The event will feature an official opening ceremony to be attended by Hon. Desmond Bannister, MP (Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture), who will offer the Keynote Address and Hon. Loretta Butler-Turner, MP (Minister of State - Social Development) who will offer brief Opening Remarks.    The ceremony will be moderator by Therena Cunningham, President, S.T.R.A.W. Inc. ™ Center for Young Women ^©

Break-out presenters will include: Mr. Lionel Elliott (Director- Junior Achievement Bahamas); Inspector Sandra Miller, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Nurse Rosemae Bain, Executive Director (HIV/AIDS Centre); Mr. Derek Melleby, The College Transition Network and Mr. Jeff Yalden, MTV’s MADE Teen Life Coach.

Special Guests included Miss Teen Bahamas World; Miss Teen Caribbean Bahamas and representatives from the Royal Bahamas Police Force Cadet Corps.  Conference participants represented public and private junior and senior high schools and our special schools throughout New Providence and the Family Islands and this year, participants from University of California will be entertained by Miss Dynamite Daisy, Ricardo Clarke and Bodine Johnson.

The premise behind the theme of the conference was to deliver the message to the participants that once set, goals must be achieved.    Every day, young women are being bombarded with negative messages which challenge their self esteem and cause them to miss their target. Each participant of our conference will be given challenged to recognize, and focus on their bullseye and hit it.

New this year will be the Young Women in Leadership Awards which will be presented to: No Label, Pure Promise (Community Service – a group headed by Amy Pinder of Kingsway Academy); Richeae Williams (Civic Leadership – Queen’s College); Andysha Ferguson (Academic Excellence – S.C. McPherson Junior); Nasika Meadas (Academic Excellence - Central Andros High) and Oriska Williams (Personal Achievement – Literary Composition – Queen’s College).  

Special thanks are extended to: C Cube Seating Company &   Fresh Entertainment, Battery & Tyre Specialists, Tile King & FYP, Home General Maintenance, Mr. Tennyson Wells, Bishop Clarence N. Williams, Mount Tabor Full Gospel Baptist Church, Domino’s Pizza, Mr. Lowell Mortimer, Royal Bank of Canada, Fun Foods Limited, Wendy’s Restaurants, Galleria Cinemas, Party World, Regale Bohemia, Dynamite Productions, Total Image Management, GEMS 105.9FM, More 94.9FM, Spirit 92.5FM, Lady Shema, Bodine Johnson, Ricardo Clarke, Joy 101.9FM, Cable Bahamas – Channel 12,   Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas, The Counsellors (Bahamas at Sunrise), Ms. Nikki Russell (The Nassau Guardian), Mr. Eddie Russell,   Parents and Guardians, Minister of State - Social Development, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Department of Education, Dorsett’s Tees, The Chocol-Art Shoppe, , and the Principals and Guidance Counsellors.

Presenters from past S.T.R.A.W. Inc. ™ Center for Young Women ^© Annual Girls Leadership Conferences have included: Marshawn Evans (NBC – Apprentice), CeeCee Michaela (UPN- Girlfriends), Lakita Garth (The Naked Truth), Aric Bostick (Teen Life Coach), Deborah Bartlett (CEO Network), Annemarie Miller, Pastor Dave Burrows, Laura Pratt- Charlton, Gaye Dean, Simmone Bowe, and BahaMagician.