I attended the opening session and two more general or main sessions for FastBreak 98 and found the content and quality to be quite good. I was impressed by the number of African American youth attending the conference this year, about 10% of the total 300 kids in attendance.

I observed Student Venture using a subtle approach to youth leadership development. By this, I mean there were no heavy-handed lectures or mini institute type classes where you could expect to get the last word on leadership. Instead, Student Venture organized their conference around a rally gathering in the morning and an event meant to bring closure to the day's events in the evening. In between those events were small group sessions call "rap groups" designed to facilitate conversation among the attendees. There was a mix of elective discussions and field trip activities, all guided toward specific goals or outcomes. Examples of this would be the "Dating and Sex" elective, and the field trip to The Mall of America to witness about their faith to other young people. Student Venture presents leadership to young people not as an act done by special people, but rather the opposite. Leadership is ordinary everyday activity performed by ordinary people. Leadership is recognizing what is the right thing to do and having the courage to do it. The focus of the conference was about helping youth to recognize the right thing to do, finding the courage within to act, and identify support from people around them. The kids gained valuable strategies that will help them to stand by their convictions.