Youth Summits are an opportunity for youth leaders with and without IDD from UCS schools across the state to gather, discover, and develop their leadership skills to further promote inclusion in their school communities. Students collaborate, learn leadership skills and best practices from each other, and take new ideas back to their school so they can continue to implement inclusive opportunities for their school communities.

Youth Summits focus on the importance of inclusive youth leadership and the positive impact it can have on the overall school community. These events not only educate and promote the values of inclusion and acceptance within schools, but they also inspire students to take a more active role in laying the foundation for more inclusive and accepting communities.

Summit topics are offered by season (Fall, Winter, Spring), so your school can attend one each season!

Our experience shows that high schools that attend at least one Youth Summit each year tend to see the greatest impact and success in student engagement and leadership development

2025-26 Youth Summits

Attending a Youth Summit

Run of Show

  • Our Youth Summits typically run from 9:30am to 1:00pm. A detailed schedule will be shared once registration is finalized.
  • To support student well-being, we include regular body breaks throughout the day—giving students time for snacks, bathroom visits, or a moment to step away and recharge.
  • Lunch is generally served around Noon, with dismissal by 1pm
  • While we encourage all schools to participate in the full schedule of events, we understand that some may need to arrive late or leave early due to school or district policies. If this applies to your group, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team so we can plan accordingly.

Who Should Attend

Schools are generally welcome to bring up to three Unified Pairs. This may vary by location. We encourage you to bring students who are actively involved in implementing UCS in your school, especially those in leadership roles, and who are comfortable interacting with peers. Please wear your school’s Unified gear if you have it!

Snacks and Lunch

Light snacks and pizza are provided at most summits. If a student has food allergies or preferences, they should bring their own lunch and snacks.

Adult Involvement

Because our Youth Summits are youth-focused and youth-driven, adult chaperones have ample opportunity to network and share ideas with their counterparts in other schools. Chaperones may be asked to assist with youth activities but will not have their own activities.

Interested in hosting a summit?

Our Youth Summits are offered at various locations across the state throughout the school year. Hosting these events at UCS schools creates a powerful opportunity for students and educators to connect, collaborate, and learn beyond their home communities.

Hosting is simple and low-lift—all we need is access to space, tables and chairs, and basic AV equipment. Our team takes care of everything else, from planning to facilitation.

Here’s what we need for a successful Summit:

  • Access to a space large enough to accommodate 100-125 individuals with tables and chairs
  • Access to a secondary space is ideal! For example, an auditorium for presentations and a gym for table talks and lunch
  • UCS Staff would typically arrive around 7:45am, with the program running 9am to 1pm.
  • AV Equipment, including a projector we can connect to a laptop, screen, and microphone
  • Ideally, members of your Unified club who can help set up and run activities
  • On-site parking for UCS staff and school busses is a plus!
  • Email us if you’re interested in hosting!