BELIEF (Because Every Life is Empowering the Future)

The BELIEF Conference has grown steadily over the years. What began in 2012 with just 14 students from one high school has turned into a conference for 70 students from North Central High School, The Community School and Rogers High School in 2016. The conference took a one-year hiatus in 2017, but the BELIEF Conference is back in 2018 and eager to host students from all three high schools again.

BELIEF was proposed in the fall of 2010 by four Whitworth University students with the purpose of providing high school students in the Spokane community with college resources and the practical tools for making higher education an obtainable goal. These students recognized a need within the education system: more readily available information and sustainable support around the transition from the K-12 system into higher education. The BELIEF Team holds the conviction that an education is not complete unless you are willing to share it, and college students are in a unique position to advocate for future generations and their education.

BELIEF brings high school students from local neighborhoods once a year to Whitworth for a college-preparation program. Throughout the event, students experience a holistic view of what higher education entails. They are paired with a current college student mentor who accompanies them to all activities, answers questions, and acts as a support and friend. During the conference, students take part in a series of workshops focused on leadership, goal-setting and financial aid. They participate in focus groups to better understand what they are learning, take part in recreational and team-building activities, and spend time experiencing campus life from the student perspective. Lastly, legal guardians are invited to campus for a workshop on the process of finding and applying for financial aid.