Playing on John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural address, community advocate Al Hack challenged an audience of an estimated 600 community members to “Ask not what your county can do for you, but what you can do for your county.”

Hack was speaking during a panel discussion titled “A Community in Collaboration,” moderated by former Kansas City Chiefs kicker Nick Lowery. The discussion was part of Summit II, “Building a Better Community: Taking the Next Steps for Our Youth,” a daylong event Saturday at Lawrence High School, sponsored by Lawrence-Douglas Country Promise in partnership with the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and the Partnership of Children and Youth.

Highlights of Summit II included remarks by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Harris Wofford, chairman of America’s Promise — The Alliance for Youth, a national nonprofit organization.

During lunch, tables sponsored by local organizations with opportunities for volunteering, education and other philanthropies lined the halls of Lawrence High School.

An early-morning start and competition with Saturday’s peace rally downtown might have led to this year’s smaller turnout, which especially lacked young attendees.

“If adults put what they learned into practice, then it doesn’t matter whether youths were there or not,” said Meredith Mayo, member of the Youth Leadership Team and senior at Free State High School.

A message to Douglas County leaders was presented, calling for increased youth roles in local leadership boards. The team also unveiled its “Got Youth?” campaign to the audience while dressed in T-shirts with the same slogan.

“The audience was really receptive to the new campaign,” Mayo said.

— Teen Advisory Board member Caleb Powers is a junior at Free State High School.