Unemployment for America’s young adults has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression. There are now nearly seven million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not connected to education or work. Furthermore, many of these “opportunity youth” end up in costly government programs like the child welfare or justice systems. This session will explore what can be done to support greater academic and employment success for young people in the United States. It will draw on expertise from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors, as well as from young people, and includes representation from the Aspen Institute’s own $8 million grantmaking program dedicated to increasing employment outcomes for America’s youth. Stephen Patrick, Ken Thompson, Norman B. Rice, Melody Barnes