Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Mr Rashad Jones - Founder and Director EPIC Youth Services, USA is all set to inspire youths of the Virgin Islands on October 2 and 3, 2014. Photo: Provided

Members of the Rotary Club of Tortola Ingrid A. Moses and President Henry O. Creque along with Assistant District Governor Mrs Delma Maduro anticipates a positive impact from the forum. Photo: VINO

This news site caught up with the coordinating team on Friday September 26, 2014 as they were doing site preparation. Photo: VINO

Thursday’s session will be at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, Road Town and on the Friday October 3, all roads lead to New Testament of Hope Church, Virgin Gorda.

The forum is titled ‘Peace, Conflict and Resolution’ said head of the coordinating committee Ingrid A. Moses. The event will be conducted with secondary schools across the Territory including include Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada.

The forum is an annual feature of the club which in the previous years has seen a panel of adults interacting with the youths. This year that will be changed as according to Moses.

“What we decided to do as a club this year is to have a peace forum where the panelists are comprised of young persons, middle age school persons as well as having the target audience being the middle age school persons as well,” she said.

The topics this year include among others, Peer Pressure, bullying, respect and motivation. “These are issues that are being faced by our youths throughout the Territory,” said Hon Moses.

President of the Club Mr Henry O. Creque was very confident that this year’s sessions will pull, if not in excess of, very close to 1,000 participants. This he said is based on structures that are in place and also the bringing of the internationally acclaimed motivational speaker Mr Rashad Jones - Founder and Director EPIC Youth Services, USA.

“I have experienced him myself at a conference before and we know that he is going to engage very well with the young people,” said Mr Creque.

Mr Jones specializes in school assemblies, youth leadership conferences, special programme development projects and training workshops which according his bio says he is the high-impact youth expert who has as his goal to “ignite the fuse of positive change in the life of every youth I come into contact with!"

This news site was told that not only does Mr Jones talk the talk but he also walks the walk. From being homeless at the age of 18, to homeowner at the age of 22, to having traveled to 15 countries by the age of 25, Rashad knows the ins and outs of the ‘Power of Choices’.

One of his most notable projects was his work as the Lead Health Educator for the Marion County Health Department’s abstinence education programme, which is called BRAZEN. During his 8 years of leadership with this project, he helped secure more than $2 million dollars in government grant funding, implemented the programme in 8 high schools, several middle schools and many other youth service organizations.

This project reached nearly 5,000 Marion County youth each year under his leadership. During each of his 8 years with the programme Marion County experienced consistent and consecutive decreases in its teen birth rates for females 13-16 years old.

While the events are being coordinated by the Rotary Club of Tortola, Assistant District Governor Mrs. Delma Maduro said that for such activities it is customary that members of the other clubs chip in and show support. She too can testify of the EPIC experience of Mr Jones.

According to Ms Maduro, “This is going to be an EPIC forum so we want the youngsters to be there and for the parents and teachers to support their children to ensure that they are present for something that can have a positive life changing effect.”

The session is expected to be called to order promptly at 8:30am with the panelists’ leading off the first session then to be followed by Mr Jones’ presentation.