State Fair Community College TRIO Upward Bound students from Smith-Cotton High School attended the MKN Pre-College Student Leadership Conference between October 1 through October 3, at Avila University in Kansas City.

According to a news release, MKN is a tri-state chapter composed of TRIO and GEAR UP programs from Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. TRIO is a federally funded program that helps first-generation students who meet income eligibility requirements with tutoring, career exploration, scholarship assistance, study and life skills workshops and more.

UB students attended conference sessions on inclusion, diversity, conflict resolution, and leadership styles.

Students also heard from guest speakers that included Ron Lewis of the Lewis Influence and Wesley Hamilton, creator of the nonprofit organization “Disabled But Not Really.” UB students also competed in Quiz Bowl, where the S-C team of Maggy Evans, Dawson Rettke, Ethan Moore, Brooklynn Payne, Lizbeth Nandho Rafael and Fernanda Nandho took first place.

Photo 1: A team of State Fair Community College TRIO Upward Bound students from Smith-Cotton High School won the Quiz Bowl at the MKN Pre-College Student Leadership Conference Oct. 1-3 at Avila University in Kansas City. Front, from left, Lizbeth Nandho Rafael and Fernanda Nandho; back, from left, Maggy Evans, Dawson Rettke, Ethan Moore and Brooklynn Payne.

Photo 2: SFCC TRIO Upward Bound students from Smith-Cotton High School attended the MKN Pre-College Student Leadership Conference Oct. 1-3 at Avila University in Kansas City, where they participated in seminars including inclusion, diversity and conflict resolution. (Courtesy of SFCC TRIO Upward Bound)