Focus Youth Conference Welcomes MTV’s Jeff Yalden

Michigan Works Youth Program Contacts:

Stephen Santellan, Career Manager, Michigan Works – 616.494.8804, ssantellan@ocmwa.org.
Margie Hughes, Youth Program Manager, Michigan Works – 616.494.8831, mhughes@ocmwa.org.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holland will host the Michigan Works Youth Program event, Focus Youth Conference. The conference will be held Thursday, June 11 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.

The Focus Youth Conference is open for registration to youths only – ages 14 – 21.

There will be four morning breakout sessions during the conference that will address the topics: Education, Employment, Healthy Living and Drug Use. The afternoon panel discussion will include ex-convicts providing insight to their life-choices and how they were affected by these de-cisions.

To register for this conference, youths ages 14 – 21 must contact Margie Hughes, Youth Program Manager at Michigan Works at (616) 494-8831 or email her at mhughes@ocmwa.org.

The keynote speaker, at Michigan Works’ request is MTV’s Jeff Yalden. Yalden is a television celebrity and internationally renowned youth motivational speaker.
Jeff Yalden has spoken to more than 4,500 youth audiences in all 50 states and representing over 48 different countries. His timely message about life and purpose is delivered with humor and hard-hitting honesty to high school and middle school-aged students around the world.

A solid motivator and educator, Jeff Yalden is a role model for youth with which he is comfortable. Yalden has spent the last twelve years touring the world, coaching and delivering his highly motivational speech to youth, educators and parents to make better life and family choices. He has saved lives and impacted youth to live a life of purpose and commitment.

So effective is Yalden's work, in fact, the National Speaker’s Association has awarded him its high-est honor. In 2002, the organization granted Yalden the title of Certified Speaking Professional. Less than 7% of professional Speakers worldwide carry the designation. Also, MTV called his show their best show in the six seasons of taping MTV MADE. His show was the longest running show seen by over 70 million youth.

As an author, Yalden has six books to his credit: They Call Me Coach (ISBN ), Keep it Simple: A Teen-ager's Handbook for Life (ASIN B0006RT7MY, Yalden Books, 2001), Traits of a Leader, 20 Ways to Keep it Simple and Pathway to Purpose (ISBN 097474820X, Yalden Press Publications, 2004). He has also co-authored Lead Now or Step Aside (ISBN 0965144747, Chespress Publications, 2000) and is a contributing author of the New York Times best seller A Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul (ISBN 1558744215, HCI, 1996).

To encourage young people to think before they act, Yalden also created the popular "Take Time To Think" wristbands. Formerly a two-time Marine-of-the-Year and Mr. New Hampshire Male America, Yalden draws upon his own life experiences to reach out to students.

“You can’t be angry about yesterday’s circumstances. However, you can choose to accept the past and make better choices today to make the circumstances of tomorrow more fulfilling, meaning-ful, and rewarding,” Yalden states.