St. Petersburg College's K2M Seminar For Teens Set For March 27

From St. Petersburg College:

March 24, 2021

Many teens struggle with navigating the reality of the world around them, while also working towards their goals and dreams. St. Petersburg College will address these struggles at the ninth annual Keys to Manhood (K2M) Seminar on Saturday, March 27, 2021, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

In the past nine years, this free seminar has reached over 1000 young men, normally from underserved backgrounds. This year’s free K2M seminar will engage middle and high school males of color in discussions about college and career readiness, self-awareness and community engagement. These young men hear from others who have faced adversity and how they overcame obstacles in life.

SPC Student Life and Leadership Coordinator Jason Nicholson says it is important for young men to hear success stories of others who have struggled.

“Every one of us faces certain challenges along the path to our goals,” he said. “In many cases, these challenges are not things we can change or fix. All a person can do is adjust and keep moving forward. It’s important for young men to not only know and understand that, but to hear how others have succeeded when things seemed tough.”

Each year, the conference is highlighted by a keynote discussion panel. The theme this year is “When Reality Speaks” and will feature keynote speaker Marquez Valdez-Scantling, who attended Lakewood High School and now plays for the Green Bay Packers. He will be joined on the panel by his father, Marcellus Scantling, and his football coach at Lakewood, Coach Cory Moore.

Nicholson says the one constant in the nine years of the program would have to be the audience’s takeaways.

“These speakers really get personal,” Nicholson said. “There is usually a healthy-dose of ‘real talk’ that young men don’t always get to hear. You can feel the buzz in the room. We are going to provide the same experience this year, but virtually.”

Other offerings at the seminar will include information regarding mental health, community resources, and a parent and family panel. There will also be random drawings among attendees for scholarships and prizes, thanks to generous sponsors. But Nicholson said the real prize is the experience.

“In a little over two hours, our participants will have the chance to engage with experts on the resources and support strategies available to help them meet their dreams,” he said.

Registration is now live and, though the event is for middle and high-schoolers and their families, anyone is welcome. Speaker information, session details and the full event schedule are also available on the site.

This press release was produced by the St Petersburg College News. The views expressed are the author's own.