42nd Annual Toledo Excel Aspiring Youth Conference Scheduled Jan. 31

42nd Annual Toledo Excel Aspiring Youth Conference Scheduled Jan. 31

Chamique Holdsclaw, a former basketball superstar whose mental health issues led to a breakdown that she overcame as part of her successful journey to mental wellness, will speak at UToledo's 42nd annual Toledo Excel Aspiring Youth Conference on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Maurice Clarett, a star freshman running back at Ohio State University, who later served a prison sentence and is now a sought-after speaker who chronicles the important changes he made to turn around his life, also will speak.

Toledo Excel Aspiring Youth is a longtime scholarship incentive program at UToledo. Its annual conference, sponsored by Owens Corning, is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in Thompson Student Union Auditorium.

Advance registration is required for the free, public conference for seventh- and eighth-graders, high school students, parents and community members.

For more information and to register, visit the Toledo Excel website.

Hailed as the "female Michael Jordan," Holdsclaw was a basketball superstar. She led the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers and their legendary coach, Pat Summitt, to three straight NCAA national championships, won an Olympic gold medal and played in the WNBA.

Through all of that, Holdsclaw was pushing down mental health issues that eventually led to a total mental and physical breakdown. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and severe anxiety, and after a long journey of learning to manage her illness, Holdsclaw has come back just as fierce. But this time, she's dedicated her life's work to mental health and wellness activism.

"Over the last several years we have seen a rise in mental health challenges with students," said David Young, director of Toledo Excel and executive director of student support in Student Affairs. "I think Chamique is the perfect person to connect with young people and let them know they are not alone, it's OK to seek help and they can overcome any challenge."

Clarett is an Ohio football legend who, as a freshman running back, led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship in 2002 and whose in-state popularity at the time rivaled LeBron James. But Clarett's path took a difficult turn following his collegiate success; he made poor decisions that culminated in a 7-and-a-half-year prison sentence. It was during incarceration that Clarett committed to a process of profound personal transformation. He immersed himself in self-education, leadership and mentorship, and since his release, Clarett has become one of the most sought-after speakers in the nation, sharing his candid reflections on overcoming adversity, mental wellness and the discipline required for meaningful change. He is the founder of The Red Zone, a behavioral health agency based in Ohio that provides mental health and addiction recovery services to youth and families, and his story - featured in ESPN's acclaimed 30 for 30 documentary "Youngstown Boys" - is a testament to the power of second chances.

"Maurice Clarett is a shining example to youth that it is never too late to pivot, turn your life around and create new pathways," Young said. "It doesn't hurt that he is an Ohio native and sports hero who has become much more."

The musical guest for the conference is national recording artist and multimedia personality and content creator Lexi. Her YouTube channel, lexitelevision, has more than 341,000 subscribers.

Registration for the conference is free through Eventbrite and can be made at the event's website.

Questions about the conference should be directed to David Young at 419.530.3815 or via email at [email protected].