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Black and male youth summit challenges students to prepare for life after high school

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MILWAUKEE — Succeeding in college and looking at life beyond high school — that’s what a summit on the campus of UWM is encouraging young male students of color to do.

The UWM Summit on Black and Male Youth is all about getting young men to think about life after high school while equipping them with the tools to succeed.

This year’s theme, “Black Boys Thriving: Reimagining the Narrative,” is designed to expose young men to options and opportunities in their futures.

“It’s important because, for many of these young men, this is the first time they have been on a college campus." — Jim Hill, the associate vice chancellor for student affairs at UWM

The UWM African American Male Initiative organizes the summit, bringing in presenters from the community and the university to engage, inform and build confidence in the young men from public and private schools across southeastern Wisconsin.

“It’s important because, for many of these young men, this is the first time they have been on a college campus," said Jim Hill, the associate vice chancellor for student affairs at UWM. "Yesterday we had the high schoolers and it’s really important for them, but we also want to have middle schoolers come to the campus and say, 'Oh, wow. This is a world I can enter. ' "

Event coordinators estimate 1,200 to 1,300 students were served during the two-day event.