Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., the Superintendent of Schools at Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), is set to join Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Nu Zeta Omega Chapter of Waldorf for a public policy forum on Saturday, Dec. 9. The forum will focus on addressing the crisis of suicide among Black youth and will provide resources for parents to educate themselves about mental health issues that impact youth.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required to attend. It will be held at the College of Southern Maryland, La Plata campus in the Center for Business and Industry (BI) Building, Room 113 from 10 a.m. to noon. Check-in for the event is at 9:30 a.m. Navarro will present on the panel about Parental Training: Youth Mental Health First Aid.
CCPS provides an academically challenging education to over 27,598 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 across its 37 schools in Southern Maryland. The school system offers a technologically advanced education that builds character, equips students for leadership, and prepares them for life, careers, and higher education while not discriminating on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs or practices.
For inquiries regarding special accommodations or any other information about the event please contact Nikial M. Majors or Kathy Kiessling at Charles County Public Schools’ Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building P.O Box 2770 La Plata MD 20646; phone number: 301-932-6610/301-870-3814 two weeks prior to the event while providing contact details by email or phone may be helpful as well.
Overall this forum aims to provide awareness about mental health issues among black youths and empower parents with knowledge on how they can support their children’s emotional wellbeing by providing them with practical tools to recognize signs of depression or anxiety that might lead them towards suicidal behavior.
