NOBLE Youth Initiative
Since the inception of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), it has enjoyed an excellent reputation in law enforcement training. NOBLE recognized a need for a youth component to the annual conference. The organization wanted to add an educational component to the youth activities during the annual conferences, as well as enhance its long standing devotion to community. To that end, the NOBLE Youth Leadership Conference was developed. The program’s goal was to capitalize on the same training concepts that made the annual NOBLE conferences successful, such as quality speakers and offering timely and relevant subject matter related to law enforcement issues. The youth leadership conference was developed to offer an expanded and robust schedule to the youth activities. The participants not only include the offspring of NOBLE conference registrants, but young people who reside in the communities in and around the conference location. The target age of the NOBLE Youth program is 13-18. The NOBLE Youth Program, since 2002, has touched the lives of young people in At the conferences, the youth participants develop projects to be initiated in their communities. The participants gain an understanding of leadership ideals and practices, and learn the nature and purpose of leadership through community service and project development. In 2006, Hill Harper, actor and author, was ushered in as the NOBLE Youth Program’s first Honorary Spokesperson. Mr. Harper was in attendance at the conference and spoke to the youth participants about his career and his book, Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny. The 6th Annual NOBLE Youth Leadership Conference was held in |
