The Conversations That Matter And the Skills to Have More

Participants age 14-19,   March, April, and June 2026

The North Liberty Library is one of ten libraries nationwide selected to Teen Community Conversations, a project built around having real, unscripted conversations about the issues that matter most to you.  The project is available through collaboration with Cortico, MIT Center for Constructive Communication, and PBS Frontline.

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More about this Project

This project is about having big conversations, the kind we need but don’t know how to have.  Through structured conversation, you get to have real discussion with other teens about the issues, ideas, and futures you care about. You’ll practice navigating hard topics in a supportive setting and walk away with skills that carry into everyday life.

And your thoughts won’t just stay in North Liberty. As one of ten pilot sites across the country, the highlights from your sessions will be shared locally and nationally through PBS Frontline, giving other communities a model and a spark for starting these conversations themselves.

What To Expect

The library will be hosting sessions throughout March, April, and June currently scheduled for:

• Saturday, March 28th – 10am
• Thursday, April 2nd – 5pm
• Saturday, April 18th – 10am
• Tuesday, April 21st – 5pm
• Thursday, June 4th – 6pm
• Thursday, June 18th – 6pm

What happens at each session:

• Small group conversations (4-8 people) in a comfortable session
• Each session lasts approximately 1 hour to 90 minutes (depending on how much you want to say)
• Conversations facilitated by youth project partner
• You choose the topics
• Snacks and Refreshments provided
• $20 gift card for participating! (choice of locations available)

Release Information

(For participants age 14-17: A parent or guardian must complete the consent portion of the registration form)

What you’re consenting to:

• Teen participation in audio-recorded group conversations.
• Use of First Name identification in recordings
• Educational and media use of recordings by the North Liberty Library, Cortico, MIT CCC, and PBS Frontline.
• Topics chosen by participants themselves
• Participation is completely voluntary

Questions?

Contact Nick Shimmin at nshmmin@northlibertyiowa.org or by phone at 319-626-5781

Register Now!