Students learn crucial life skills at Healthy Relationship Youth Summit

ROY — While many students spend their Saturdays relaxing, a group of dedicated young people gathered at Roy High School for the Healthy Relationship Youth Summit.

Organized by the YCC Family Crisis Center, this event aims to teach students essential life skills that aren't always covered in the classroom.

Alyssa Davis, a high school junior, shared her thoughts on the importance of the summit.

"When I was in junior high, I didn't really … I didn't really know what a healthy relationship really looked like," she said. "It is never too early to learn how to have good communication with romantic partners or even just, like, friends or family. This helps with a lot of different things."

The summit covered a range of topics, including boundaries, consent and more serious subjects such as human trafficking and dating abuse.

These are critical issues that young people may encounter, and the summit provides them with the knowledge and tools to understand what healthy and unhealthy relationships feel like.

"I think it takes a village," said Haylee Oyler, one of the summit's co-organizers. "I was in high school 7 or 8 years ago, and we never had any type of training on unhealthy relationships. And I can tell you from my own experience, I could have benefited from that in so many different ways, and so could all my friends."

The event, which has been held annually for several years, has earned the trust of school districts, schools and parents, helping to normalize conversations about these often difficult topics.

"I think what people don't understand is that we're not teaching about abuse," said Chloe Saffell, a high school junior who now helps teach sessions. "We are teaching how to recognize behaviors that you're uncomfortable with."

By addressing these issues head-on, the summit aims to create a safer and more informed generation of young people.

The Healthy Relationship Youth Summit is not just about education; it's about empowerment.

By providing students with the tools they need to navigate their relationships and recognize unhealthy behaviors, the summit fosters a sense of confidence and self-awareness.

These skills are invaluable, not just in romantic relationships, but in all aspects of life.

"I think that it is never too young to start talking about healthy relationships," Oyler said. "Even if they're not romantic. Right? Like friendships or the relationship you have with yourself or with family members. It's never too early to start talking about that."

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