Thanks to a partnership between Resident Resources Network (RRN), Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), and the Urban  Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program of Franklin County (UMADAOPFC), and, youth ages 11 to 18 years of age had the opportunity to take part in a conference entitled: Navigating Social Barriers to Academic Success. The conference, which was supported by  generous donations from the Alcohol, Drug and Metal Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin County and First Merit Foundation was held on November 8, 2016 at Quest Conference Center. The day began with a keynote speech from Honey Bell Bey, a noted author and poet from Cleveland, Ohio, who helped set the tone for the day. Throughout the day, youth participated in conference sessions where they were engaged in healthy discussions about critical issues impacting their ability to do well in school, such as negative messages in music, social media, violence at home and the school, and misconceptions about sexual identity. At lunch, youth were further enlightened by spoken word performances by Fort Haye’s The Paragon and The Distinguished Gentlemen of Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to a full day of professional workshops and spoken word performances, youth also participated in a culminating town hall meeting, where they had the opportunity to ask pressing questions that they weren’t able to get answered during the conference sessions. Finally, raffles were held throughout the conference, with youth winning prizes such as earphones and Visa gift cards. Youth evaluations of the conference indicated that the youth thoroughly enjoyed the day and look forward to next year’s conference.