Risky_Business_Logo_Blue_2015_30and_C5153B230F942Hundreds of students, educators, counselors and parents from across Iowa will gather in Ames today for what’s known as the Risky Business conference. Jeri Bugg, of the Ames-based Youth and Shelter Services, is coordinator for the event which focuses on issues of importance to Iowa’s youth.

“We have an author,” Bugg says. “He writes books for teenagers and the particular book we’re highlighting is called ‘Thirteen Reasons Why.’ It’s about suicide and bullying, a very current topic.” A movie based on the book by Jay Asher is being developed and will star Selena Gomez.

Bugg says conference attendees will be learning about a range of topics. “Usually over 40 workshops and some of them are geared to just youth, most of them are youth and adult partnerships,” Bugg says. “Everything from therapy themes to giving kids a voice, a wide variety really centering around the issues that are effecting young people today.”

This is the 30th year for the daylong statewide conference which drew 700 people last year. The event is being held at the Scheman Building on the Iowa State University campus.

(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)