Graphic with a blue background and the headline “DCSS Students Pack Legacy Arena for Power in Truth Conference.” A photo shows a speaker in a teal T-shirt and jeans standing on a stage beside large lighted “PIT” letters, a red, white, blue and gold balloon arch, and a podium bearing the school system seal. A large crowd of students fills the foreground.

DCSS Students Pack Legacy Arena for Annual Power in Truth Youth Empowerment Conference

DCSS

November 5, 2026

Legacy Arena recently welcomed more than 800 Douglas County students, school leaders and community volunteers for the 26th annual Power In Truth Conference (PIT), an event focused on empowering middle and high school students to make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors.

For more than two decades, PIT has partnered with Cobb and Douglas Public Health to educate students, strengthen character and address critical issues facing today’s youth.

Keynote speaker Jeremy Anderson, whose mission is to help school communities live on the next level, captivated students with an empowering message about making positive choices and taking control of their futures.

“Your DNA does not control your destiny,” Anderson said. “Your decisions do.”

He encouraged students to think about how their choices can contribute to their future success.

Another Youth Villages speaker, Kimmy Yon, led students in breathing, grounding and other meditation exercises, providing them with calming techniques and resiliency tools they can use when needed.

Students also exercised and danced on stage during a West African-style therapeutic drumming performance led by Tatiana Rolles of Youth Villages.

Cobb and Douglas Youth Development Coordinator Dammie Ode-Martins expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic atmosphere and strong participation.

“The Power in Truth Conference was a tremendous success, and we couldn’t have done it without the incredible effort and support of CDPH staff, Legacy Arena staff, volunteers, PIT planning committee, community organizations, Superintendent Dr. Trent North and the Douglas County School System,” she said. “We’re looking forward to many more successful youth development events like this in the coming years. I am confident the students who attended left with insights, techniques and motivation that will benefit them in their life journey.”

The conference also provided students with resources to develop leadership skills and make informed decisions while equipping school advisors and advocates with effective intervention tools.

Since its inception in 2000, Power in Truth has served as a resource for youth and school advocates. In 2017, the National Association of County and City Health Officials selected the award-winning program as a Model Practice for its exemplary and replicable approach to addressing a local public health need.

If you would like to support the expansion of this impactful initiative, please reach out to Cobb and Douglas Youth Development Coordinator Dammie Ode-Martins at dammie.ode-Martins@dph.ga.gov or 470-304-1245.