Record Numbers
Georgia Southern University’s 26th Annual National Youth-At-Risk (NYAR) Conference held in Savannah in March was one for the record books. More than 1,500 professionals attended the four-day event that focused on the needs of youth at risk and examined such issues as school violence, poverty, learning difficulties, underachievement, bullying and dysfunctional families.
“People come to this conference year after year because every session helps teachers, counselors, principals, law enforcement officers, social workers and anyone else working with youth placed at risk to find ways to successfully bring about change in our society,” said Eric Landers, Ph.D., co-director of the NYAR Center in the College of Education at Georgia Southern.
“This conference also provides attendees with the ability to network and meet with colleagues to discuss new ways to reach our children in positive ways,” added NYAR Co-Director Dan Rea, Ed.D.
The meeting offered participants the opportunity to hear from internationally recognized keynote speakers and to benefit from more than 120 training sessions led by educational experts. The conference is designed to help professionals create safe, healthy, caring and intellectually empowering educational environments for children and adolescents.