By SHELBY WESTINGHOUSE, COLLEGE RELATIONS
CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State College seniors in the SW 435 class will host the annual Social Work Conference on Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the CSC campus. This year’s theme is Breaking the Silence: Healing and Prevention for Domestic Violence. The event is free to the public, with no registration required. The first 75 attendees will receive a free lunch. Current students will need to purchase lunch using their meal plans.
This year’s conference will feature three main speakers, Mandi Pratt, Ashley Wasserburger and Lisa Peden, as well as a student-led play, Revolution.
Pratt is a public speaker from Ontario, California. Personally surviving Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Pratt has first-hand experience with resilience and the journey through the plot twists in life. Through discussion, Pratt will help the audience feel more in charge of their lives through empowerment, hope and peace.
Wasserburger is the Education Director at Working Against Violence Inc. (WAVI), an organization based in Rapid City, South Dakota, that provides a community free of domestic violence and sexual abuse. WAVI empowers the youth by standing alongside them and providing logistical, educational and emotional support. Wasserburger plans to discuss trauma adaptation and resilience, helping the audience increase empathy within themselves and others.
Peden is an experienced and dedicated Bilingual Prevention and Education Specialist with The DOVES Program, a non-profit community-based domestic and sexual violence program serving nine counties in the Nebraska Panhandle. Peden is passionate about prevention, education and community engagement. Her work spans a range of activities, including delivering presentations and trainings, coordinating awareness campaigns and collaborating with local partners to address the root causes of violence.
Revolution is a play about domestic violence, performed by a student-led volunteer program from Columbus, Nebraska. The play will cover topics for adolescents such as dating violence, sexual assault, and building healthy relationships.
Agenda
7:45 a.m., Check in
8 a.m., Welcome by Dr. Kimberly Paddock O’Reily
8:30 a.m., Revolution play
10:30 a.m., Mandi Pratt
12 p.m., Lunch (free for first 75 attendees)
12:45 p.m., Chair yoga with Dr. Brittany Helmbrecht
1 p.m., Ashley Wasserburger
2:15 p.m., Lisa Peden
3:15 p.m., Mandi Pratt