SHiNE and TEEN PEOPLE magazine's "Use Your Voice: A Town Hall Meeting" just keeps getting better! Like that old saying goes, things are better the second time around, and our Friday, July 28th meeting in The King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia, definitely proved that to be true. SHiNE sends a special thank you to the Junior Statesmen for bringing a busload of local youths to the forum. A total of 450 teens participated in the event!

It didn't take long for the crowd to get warmed up. Good Charlotte, a local band signed to Epic records (and huge supporters of SHiNE!) jumpstarted the event with an acoustic performance of their hot single "Little Things." Soon after, the floor was opened to teens that jumped at the opportunity to voice their opinions about anything and everything.

And Good Charlotte, being the good sports that they are, mingled with the crowd and moderated the forum. Comments about anti-violence, gun control, drug prevention and the failing education system drew loud applause. It was definitely an event where young people ruled!

Following the open discussion, teens separated into various groups for the breakout session. They choose smaller, issue-specific groups such as education, sex, health, reproductive rights and community involvement. These groups developed points for why their issue is the most important teen concern, and brainstormed about solutions. However, teens really got their chance to shine when they presented their solutions to the entire town hall assembly. Some let loose about the police brutality that recently occurred in Philadelphia, while others sounded off on incompetent politicians and teachers. Needless to say, the scene was pretty intense!

In the end, no voice was left unheard. Good Charlotte closed the meeting with more music that rocked! While some teens lined up for autographed photos of the band, others were leaving their painted handprints on an enormous anti-violence pledge wall (that will stay in the SHiNE office at the mall).