NWAIS Student Diversity Leadership Retreat

1:30pm February 27, 2023 - 3:00pm February 28, 2023

Camp Solomon Schechter

Olympia, Washington

This Event Has Reached Capacity and Registration is Now Closed. 

Registered Schools Will Be Sent Student, Parent and School Registration Forms Via Email

If your school has registered, please plan to attend the school information session via zoom on February 9, 2023

(note change of date, recording will be available)

Support The Development Of The Student Leaders In Your School

Middle school students from member and non-member schools are invited to come together, connect, and build both relationships and skills around communication and inclusiveness. Students will engage in workshops, affinity groups and social time to dive into this year's theme: Repairing the World Through Leadership.  

Program

This is an overnight program taking place at Camp Solomon Schechter. All programming, meals and accommodations are included on the registration fees. Programming will begin on Monday, February 27 at 1:30pm and conclude at 3:00pm on Tuesday, February 28. We ask that all attendees participate in the full program and they will not be permitted to come and go during the program. 

Students Will:

• Meet and Connect with Other Student Leaders

• Develop Skills Around Diversity, Equity and Social Justice

• Participate in Inspiring Activities That They Can Bring Back To School

• Generate a Plan for Leading in Your School

• Participate in Affinity Spaces and Sustainability-Based Workshops

Who Should Attend?

The retreat is open to all 6-8 grade students.  Students of all races, ethnicities, and cultures are welcome. 

The planning committee encourages faculty to carefully consider the group that attends the conference. We are seeking attendees who have demonstrated interest in issues around diversity and equity and are looking to become leaders in these areas in their school communities. Some successful strategies for faculty selecting students have included:

• Nomination by faculty or students

• Participation in a similarly themed club or activity

• Brief essay that expresses personal interest

• Participation in student government

Student Groups Are Limited To 6 Students From Each School. Faculty manage the selection process for their school. Schools can also collect and submit information for 4 alternates. They will be admitted as space allows.

Note: Each year, the Student Diversity Leadership Retreat alternates its target audience.  In 2024 it will again serve 9-12th grade participants.  We hope that having this information in place will allow you to plan student participation and provide continuity in programming.

Chaperones

Schools are responsible for sending at least one school chaperone. A chaperone must be an employee of the school that is sending the students. There is no registration fee for the first and second chaperone to attend from a school. If a school is sending additional chaperones, the registration fee is $55 per person.

If you are bringing a group and do not have a chaperone that shares that gender identity (ie you are bringing a mixed gender group and are not say, bringing a male chaperone) you will have two options. Either your students will be in a cabin with an adult from another school of that gender or we can assign a single cabin where all your students can stay together with the chaperone from your school.

All chaperones will be background-checked employees of schools (not parents or community members). We are trying to be as flexible as possible to meet all schools varying needs and expectations.

Adult Expectations

• Lead Adults will manage registration process and communication with NWAIS
• All Chaperones will:

  • Be responsible for their students during the conference

  • Be on call at all times during the conference

  • Meet students at designated points and times

  • Support and enforce the Student Conduct Agreement including full student participation and adherence to curfew

  • Attend the mandatory chaperone orientation meeting (via zoom) on February 9, 2023 from 3-4pm, or review the recording (note change of date, recording will be available)

    
    

Student Expectations

Students will be expected to participate fully in all activities. Student participants should have the maturity and independence to successfully work in small groups of other students from across the region and from a number of different schools. Students will be asked to sign and comply with the behavior agreement.

Accommodations

The sleeping arrangements are cabins. We will be asking in the form for schools how the schools would like their students arranged. One option is to have a cabin for all the students from your school. Another option is to have separate cabins for girls, boys and nonbinary students. In that case the cabins may be shared with students of the same gender identity from other schools. Your chaperones will stay with your students.

Registration

Registration will open for this event on December 5, 2022. This event is limited to 100 students and will likely fill to capacity. Student Groups Are Limited To 6 Students From Each School.

Registration for the Event is a Two-Step Process

STEP 1) Register Your School and Reserve Your Spots By January 13, 2023.

This will be completed through the online registration system. Schools will be asked to pay or to bill the school. This amount will be non-refundable, so only register for the spots you know you can fill. No additional schools will be able to register after this date. Once this step is completed the lead chaperone will be sent the e-forms for students and parents to fill out and the roster to be be filled out by you.

The student e-forms as well as the student roster must be completed by February 3. After this date, no additional registrations will be accepted. The lead chaperone is responsible for submitting: the roster, parent and student forms for all student participants. Substitutions will be accepted until February 17, 2023

Registration Forms

The Student Registration Forms (to be filled out by student and guardian) as well as the Student Roster (to be filled out by lead chaperone) will be emailed to the lead chaperone once the school registration and payment have been completed.

Registration Cost

Student Registration: $225

Chaperone Registration: The first two chaperones are registered at no cost. Additional chaperones are $55 per person.

Cancellation Policy

Substitutions with completed paperwork may be made any time until February 17, 2023. After February 3, 2023, any students who are missing paperwork will be considered cancelled. Cancellations are ineligible for any refund.