The Merrill-Palmer Institute at Wayne State University is hosting its 19thannual Metropolitan Detroit Teen Conference on Thursday, Nov. 7th, from 8:30a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Student Center Building on its main campus in Detroit. The purpose of the conference is to bring metro Detroit teenagers together from diverse backgrounds to spend the day discovering what they have in common with each other.

The diversity isn't limited to race, but also includes economic background, inner city, suburban and those from public and private schools.

The conference will host 300 ninth and 10th graders from more than 50 schools and organizations in metro Detroit. The students will be put in small groups for topical discussions. The main theme of the discussion is "Managing Your Life." Individual topics include: Self-Image; Family; Friends; School, Community and the future. Each group will be lead by an adult facilitator that starts and monitors the discussion.

Edsel B. Ford II, board director for Ford Motor Co., is the keynote speaker. He will discuss the emerging "Knowledge Age," in which diversity is America's greatest strength.

Amyre Makeupson, public affairs manager and news anchor for WWJ-TV 62is the master of ceremonies for the conference.

Founded by the late Mary-Agnes Davis, the Metro Teen conference is designed to help teenagers understand they can make choices in life and provide teens from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to share, learn and understand different points of view.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.