- National Service Learning Conference
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The National Service-Learning Conference was first held in 1988 to serve as "the largest gathering of youth and practitioners from the service-learning movement" of the United States. The conference is a program of the National Youth Leadership Council, and is co-hosted annually by partner organizations in the state or region where it is being held. Sponsors of the conference include the State Farm Companies Foundation, Youth Service America, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Shinnyo-en Foundation.
The conference focuses on service-learning as a way of teaching and learning that builds academic skills and citizenship while addressing community needs in a genuine way. It convenes teachers and other service-learning practitioners, administrators, researchers, policy-makers, youth leaders, parents, program coordinators, national service members, community-based organization staffs, and corporate and foundation officers. The conference is unique in that it typically has 900 or more youth attendees that are equal contributors. Youth present, exhibit, and attend the three and a half day event like their adult counter-parts.
The conference features over 200 workshop sessions, thought leader sessions, keynote addresses, an interactive exhibit hall with a service-learning showcase and college fair, both on- and off-site service-learning projects to allow participants an authentic learning opportunity, an administrator's academy, indigenous service-learning forum, preconfernece sessions for in-depth learning, as well as countless networking and professional development opportunities. The 2010 conference will introduce the "21st Century Presentation" room, sponsored by Microsoft. This unique event space will allow for hands on learning through new technologies as well as for video-conferencing of speakers from around the country and the world. Speakers as far away as Armenia will present at the conference to attendees in San Jose, Cal. Local artists, students and community members contribute to the ambiance of the conference each year. The hallways, exhibit hall aisles and general spaces are transformed with spoken word, drumming, murals, paintings, etc. The conference takes on the culture of the city that hosts it.
The Service-Learning World Forum began in 2008 as a pre-conference session of the larger conference and is now an integral program of the larger conference. Held on the third day, the World Forum engages attendees and international leaders. The Service-Learning World Forum explores youth service and service-learning as forces that span cultural and national boundaries, building communities and strengthening young people. Discover how service-learning is implemented from Ireland, to Argentina, to the Middle East. Hear from innovative youth leaders who are addressing the world’s most urgent global issues. This forum is useful for both those working internationally and those interested in expanding their programs.
Each year since 2003 the conference has highlighted the State Farm Service-Learning Awards. Awards are presented to leaders in the field of service-learning, both youths and adults. In 2006 the first William James National Service Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by the National Youth Leadership Council in conjunction with several leading service organizations. The award was give to former Senator Harris Wofford and presented by President Bill Clinton, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and Dr. James Kielsmeier. In 2010 the award will be presented once again, this time to Donald J. Eberly. The presentation will take place on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the San Jose Convention Center. Since its inception, the conference has planted trees in each city that has hosted the event. Trees are planted in honor of award winners.
The October 2009 issue of One+ magazine featured a four-page article highlighting the conference and its commitment to the community. One+ magazine is the official publication of Meeting Planners International. One+ is the leading voice of the meeting and event industry, reaching 30,000+ industry professionals on six continents.
Contents
Past conferences
Conference Location Date Theme Attendance 22nd Atlanta, Georgia April 6-9, 2011 The Time is Now! TBA 21st San Jose, California March 24-28, 2010 Inspire, Imagine, Innovate! TBA 20th Nashville, Tennessee March 18-21, 2009 Growing Hope, Cultivating Change 2,500 19th Minneapolis, Minnesota April 9-12 , 2008 Youth for a Change 2,800 18th Albuquerque, New Mexico March 28 -31 , 2007 Beyond Borders, Beyond Boundaries 2,100 17th Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2006 We The People 2,500 16th Long Beach, California 2005 Educating for Change 2,900 15th Orlando, Florida 2004 Citizens not Spectators: Fulfilling the Promise of Democracy 2,300 14th Minneapolis, Minnesota 2003 Weaving the Fabric of Community: A Celebration of Service-Learning 2,750 13th Seattle, Washington 2002 Reflecting on the Past, Envisioning the Future 3,250 12th Denver, Colorado 2001 Partnerships for a Civil Society 3,200 11th Providence, Rhode Island 2000 Leadership for the Common Good 2,700 10th San Jose, California 1999 Powerful Connections for the 21st Century 2,600 9th Minneapolis, Minnesota 1998 One World: Youth at the Center 2,400 8th Orlando, Florida 1997 Coming Together to Create a Brighter Tomorrow 2,350 7th Detroit, Michigan 1996 A Gathering of Many Voices...Each Voice Counts 1,500 6th Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1995 Service-Learning: Integrating Schools and Communities for Learning 1,400 5th Albuquerque, New Mexico 1994 Leadership for Community Renewal 1,000 4th Minneapolis, Minnesota 1993 Facing the Challenge: Revitalizing Education, Renewing Community 800 3rd Everett, Washington 1992 Experience the Power 600 2nd Minneapolis, Minnesota 1991 Generating Change: The Power of Service-Learning - Community Renewal and Education Reform 400 1st Minneapolis, Minnesota 1989 Growing Hope: Strengthening Education and Building Communities 200 Past speakers
Conference Location Speaker 22nd Atlanta, Georgia Greg Mortenson 21st San Jose, California Sir Ken Robinson, Talia Leman, Carol Bellamy 20th Nashville, Tennessee Dr. James Hildreth 19th Minneapolis, Minnesota Archbishop Desmond Tutu 18th Albuquerque, New Mexico Dr. Jane Goodall 17th Philadelphia, Pennsylvania President Bill Clinton, Gerda Weisman-Klein, Hafsat Abiola 16th Long Beach, California Erin Gruwell See also
External links
Categories:- Learning
- Youth conferences
- Academic conferences
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