Some of the challenges that young people in rural Maine face include lack of jobs, obstacles to higher education, and substance use. We’ll discuss what problems are affecting rural youth, what programs and opportunities aim to help them, and why it matters for Maine’s future.
Panelists:
Jacqueline Edmondson, president, University of Southern Maine
Don Carpenter, board president, Rural Youth Institute
Jessica E. Leahy, professor of human dimensions, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine
VIP Callers:
Vivian Noakes, rural youth organizer based in Washington County, JustME For JustUS
Thomas Watt, studied business and earned an MBA; panelist on a University of Southern Maine rural youth forum; from Greenville; his family goes back 400 years in Maine
Charlotte Smallwood, peer mentor and recent graduate, Aspirations Incubator, Rural Youth Institute
