Colick, Robins Integrated Prevention and Resilience Program Office Community Support Coordinator, said the CAT held the summit to promote resiliency.

“Throughout this last year, we realized we needed to hold some events to promote teen resiliency,” said Colick. “It has just been a really rough year for some of the kids and a lot of teens have not felt connected to one another like they usually do when they are at school.”

Colick said the CAT brought in leaders who have strong personalities and have a passion for reaching out to help others.

“We really want to teach the teens the lingo and the skills of how to connect with others,” she said. “Also we want to show them how to do things like prepare for their future. We want them to know how to stand up for others, to see something and say something, and to be able to assist someone in need.”

Some teens were unsure what the day would be like.

 “I honestly wasn’t sure of what we were going to be doing today,” said Ava Trussell, Teen Leadership Summit attendee. “Once I got here and found out there were going to be all these amazing different workshops, that really set off the day and I was excited for that.”

The Teen Leadership Summit is something every teen should be able to experience, said Trussell.

“It’s so beneficial,” she said. “Not only for us as growing up, maturing and learning about the real world, but just being able to connect with each other.”

Colick’s team provided a variety of classes for the teens to attend throughout the day.“We had Healthy Teen Relationships, Small Actions-Big Impact, Charting Your Course and Resilience for Teens during the two morning sessions,” said Colick. “The afternoon session was reserved for safeTALK training.”

SafeTALK is suicide prevention awareness training that teaches skills to recognize signs of suicidal tendencies and how to respond and or intervene.

Trussell said her favorite part of the summit was attending the Chart Your Course session.

“I think it is so fundamental for us as high school students to learn about what we need to do to get into college,” she said. “And even if college is not your path, they talked about trade schools and everything related to other types of two-year programs. So there was something for everyone.”

It is important for kids to attend programs like this, said Colick.

“They need to connect with other kids as often as possible,” she said. “While they are connecting, they are learning skills that will stay with them and enhance their life for the rest of their lives and the lives of others.”

Trussell agreed.

“It’s not only going to benefit me but everyone who attends,” she said. “I had an amazing time today. I am glad my parents let me come.”

For more information on this program and upcoming events, contact Colick at [email protected] or 478-222-9661.