Region 7 Teens Turn Leadership Into Action

Ten military-connected teens from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska gathered in Des Moines from July 13-17 for the Region 7 Child & Youth Program Youth Symposium. Across the week, they challenged themselves, built friendships, served the community, and practiced using their voices on behalf of other military youth.

At Meals from the Heartland, participants packed 62,208 nutritious meals in 288 boxes - enough to feed 239 children for an entire year. The project showed how a focused team can create an impact far beyond the few hours its members spend serving together.

A National Guard Teen Panel representative guided participants through the Army Family Action Plan process. Teens identified issues affecting military-connected youth and developed recommendations that can be elevated to Army leadership. Their most consistent concern was awareness: young people want more opportunities to connect, but many do not know that State Teen Panels and CYP programs exist.

Master Resilience Training, workforce-readiness workshops, a climbing wall, and collaborative challenges gave participants different ways to practice communication and problem-solving. Those lessons became more effective as the group learned to listen to one another and work across state lines.

Post-event surveys averaged nearly 9 out of 10, and every participant reported feeling more supported, less stressed, or as though someone had their back. Teens also asked for smaller, more frequent regional gatherings between annual events - a practical idea for carrying the week's momentum into future programming.