Signs marked the way to the Together Aiken County Youth Meeting, which was held in the 'B and E Gym' at USC-Aiken.

Many people were involved in making the Together Aiken County Youth Meeting a success, including these volunteers.

Joan Wilson Donnelly, Aiken County Assistant County Administrator, Clay Killian, Aiken County Administrator, Sharon Johnson and Rick Osbon talk.

Barb Rollins conducted the Home School Band prior to and at the beginning of the Youth Meeting.

High school students from all over Aiken County registered at the Together Aiken County meeting.

Rick Osbon opened the meeting to a large crowd of Aiken County high school students.

Rick Osbon spoke about the need for input into the visioning process from the high school students.

Joan Wilson Donnelly, Aiken County Assistant County Administrator, presented the groundrules for gathering ideas in small groups.

The the small group sessions began, in which:

• Facilitators explained what the youth were to do,
  
  A Together Aiken County facilitator explained how ideas about the future of Aiken County would be generated and gathered.

  
  The question that all youth were asked to answer: What can we do to make Aiken County the best it can be in the coming years?

• Students brainstormed ideas,
  
  High school students brainstorm ideas during the Together Aiken County youth meeting.

  
  Ideas for the future of Aiken County were generated by youth from Aiken County high schools.

• Facilitators listened to the ideas
  
  Facilitators at Together Aiken County's youth meeting listened to high school students as they shared ideas about the future of Aiken County.

  
  Every idea shared during the public idea gathering sessions is important, no matter how big or small.

  and

• Facilitators wrote down the ideas that were shared.
  
  Together Aiken County facilitators wrote down the ideas that were shared by Aiken County high school students at the Youth Meeting.

  
  Every idea presented by participants was written down. Each one is important.

  
  Facilitators used multiple colors of the pens, in order to differentiate ideas.

  
  Dozens of ideas in many different categories were shared by the youth. They showed that they are concerned about the future of Aiken County.

More photos of the youth meeting: