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The event is envisioned as a day to mark a new direction in supporting Bridgeport youth. It's being planned under the auspices of Bridgeport Prospers, the cradle-to-career collective impact movement in Bridgeport. United Way of Coastal Fairfield County is the backbone support organization for this movement.
Over 65 youth and adults have been meeting for a year to make the Bridgeport Youth Summit a reality. "It will be an exciting, relevant and dynamic day for Bridgeport youth," a news release notes. "We are not only working to close the achievement gap, we are working to close the opportunity gap."
The event will bring youth, grade seven through 25 years old, together at the Webster Bank Arena between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., to connect with role models and resources. They will be exposed to higher education, career pathways, leadership opportunities and be given the chance to contribute to the development of a youth policy agenda.
The event will also feature entertainment, contest winners, motivational speakers, workshops and leadership skill-building. Local employers will be providing information, and there will be other activities all day long.
Seventh and eighth graders will arrive at 10 a.m. and depart at 4 p.m. Eleventh and 12th graders will arrive at 10:30 a.m. and depart at 4:30 p.m. National guest speaker Dr. Adolph "Doc" Brown will present a speech to all students at 1:45 p.m., as will Mayor Joseph Ganim. Out-of-school youth, ages 17-25, will arrive at 4:30 p.m. and wrap up at 7 p.m. They'll hear from Dr. Paul Broadie, president of Housatonic Community College.
The presenting sponsor is Bank of America. Other sponsors include the City of Bridgeport, The Workplace, Inc., United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, Urban League, Aquarion Water Company, Lighthouse Program, LifeBridge, People's United Bank, RCI Marina, Turner Construction, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, O&G Industries, Inc., Career Resources, Inc., and Bismark.
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