Winter Conference 2024: Students in Action Across the Country

As part of their service leadership training, all Students in Action (SIA) participants in a community come together for a winter conference. It’s a chance for youth to build the skills and confidence they need to lead and serve, and for them to engage with others of differing backgrounds and beliefs who are also dedicated to public service. Here are some highlights from the conferences that took place around the country this winter.

For the 2024 Winter Conference, the Delaware, New Jersey, and New York chapters teamed up to offer students a unique multi-state experience. Almost 80 youth from 17 schools and community-based organizations gathered on Zoom for a day of fellowship, collaboration, and fun. The virtual conference made the events more accessible and feedback was overwhelmingly positive from students and advisors. One student expressed gratitude for creating spaces where quieter students like herself could socialize and discuss important issues. Another student shared that they “had a great time in this session! It was awesome to ask and answer follow-up questions, and I loved interacting with the other participants who were all respectful and welcoming.” While Multiplying Good program staff are thrilled to return to in-person for the Fall conference, this was a great opportunity to showcase the value of remote leadership training.

The Multiplying Good Pennsylvania Chapter went on an incredible journey, inspiring over 250 attendees and reaching 34 of 71 SIA teams across the state. Special quests included Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, CEO of Multiplying Good, representatives from the Pittsburgh Mayor’s office and local news channel 4 WTAE-TV, as well as the Spring 2024 ChangeMakers and the Pennsylvania Chapter’s Board of Advisors. Point Park University generously hosted the conference and offered scholarships to our junior and senior students in attendance. It made for a unique and unforgettable experience for the young leaders in attendance. 

Close to 500 students attended 4 regional winter conferences in South Carolina over two weeks. As one graduating senior put it, “This is my last year and my last conference. I have been coming to these since I was a freshman. I can say with absolute confidence that Multiplying Good has changed my life. I came into this with no purpose and no passion in my life, and I found that in service! And for my seniors in the room, this is not the end of your service journey this is just the beginning. So, use those skills and use the motivation that you found in SIA to keep going whether that is through Multiplying Good or through your family, college, or workforce, continue to serve and continue to do it for the right reasons; not to glorify yourself but to serve others as good stewards. I want to leave you all with motivation and encouragement and just keep going!”

This winter conference was hosted by the University of San Francisco. Students practiced creating and presenting storyboards and had the opportunity to participate in a group service activity packing menstrual kits for a local nonprofit serving the unhoused. Volunteer educator and filmmaker David Avery created a mini-documentary showcasing the 2024 Conference, click here to watch it.

The Lafayette Region and the Indianapolis Region both hosted conferences in February. Highlights from Lafayette included Purdue professor Dr. Jason Ware and student coaches from the Purdue Honors College assisting students in a Lafayette city-wide day of service, the welcoming a new team to our Lafayette Region: Confront the Climate Crisis, and a service project guided by Co-facilitator Chris Castro, which involved writing letters to students in Ukraine. Indianapolis highlights consisted of a lively raffle featuring prizes donated by Citizen’s Energy Group, Purdue University, the University of Indianapolis, and Deloitte, welcoming a new team from Pendleton Middle School, and a service project in which students assembled snack bags for donation to the University of Indianapolis food pantry. Across the two conferences, a total of 15 teams participated and more than 100 students received training and valuable knowledge and skills to equip them to make a positive impact in their communities.

On March 6th, the Greater Boston Chapter held its Winter Conference at Tufts University, engaging 72 young people in service and leadership training. We were joined by three SIA teams, two of which are new to the community this year! The day was filled with breakout sessions and team-building activities, culminating in a group service project creating “happy spring” cards for a local senior center. A student group from Tufts University called Tufts ACTION played a key role in the conference, facilitating breakout sessions, leading icebreakers, and building relationships with SIA team members. The students were joined by members of Greater Boston’s inaugural Changemakers class and local community members who spoke about the power and importance of storytelling.

Over 60 Students In Action students, advisors, alumni, and community leaders gathered at the UIC campus in Chicago to learn, build connections, ask questions, and have fun. In addition to educational workshops designed to help participants hone their skills around evaluating and communicating their impact, students had the opportunity to interact with other students from across Chicago and with other peers and community leaders. They learned from Todd Belcore, Co-founder & Executive Director of Social Change, who shared his insights and story about advocacy, especially for those who don’t have a voice; Syedah Cabell from the Office of Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago who helped our Juniors and Seniors define their service legacy and future service opportunities beyond High School; and SIA & Obama Youth Job Corp Alum, Fatoumata Diallo, who as a panelist demonstrated that service not only impacts the communities but helps us expand and evolve as individuals.