COI in the Community
EdUprising Conference 2026
The Youth Peer Support and Family Peer Support Program teams at the COI attended as an exhibitor to promote youth and family peer programs and presented at the EdUprising conference on February 27! Shelby McDaniel, a graduate assistant at the COI, along with Heaven Valdez and Chasity LaBlanc, presented "How Do We Build School Communities Where Every Student and Family Feels They Truly Belong?". This interactive presentation introduced attendees to a powerful, synergistic model: integrating Youth Peer Support Specialists (YPSS) and Family Peer Support Specialists (FPSS) to help foster a healthy school climate.
