Education easily outpaced economics and finance as the top priority. The next three priorities were voting and politics, legal justice and health care, which were almost equally ranked.

Organizers and the Urban League of Central Carolinas will cull the findings into an agenda that will be released in 100 days, said N.C. Sen. Malcolm Graham, the Charlotte Democrat who chaired the meetings.

The goal, he said, is to develop one tangible objective that the community can complete before moving on to others.

One potential idea: communitywide adoption of a low performing school, such as West Charlotte High.

"Think about what we can do if we could pull all our resources together," Graham said.

In nearly two dozen rooms Saturday, participants addressed disturbing trends such as the high percentage of blacks living in poverty and in jails.

In one room, Donnetta Butler, who teaches special needs children, called for more grass roots civic involvement. Donna Lacey, director of a free health clinic, suggested more mentoring of young kids. And Patrick Burris, a 42-year-old freelance writer, wanted to reach out to troubled black men and women who need a second chance.

"When we get these kids to change their methods and stay clean, will we be there for them?" Burris asked.

A room of about 20 elected officials barred the Observer from their discussion group after a handful complained their conversation would be stifled. Several told the Observer afterward that they discussed topics including the correlation between illiteracy and incarceration, health and hazardous living conditions and changing attitudes toward education.

"How do you make it cool to be smart?" said Jennifer Roberts, chairman of the Mecklenburg County commissioners, who didn't object to the newspaper's presence.

The most blunt talk, however, came from the kids.

"We're making decisions that kids shouldn't have to make about drugs, gangs. It's amazing how many people at our school smoke," said Cheaslei Weathers, 13, an eighth-grader at Piedmont Open Middle School.

Cheaslei joined more than 100 young people in a separate room who talked about the challenges of being a teenager today. Absent parents, disengaged teachers, and the pressure to do drugs and have sex can be overwhelming, many said.

Sixteen-year-old Leticia Clark, who is seven months pregnant, held herself out as an example for the group. She said teenagers need to think more about the choices they make.

Leticia said all she wanted was to "cuddle" with her boyfriend, but ended up doing much more.

"I chose not to be abstinent, and now I'm dealing with the consequences," she said. "I'm cutting my childhood, my teenhood, short."

Over the next several weeks, organizers plan to contact each of the 600 participants who volunteered to help with agenda efforts.

"Don't let this die," Minerva Mitchell, chairwoman of the Urban League, told the crowd in her closing speech. "We're counting on you to make a change."