Abstract

Where and When:

There are two options for experiencing the Grit to Grow Summit 

Grit to Grow Summit: Overnight Experience

Day 1: Build Your Future Self, Monday, June 22 Location: Lakes Region Community College, Laconia Time: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Lunch included)

Teens will be bussed to the Inn at Mill Falls in Meredith, NH

Teens will have a cookout by the lake, a chance to explore Meredith. There will be social time and a DJ.  Teens will then return to their hotel rooms to get ready for Tuesday’s events.

Day 2: Build Your Career (Parent/caregiver Invited), Tuesday, June 23 Location: Inn at Mill Falls Time: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Breakfast and Lunch included for teens, Lunch included for parent/caregiver)

Grit to Grow: Summit: One Day Experience

Build Your Career (Parent/caregiver Invited) Tuesday, June 23 Location: Inn at Mill Falls Time: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Lunch included for teen and parent/caregiver)

What will I do/what is offered:

Here are the details of the two options for experiencing the Grit to Grow Summit.

Day 1: Build Your Future Self- Monday, June 22 

Location: Lakes Region Community College (LRCC), Laconia  The first day of the G2G Youth Summit is reserved for those who register for the “Engaged Future Leader” experience and will begin at LRCC. Participants will get to experience workshops that help them build their ‘future me’ toolkits through interactive workshops focused on self-discovery, career exploration, and leadership development.  Sample workshops include:

  • Paying my bills and my Starbucks habit: How to effectively plan for future paths”- Participants will work with financial investment advisors to understand options for how to financially support themselves in the NOW will preparing for future financial needs.
  • “Telling my story: Sharing my passion to figure out what’s next”- Sometimes the best way to figure out what you want to do next is to reflect on where you have been and what excites you for what’s next. UNH Alum and Granite Goodness Podcast Creator Andy DeMeo will work with teens on how to tell their story to help them uncover where their future paths might take them.
  • “Entrepreneur in the making: Being my own boss sounds good”- New Hampshire is known for having a strong ‘small business’ culture- and the resources to support them are growing. Participants will hear the realities of the different ways to grow their own business- as well as the resources available to support them.  From business plans to financing plans, teens will hear from several NH grown small businesses how to start, build, and sustain their own business.

After a full day of learning and collaboration, the experience continues with an overnight at the Inn at Mill Falls, Meredith, NH. Teens will enjoy an overnight stay filled with fun and connection with peers. Starting with a lakeside cookout, teens will have an opportunity to explore downtown Meredith before a dance party at the Inn.

Day 2: Build Your Career -Tuesday, June 23 (these details are also for the One Day option with the exception of breakfast)

Location: Inn at Mill Falls  After breakfast, ‘Engaged Future Leader’ participants will be joined by ‘Exploring My Future’ 1-day Summit participants. Following a welcome from Community and Industry leaders from the Collaborative, Summit teens will engage in sessions alongside professionals from across New Hampshire who are eager to help them succeed. The joint sessions are designed to create an opportunity for future workforce members to engage with leaders of industry as well as education, enabling young people to see potential career and academic pathways while industry members learn about the needs of their future workforce. Morning session tracks will be industry specific, giving participants the opportunity to dig deeper into future possibilities, the resources to get them there, and the connections to make them become a reality. Sample industry tracks will be:

  • Bringing Back the Trades- Automotive, Plumbing, Welding, Electric and More
  • Careers in Helping Professions- Mental & Social Health Careers
  • Civic Engagement with a Paycheck- Careers in Government, Public Policy & Law
  • Hospitality
  • Agriculture
  • Healthcare
  • Manufacturing & Engineering

Afternoon sessions will continue with industry exploration but will also include sessions designed to help summit participants participate in giving feedback to the Industry and Community Leaders. Facilitated by NH Listens and Collaborative Partners, these interactive sessions will further the connection between current and future workforce, identifying the barriers as well as supports for engaging in the NH workforce.

Following the interactive sessions, the youth summit experience will conclude with a “Future Pathways Expo”. Co-led by the Community College System of New Hampshire, NH Business and Industry Association and Bring Back the Trades, teens will be able to meet with a multitude of New Hampshire community, education, and industry organizations. Parents are welcome to join the Expo to learn about how they can support their teens becoming “Beyond Ready” for what’s next.

The What:

Teens are constantly faced with questions and concerns about what's next. From career to college to simply living on their own the opportunities are endless but often daunting. Leaders of education, community and industry have recognized the challenges and ever-changing needs of the future workforce and have come together to form the New Hampshire Grit to Grow Collaborative, a group dedicated to creating resources and experiences to help inform and support youths forming their pathway to what’s next.

Supported by the Collaborative, the UNH Extension Grit to Grow Summit is a multi-day experience designed to expose teen participants to a broad range of academic and career pathways. Participants engage directly with representatives from entrepreneurs, skilled trades, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations from across New Hampshire. These interactions provide practical insight into workforce needs, educational options, and the skills required for success.

Why Attend:

Teens are faced with MORE career options than ever before- with a number of ways to prepare themselves. From educational pathways of 2 yr, 4 yr, trade schools to various early-work opportunities (internships, apprenticeships, job shadows), many teens don’t know where to start. Traditional ‘job fairs’ don’t always help determine a starting point or are aware of the MANY resources to help them. Designed as an immersive, high- touch experience, the Grit to Grow Summit youth experience will:

  • Connect teens with professionals and leaders from educational institutions and industry to make REAL connections
  • Engage in action-oriented sessions that will not only help teens identify and solidify their sparks, but help them build their work/life toolkit to better them prepare them for what’s next
  • Develop new social networks with teens from across New Hampshire who  are asking similar questions about their future 

Following the interactive sessions, the youth summit experience will conclude with a “Future Pathways Expo”. Co-led by the Community College System of New Hampshire, NH Business and Industry Association and Bring Back the Trades, teens will be able to meet with a multitude of New Hampshire community, education, and industry organizations. Parents are welcome to join the Expo to learn about how they can support their teens becoming “Beyond Ready” for what’s next.

Date Created

03/06/2026

Department

Extension

Publication Date

Winter 3-6-2026

Subject

Grit to Grow Family Experience

Document Type

Article

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