2024 CDE Fall Conference: Creating a Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging

Youth are reporting elevated mental health concerns, drug and alcohol use, risky sexual behavior, and lack of connection to peers and adults. This is particularly true for youth who identify as LGBTQ+, minority, and/or from poverty. This session will present correlational research between these concepts through youth-reported data. We will discuss how positive youth development (PYD) and social connections can be mitigating factors that promote youth resilience. Youth from a rural, high-poverty, primarily Latinx community will present about their experiences through COVID-19 and how a wrap-around PYD approach has supported their ability to grow and learn through the challenges of the last few years. We will outline how we engaged youth and families to deliver programming that addressed physical, emotional/mental, social, cultural, and academic wellness. We will also present how experiential career learning has helped youth develop positive visions for the future.-

Session Objectives:

• After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to explain the relationship between risky youth behavior, mental health concerns, a sense of belonging, and youth resilience.
• After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to apply a socio-ecological approach to positive youth development.
• After viewing this presentation, participants will be able to identify wrap-around practices that support youth resilience.

States are taking a variety of approaches to address the complex issues facing students experiencing homelessness. This presentation will highlight policy reform strategies aimed at removing barriers to the resources and services that many youth encounter so that they can focus on succeeding in school. These reforms include recognizing the role McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons, school counselors, social workers and district staff play in academic achievement of students experiencing homelessness and helping them navigate systems of support.

Session Objectives:

• Participants will learn about state policy reforms to address student homelessness and the advocacy necessary to drive that change.

Executive functioning skills are necessary for success in life and academics. This workshop will demonstrate how executive functioning impacts academics, social and emotional wellbeing, and mental health. Participants will simulate the hardships and frustrations of having an executive functioning deficit and leave with strategies to increase confidence, independence, and the mental health of their students. Investing in students' executive functioning skills can benefit school professionals by reducing stress, improving wellbeing, and fostering a more successful learning experience for all. We invite you to our interactive workshop to problem solve, collaborate and find solutions to the everyday challenges executive functioning deficits bring.

Session Objectives:
1) Discover research-based brain development milestones and best practices for supporting executive functioning skills for neurotypical and neurodivergent thinkers.
2) Experience firsthand why students with executive dysfunction can struggle obtaining academic and emotional expectations.
3) Walk away with three easy-to-use strategies that can be implemented right away.

This presentation will include a snapshot of data around highly mobile students and higher education. Along with a panel of both secondary and post-secondary professionals to build awareness of supports for vulnerable populations on college campuses, and strategies for highly mobile students transitioning into higher education.

Session Objectives:

1. Build awareness of available supports to vulnerable populations of students on college campuses
2. Learn about various programs that are designed to wraparound students in transition to higher education options
3. Engage in discussion with colleagues about strategies for transitioning to higher education settings

Finding ways to engage placed-at-risk youth takes creativity and positive interventions. In this session, we will explore one PBIS landscape that is showing promising results in engaging these students. Creating an oasis to connect with their school, and a safe adult, while building social emotional skills, and increasing executive functioning skills.

Session Objectives:

1. Learn how this PBIS intervention improves educational outcomes for historically underserved and placed-at-risk youth.
2. Overview of the goals of the PBIS class and how to implement the intervention.