Need Help Parenting Your Teen? Judge Hatchett Here to Help

Dorchester County School District Two has partnered with community organizations, local churches, and interested parents to sponsor a parent and community summit to share tools for raising successful children on 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Summerville High School.

The event will target issues facing today’s teenagers and will provide information and resources for families. The event is free. Preregistration is requested and can be done online. 

The summit begins with an opening session at 9 a.m.

A Parent/Community Taskforce, chaired by community member Louis Smith, began meeting in May 2010 to explore ways to support families in raising successful teens who will graduate on time and who will become productive citizens. 

This group has planned a daylong event to provide inspiration, wncouragement and resources to help parents with the many issues facing teenagers today. 

The agenda for the program will include:

• Keynote speaker Judge Glenda Hatchett, author of the national best-seller, Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say and presided over the two-time Emmy nominated syndicated show "Judge Hatchett," which ran for 9 seasons. Hatchett speaks at 9 a.m.
• Parent-centered interactive workshops focusing on key topics and issues like drug/alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy/parenting, the dangers of the internet, school/home relations, positive discipline for teens, graduation requirements, parent’s role in reducing dropout and student apathy.
• Nonprofits providing information on services, programs and viable solutions for parents and children who face homelessness, hunger, family violence, sexual abuse, poor health, childcare issues, and other social problems.
• A panel of community leaders will discuss “What should we be doing as leaders in the community to get children from 'Cradle To College'?” Panel members will include district Superintendent Joe Pye, S.C. Rep. Jenny Horne and Rock of Faith Community Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Rayford A. Brown.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.