One of the ALL-TIME KINGS OF KEYSTONE CLUBS is FINALLY ON THE CLUBX BLOG!!!!!!!!! 👑 As you read this, BGCA’s Director of Teen Engagement LeVar Jones is on the ground at Keystone 2025 in Chicago, getting every last detail ready for teens to have an incredible experience.
Every single time I work alongside teens on something big like planning the National Keystone Conference, I’m reminded that they’re not just our future, they’re our right now. These young leaders are brilliant, resilient, and ready to face real world challenges head on. And through countless listening sessions during our planning weekend, late-night Zoom calls, and deep-dive discussions with our 2025 National Keystone Conference Steering Committee, five issues that they want to focus on kept rising to the surface, loud and clear.
In case you haven’t heard, Keystone is a club within the Club that gives teens ages 14-18 opportunities to make leadership decisions, serve others, and engage in experiences that help to shape their knowledge of academic, career community service, and teen outreach initiatives and projects. Keystone Club teens can also attend the BEST EVENT of the summer- the Keystone Conference! Each year, teens from across the country gather together to learn, get inspired, and have the most fun. But the best part? Almost everything at the Keystone Conference reflects youth voice, from the conference theme to the session topics.
This year’s theme “GO: Connect, Create, Captivate” is more than a slogan. It’s a call to action. Our teens are ready to build real connections, create bold change, and captivate the world with who they are.
Let’s talk about the top five things teens are navigating today and how this year’s National Keystone Conference is poised to respond with action, hope, and connection.
Mental Health
This remains the number one concern for teens today and it’s not up for debate. According to the CDC, more than 40% of high school students report feeling persistently sad or hopeless. Teens told us: “We’re carrying a lot, and sometimes we just need space to breathe.”
At NKC25, we’re putting mental health at the center of the conference experience. We’ll have a brand-new teen session track solely dedicated to mental health and wellness where you can expect workshops focused on managing anxiety, opening up emotionally, and tapping into peer support. The Chill Zone and Candles Experience return, along with our Emotional Wellness Ambassadors. We’re creating spaces where it’s okay not to be okay and where healing begins through conversation, community, and care.
Home Life
From economic hardship to family instability, teens shared that their home environments can either fuel their growth or hold them back. In 2024, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. lived in households with inconsistent access to food, and family stress is rising due to economic pressures.
At NKC25, we’re tackling this head-on through sessions that talk real about resilience, personal boundaries, and how to create your own safe space physically or mentally when home doesn’t feel like home. We will share stories and strategies that uplift and empower and give teens the tools to envision the future they want.
School Stress
The pressure to perform is real for teens today. From AP classes to college apps to just trying to make it through the day, teens told us that academic stress is one of their biggest burdens. A recent Pew Research study found that 61% of teens report feeling a lot of pressure to get good grades.
At NKC25, we’re unpacking school stress and flipping the script on success. The College and Career Expo will include interactive demonstrations from a range of industries, exposing teens to a variety of post-high school options that fit who they are and how they learn. Teen-led talks will dive into balancing ambition with self-worth, and the Chill Zone will offer moments to pause, reset, and breathe. Achievement shouldn’t come at the cost of their peace.
Drug and Substance Abuse
Teens are watching friends fall into patterns of vaping, weed, pills, and more. However, they are telling us it is not always out of rebellion, as too often assumed, but often out of coping. In 2023, over 30% of high school seniors reported using at least one illicit substance, and fentanyl is now involved in at least 75% of adolescent overdose deaths.
At NKC25, we’re going deep on what’s really behind substance use: pain, pressure, and disconnection. Through real talk, peer-to-peer connections, and breakout sessions, we’re equipping teens with tools to cope in healthier ways and build environments that lift each other up.
Social Media & the Impact of Screen Time
Teens continue to navigate the complex world of social media and screen time and its impacts on their overall health. On one hand, social media can be a boost for connection, creativity, and support. On the other hand, it can induce anxiety, self esteem issues, sleep loss, and cyberbullying. Nearly 70% of teens have reported some form of cyberbullying, and this is just what is reported, we know the real numbers are higher, and even if they aren’t cyberbullied themselves, teens see negative comments about others constantly online.
At NKC25, we are doubling down on creating moments of authentic connection between teens and advisors, such as the Lunch & Connect, where teens can spark relationships with other teens from their region. Teens will also work in teams with other Keystoners from across the country during The Amazing Journey Challenge, where they’ll tackle a range of activities that will spark their creative thinking and reinforce critical skills like resilience, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
The National Keystone Conference is not just a conference, it’s a movement. It is where teens don’t just name the problems, they shape the solutions. With over 1000 teens and advisors gathering in one space, we’re celebrating something powerful: a community that listens, learns, and leads with purpose. A community who connects, creates, and captivates the world! When teens are seen, heard, and empowered, they don’t just survive, they thrive. We’re not waiting for someone else to fix it. This generation is ready to lead the way.
Let’s go.
#ThisIsTheWork
#WeAreKeystone
#GoNKC25
What are the issues the teens in your Club care about? How do you authentically cultivate youth voice? We want to know! Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
