PRIDE Bermuda is presenting their 13th annual Youth to Youth Conference for high school students.

The conference will be held at CedarBridge Academy from November 11 to 13. The theme for the conference this year is "Maximum Youth, Empowering Today's Youth to be Tomorrow's Leaders.'' Pre-conference workshop selection will take place on November 10 from 5 p.m.

to 7.15 p.m. After the pre-conference selection, PRIDE will be having a "Let's Make a Deal-No Talent/Talent Contest at Pembroke Sunday School at 7.30 p.m. Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education spokesperson Patricia Pogson said: "In order to play the game, the youth will be invited to bring a bag full of any ordinary objects they have at home that might be called during the Let's Make a Deal game. The winners can win prizes.'' Interested young people can sign up to attend by calling PRIDE at their office.

Price for admission to the conference is $35 for Youth to Youth members, $40 for non-members.

For those who do not want to attend, but only wanted to attend the games, admission is $5.

The price of admission covers both fun and serious workshops, meals, admission to the games, and the cruise.

The workshops will officially begin on November 11.

Teens will be in charge of fun workshops for the youth.

They have been given fun names like Bring the Noise, The Skittle Tragedy and Wild Looks.

There will also be serious workshops run by adults.

"Locals Mike Manhardt, the Catholic Youth Minister and Mrs. Lillette Herbert, a PRIDE parent will be the speakers,'' Ms Pogson said. "This will be the first time that we have not had an international speaker at our conference.'' There will also be a Family Group discussion among the teens. These group will consist of no more than ten to 12 youths and serve as a forum for discussion of issues affecting teens.

The Family Groups will remain the same for the length of the conference. Adult trainers will help teach the youth to be facilitators.

"Danielle Riviere and Malik Showers have been through PRIDE as teens and will be the adult trainers for the conference,'' said Ms Pogson.

Mr. Showers said: "Facilitators will set the tone for discussion in the family groups.

"Though they don't lead the group, they do help make a safe and comfortable environment for the teens to discuss issues.

"The Youth to Youth Family Group activities promote discussion, team building, sharing and risk taking among members of the group.'' Teens gain a better understanding of themselves, as well as of others, through participation in these groups, he added.

The activities scheduled will include fun activities and games to allow the youth to "let loose be themselves and have some fun''. The adult forum, held on November 13 from 10.45 a.m. to 12.15 p.m., will allow members of the public, parents and adults concerned about teen related issues to have an open discussion about parent-child relationships.

The conference will close with a Youth to Youth Drug Free Cruise to be held on November 13 from 8 to 11 p.m.

"Children must attend the entire conference to enable them to go on the cruise,'' Ms Pogson said.

"This is where you send your kids to have them in a safe environment. We at PRIDE are interested in maximising the potential of any young person that wants to live a healthy, successful, drug-free lifestyle. It's all about the teen, the issues they face and how they can cope.''