LRADAC Youth Summit: Jared Scott to Inspire Leaders

LRADAC Hosting Youth Leadership Summit in Lexington Counties with World-Renown Youth Mental Health Advocate and Musician Jared Scott

LRADAC will honor the important work of two Lexington area student-led clubs that advocate mental health and substance misuse awareness— Lexington One Community Coalition (LOCC) and the Rise Above It Lexington Two Community Coalition— at this year’s Youth Leadership Summit to be held Feb. 20.  The private event will recognize student leaders and their advisors along with a motivational talk from Jared Scott, a nationally-renown speaker, counselor, musician and youth mental health advocate.

Speaking to audiences all over the US since he was just fifteen years old, Scott’s personal experiences with childhood trauma have shaped his deep passion to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. His decision to pursue a career in motivational speaking stemmed from a tragic suicide epidemic that hit his hometown of Midland, Texas. Determined to make a difference, Jared wrote a song and performed it, along with a short speech, to rally his fellow students against suicide. From that moment on, his speaking career was born. Since then, Scott’s ongoing “Culture Shift Tour” has empowered students to take action and create lasting change in their schools, inspiring students to turn their personal challenges into meaningful movements.”

“As prevention specialists, the efforts of these student-led coalitions have been incredibly inspiring to our team,” said Ashley Bodiford, LRADAC’s Director of Prevention. “The work and innovative ideas these young people bring to the table inspire people their age, but they give us hope that future generations will have the skills they need to safeguard their own mental health and to learn about the harmful effects of substance misuse. We are also honored to have someone as captivating as Jared Scott to talk about his experiences with teen trauma to further inspire and cheer on our student-led coalitions for the amazing work they are accomplishing in Lexington County.”  

The Youth Leadership Summit is funded through a five-year project award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which supports efforts to reduce the onset and progression of substance misuse, while also promoting mental well-being. The Partnership for Success grant, now branded as the Lexington United Project, serves to enhance the capacity of local community prevention infrastructure, ensuring the sustainable implementation of evidence-based prevention programs.

NOTE: Members of the media are invited to this private event for a special press appearance with Jared Scott and LRADAC’s prevention staff at 9:45 am before Scott’s keynote speech at 10:30 am.