Registration Information and Costs:

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1 The 2015 Ignite Conference is a fun, exciting, and engaging event that is 100% volunteer focused. This year s conference will feature speakers, breakouts, and events that celebrate, empower, and prepare our Affiliates to take Destination Imagination to the next level. All Destination Imagination Affiliate volunteers are invited to attend and participate in this event. Content and sessions have been designed to be specifically applicable to Affiliate Directors, Affiliate board members, Regional Directors, and other volunteer leaders within Affiliates. Conference Dates: Thursday, July 23 rd to Saturday, July 25 th. (Check-in after 3PM July 23 rd ) Conference Location: Hilton Downtown Knoxville- 501 W. Church St. Knoxville, TN Conference Contacts: Programming and Sessions: Mike Judkins- mjudkins@dihq.org Logistics and Travel: Kris Beisel- kbeisel@dihq.org Registration Information and Costs: Ignite 2015 Conference Fees: The cost of the 2015 Ignite Conference is $400 per attendee. Conference fees cover room and board, airport transfers, all presenters and breakout sessions, and all conference materials. All attendees must be registered no later than Wednesday, July 8 th. Registration Package Options: Registration Package 1: Full Conference- Double Occupancy- $400 Registration Package 2: Full Conference- Single Occupancy- $500 Registration Package 3: Friday Only Conference- Commuter (no hotel)- $150 Add-on 1: New AD Training. Wednesday Night Room and Board- $100 Add-on 2: Saturday Board Meeting Extension- Room Only (no meals)- $75 Travel and Conference Reimbursement: DI Headquarters will provide reimbursements for the following Affiliate volunteers: Affiliate Director (non-provisional): One Affiliate Director representative from each Affiliate. Provisional Affiliates are responsible for Ignite travel and conference costs as stated in the Affiliate License Agreement. Complimentary Conference Fees- Arrive Thursday, depart Saturday. Double occupancy. Travel Reimbursement: Domestic - $500 International - $750 Affiliate Growth Director (must be approved for by Brownie Mitchell): Complimentary Conference Fees- Arrive Thursday, depart Saturday. Double occupancy. Travel Reimbursement: Domestic AGD- $500 International AGD- $750 Regional Director (must have 100 or more teams in Region during ): 50% discount on Conference Fees. Individual responsible for travel costs. New Affiliate Director Training: Any Affiliate Director who began as AD during the season or later will be eligible to attend a full-day new AD training on Thursday, July 23 rd from 9AM to 5PM. Complimentary room and board will be provided so that new ADs can arrive on Wednesday, July 22 nd in preparation for 9AM training. Affiliate Directors that have been established for more than two years are welcome to attend the training as well and may choose to arrive on Wednesday and add on an extra night of room and board or plan Thursday travel accordingly to arrive for training. 1

2 Conference Agenda Thursday, July 23 rd 9:00AM 5:00 PM 6:30PM 9:30PM New Affiliate Director Training Welcome Event Friday, July 24 th 7:00AM 8:00AM 8:00AM 9:00AM Breakfast Opening General Session 9:15AM 10:30AM Breakout Session Block 1 10:45AM 12:00PM Breakout Session Block 2 12:00PM 1:00PM Lunch 1:00PM 2:15PM Breakout Session Block 3 2:30 PM 3:45 PM Breakout Session Block 4 4:00PM 5:30PM 6:00PM 7:00PM 7:00PM 9:00PM 9:00PM 12:00AM Closing General Session Affiliate Directors Event Affiliate Celebration Dinner and Awards Presentation Affiliate Celebration Activity Saturday, July 25 th 7:30AM 8:30AM 8:30AM 12:00PM 12:00PM 1:00PM 1:00PM 3:00PM Breakfast Group Breakouts- DIAD, AGDs, Training, International Meeting Lunch and Conference Departures Board of Trustees Brainstorm Session and Open Meeting 2

3 Affiliate Outreach Strategies Presented by Brownie Mitchell Breakout Session Descriptions How can we reach new and larger audiences? How do we make better connections with parents, teachers, partners, and decision makers? What are each of our audiences looking for in Destination Imagination? Get answers to all of these questions and more in this session as you take an in-depth look at who DI audiences are, what is important to each of them, and how to make meaningful connections with them on an individual basis. Understanding diverse audiences and designing unique strategies for outreach Selecting the conference or event that will give you the most bang for the buck o Designing your booth and materials for the most impact o Activities that effectively showcase Destination Imagination Communicating the transformative properties of Destination Imagination Affiliate Retention Strategies Presented by Kris Beisel According to an article in Forbes magazine, "...attracting new customers will cost your company 5 times more than keeping an existing customer." Considering that our main cost is time, keeping the teams we already have is a strategic way to increase our team counts. This session will discuss methods that Affiliates have used to retain teams, look at business practices that we can apply to team retention, and generate new ideas that we can all use to keep our constituents happy. Ensuring that every team and volunteer has a powerful, impactful, and fun experience Supporting and developing current Team Managers and school/group relationships Discuss new and innovative ideas to ensure that we retain the teams we have Strategic Planning I- Beginners Planning Session Presented by Mike Judkins and Sarah Benczik This session will explore the ideas and processes of strategic planning, goal setting/measuring, and financial planning and how they relate to running a DI Region and/or Affiliate. Learn how to make planning and budgeting easy and fun so that these crucial business tasks are something that your volunteers will want to participate in! Utilizing the skills in this session will help your DI organization to focus, grow, and prosper in an ever-changing business landscape. Processes and tools in organization and business analysis Creating a strong and concise Mission and Vision statement Steps in creating a strong and visionary strategic planning document 3

4 Strategic Planning II- Advanced Planning and Business Techniques Presented by Mike Judkins and Sarah Benczik As an extension to Strategic Planning I session, this advanced session will take strategic planning concepts to the next level and will focus on implementing and utilizing a strategic plan in your organization along with other business planning tools. Utilizing the skills in this session will help your DI organization to reflect, self-assess, and become more lean and efficient in order to run better as a business unit. Successful implementation, communication, and review of a strategic plan Using a strategic plan as a decision making tool- budgeting, programming, and more Implementing budgeting, review, and decision making tools into an organization Breaking DI- Leveraging DI s Challenge Development Process For the Future Presented by Andrew Whitmire Destination Imagination has been developing unique, one-of-a-kind and educationally innovative Challenges for more than 15 years. How does DI do it? In this session, not only will you learn how DI has developed such Team Challenge hits like "Coming Attractions," "Going to Extremes" and "Feary Tales," you will have the opportunity to participate in the Challenge Development process yourself! Led by DI's Associate Program Director, Andrew Whitmire, you and your peers will use our tested process to dream about what DI's Challenges might look like in the future. Learn the process that a DI Challenge goes through from inception to implementation Brainstorm what the future of Destination Imagination Challenges could look like Use the Challenge development process to create a new DI Challenge! Creating a Strong Web Presence Presented by Kate Wise and Max Kringen Online communication has become the most prevalent way for individuals and businesses alike to share and consume information. Social media, blogging, and websites have all become household terms and sources for learning and teaching. In this day and age, online presence is more important than ever. Spend some time with web and social media gurus Kate Wise and Max Kringen and learn the ins and outs of creating an awesome online presence for your DI Affiliate! Website design that efficiently and effectively communicates information and brand Social media communication and strategy for reaching your audience Online, blog, and communication strategies for success 4

5 Using Destination Imagination to Develop 21 st Century Skills Presenters To Be Announced The world is an ever-changing place with new technologies and opportunities constantly available for the global community of lifelong learners. This session will look at the many opportunities of 21st century learning and explore how DI develops these core skills our students need for success beyond school. Learn from education industry experts how Destination Imagination fits into the 21 st century model of teaching and to utilize this information and effectively communicate it to potential teams, partners, and sponsors. Understand opportunities in 21 st century digital eco-culture and education Learn about the connections between the 21 st century learning model and DI Speak the language necessary to relate Destination Imagination to 21 st century learning Student and Experience Focused Training Presented by Mike Judkins How do you ensure that DI participants and volunteers have an excellent experience throughout the Challenge season? One of the best strategies is to have a robust and experience-based training program. By providing the information and support necessary to develop high quality Team Managers, Tournament volunteers, and volunteer leaders, you can guarantee a great experience for all involved in the DI process. Creating and disseminating quality training materials and information Customizing training to be student and volunteer focused Instilling student focused attitudes and mindsets into Affiliate volunteers Volunteer Retention and Development- Building a Strong Volunteer Community Presenters To Be Announced DI volunteers are key to keeping each Affiliate strong and successful. Recognizing, empowering, and developing volunteers are some of the best ways to increase bandwidth and the dedicated volunteer pool in an Affiliate. During this session, you will learn innovative recruitment techniques, volunteer planning and development strategies, and tools for recognizing and celebrating your diverse group of dedicated volunteer constituents. Keeping the volunteers you have engaged and excited about the program Guiding your volunteers to grow from a tournament volunteer into an Affiliate leader Creating realistic, agreed-upon, and mutual expectations for your volunteers 5

6 Fundraising and Crowdfunding Strategies- Presented by Dr. Renato Cataldo Raising funds can be one of the biggest hurdles to a successful Destination Imagination program. In this session, explore strategies and best practices in designing and executing successful fundraising programs for Destination Imagination. Join Dr. Renato Cataldo, a renowned entrepreneur and education/business leader, and share in his vast experience in fundraising millions of dollars for nonprofits and profitable companies. Strategies, insights, and best practices for running a successful fundraising campaign Latest trends in crowdfunding for nonprofits Real-world success stories and live demo on the ease of raising funds and donations Communicating DI Effectively Through Presentation and Storytelling Presented by Janea Dahl Do you find it challenging to share your passion about DI in a way that is easy to understand and that resonates with others? Then this is the session for you! Work with actress, educator and author of Drama Notebook Janea Dahl to fine tune your presentation and storytelling skills! Develop a way of communicating DI effectively using your own personal style Become more confident about introducing DI to anyone Use the art of storytelling to convey your passion about DI and engage listeners Nonprofit Management- Building a Strong Infrastructure Presenter To Be Announced Explore concepts and best practices in building strong nonprofit organization infrastructure. Spend time with an experienced and knowledgeable nonprofit professional and consultants and break down concepts in executive leadership, board of directors structure and strategy, financial management best practices, and more. Best practices in organizational infrastructure- Board of directors, committees, staff Industry standards in financial management and budgeting Training in organizational leadership and leadership strategies 6

7 Strategies on Thinking Like a DI Entrepreneur Presented by Dr. Chuck Cadle What does it take to start a company or organization from nothing? What kinds of strategies do entrepreneurs utilize to find success? Find out while spending time with DI CEO Dr. Chuck Cadle, an accomplished and knowledgeable entrepreneur. In this session, discuss strategies and best practices for analyzing, managing and thinking about a DI Affiliate with an entrepreneurial mindset. Learn about the skills that entrepreneurs use to build successful companies Discuss strategies for business analysis, relationship building, and management Develop a deeper understanding of funding through corporate partners and sponsors Supplemental Affiliate Programing- Expos, Camps, VIP Programs and More Presented by Brownie Mitchell and Kris Beisel Hosting a tournament is one of the most rewarding and fun-filled parts of volunteering for Destination Imagination. In this session, you will learn about ways that you can take your tournament to the next level by integrating supplemental activities and marketing opportunities into the event. Keeping students engaged year-round- Impactful DI camps and classes Best practices in planning, executing, and marketing an expo event Utilizing a DI Tournament as a marketing opportunity- PR, marketing, and VIP programs The Power of Branding- Focusing Your Brand s Identity- Presented by Kate Grimes and Max Kringen Brand is defined as the sum total of a consumer s experiences with a recognizable product. In this session, work with experienced brand experts Kate Grimes and Max Kringen to learn about best practices in creating a strong and recognizable brand. Learn strategies and best practices for what makes a strong and recognizable brand Develop a deeper understanding for the importance of unified, multimedia branding Learn about DI, Inc. s brand strategies and how to utilize them in your Affiliate Reaching New Audiences Through English as a Second Language Presented By Emily Panasowich One of the most important skills that DI teaches is global competency. This session will focus on the unique ways that Destination Imagination is used in international Affiliates to teach STEM, 21 st century skills, and multilingual skills. Come and learn about programs in Poland, China, Korea and more from Emily Panasowich, Director of Asian Operations, and a group of our international Affiliate Directors. Utilizing multilingual resources available within the DI Program Implementing DI as a multipurpose learning tool in ESL communities Teaching and Marketing DI as an ESL solution 7