Colby Armstrong was “humbled” when he was selected to represent his high school at the second annual Ouachita Parish Youth Leadership Summit.

Armstrong, a Ouachita Parish High School freshman, and other students from local middle schools and high schools were selected for the summit.

The students who participated were handpicked from their schools because they stood out as leaders.

A total of 26 schools and 280 students participated in the conference. The annual event took place in the

SUB ballroom last Wednesday where speakers from different backgrounds spoke about various issues such as prescription drugs, tobacco-free living, healthy living and cyber safety.

Armstrong said that he was fascinated to learn about cyber safety in a program that taught students how

to take care of themselves in different internet-related situations.

“Being safer online is important to learn,” Armstrong said.

According to the coordinators of the event, the summit topics aimed to provide students knowledge and
awareness about current issues.

Jan Daniels, the youth development coordinator at the Children’s Coalition, said the workshop did not just teach students to be better leaders but to make others around them better leaders too.

Logan Weber, the director of student services for Weber Associates, spoke on “ the X Factor” – a topic that discusses how to be a positive person.

According to Weber, it’s his most requested program for students. It looks at leadership from the perspective of influence.

Our words, our actions, our attitudes, they all have influence, therefore we are all leaders,” Weber said. “(We’re) teaching them skills to bring about better results for their life and results to the life around them by increasing the influence positively.”

Weber said that it is very important for the students to stay positive be- cause it makes a huge impact in their journey to become better leaders.

“Setting goals for yourself and surrounding yourself with positive people makes you positive,” Weber said.

“The students were thrilled to be here. Everyone loved it…great review,” Daniels said.

“It’s a great day for our community. The students learned leadership skills and how to take care of themselves and their friends.”