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CORVALLIS - Operation Student Safety on the Move, a youth safety organization based at Oregon State University, will host its 17th annual all-night state conference April 6-7 at Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Ore.

The program for high school students will include speakers and presentations that emphasize prevention of suicide, unintentional injuries, violence, and the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Additional workshops will address a variety of other topics, including eating disorders, preparing for college, traffic safety, diversity, teen court and youth programs.

Featured speakers include JeVon E. Thompson, a motivational speaker, who will talk on "The Power of Love and Relationships," and Ron Bloodworth, suicide prevention coordinator for the Oregon Health Division, whose presentation is titled "A Call to Action: Breaking the Silence."

"The conference also encourages high school students to form youth chapters that deal with issues that place youth at risk," said OSSOM director Debra Slover. "These youth chapters can be very effective in promoting safe, healthy and legal decisions by teens through peer role modeling, and the sharing of ideas and information."

In addition to the speakers and workshops, a variety of recreational activities are scheduled for the all-night gathering, which is expected to draw 200-300 high school students, teachers and parents to Jefferson. Among the activities are a dance, a fashion show, movies and contests. For more information, call 1-800-678-7956.

The conference is sponsored by OSSOM, which is a program of OSU's College of Health and Human Sciences. Additional support for the conference has been provided by the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association, the Oregon Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking, Trust Management, Inc., the Commission on Children and Families/Positive Youth Development, and Consumers Power, Inc.