Walk In It Inc. conducted its 17th annual Healthy Relationships Conference at King’s Fork Middle School on Feb. 11.

The conference consisted of several workshops, classes, seminars and performances and concluded with a formal banquet. Walk In It Inc. Executive Director Jennell W. Riddick opened and led the conference and was assisted by several speakers throughout the day. Conference facilitators lead workshops in communication, friendships, relationships and self-awareness throughout the morning sessions. After-lunch activities featured drama, poetry, and dance. The formal banquet featured dinner, games, dancing, a talent showcase and a presentation of gifts.

The Healthy Relationships Conference was sponsored by Walk In It and with support from Suffolk Public Schools and King’s Fork Middle School. Nearly 170 girls from Ladies of Distinction, a Walk In It program, and 19 boys from a young male mentorship program participated in the conference. Ladies of Distinction operates throughout the year at 18 sites in Suffolk, Franklin, Southampton County and Chesapeake. Each year, the individual sites come together at The Healthy Relationships Conference to celebrate, encourage and understand the importance of positive self-identity, how to choose friends wisely, how to respectively relate with peers and adults, how to handle difficult people and how to safely use social media.

“I am honored to help our students understand that they deserve and can have healthy relationships in every area of their lives,” said founder and executive director Jennell W. Riddick. “During the conference, they were given the V.I.P. treatment to let them know how valuable they are to us and to encourage them to constantly carry themselves with dignity and respect at home, school and throughout the community.”

Walk In It is a non-profit organization, founded by Riddick in 2006 and dedicated to the empowerment of girls and women. Whether in the classroom, an after-school club, a conference/retreat, or personal mentorship, the organization positively impacts the educational and social lives of its participants. Through a combination of practical life skills and empowering life improvement strategies, the organization makes a difference one step at a time.

To learn more about Walk In It and Reverend Jennell Riddick, you can visit www.walkinit.com.