Youth Convention

Youth Convention 2008

 Convention is an extremely important event for the JACL in that the future of the organization is decided via decisions on the budget and resolutions. However, many youth have been asking, “what about convention is relevant to us?”

 The 2008 Youth Convention will bring out youth from across the country to engage in a number of planned activities alongside with the regular convention events. This will allow youth participants to have a great time while learning about the events that go on at convention. In addition, the youth will also leave the convention with an understanding of JACL’s role in the civil rights and Asian American community.

 **Please Note the Following:

-              Hotel Arrangements: Special hotel accommodations are being arranged to mitigate the price of booking. This is still however To Be Announced. We will update the website as soon as we know.

-              Transportation: We have not yet confirmed transportation to and from the airport. We will update the website as soon as we know.

-              Flights: For Parents making flight arrangements special accommodations can be made for participants to make their flights on time.

 Youth Convention Schedule

Of Meeting and Activities

 JACL 2008 Youth Convention will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dates: July 16-20, 2008.

Location: Salt Lake Marriott Downtown

 7/16/2008 – Wednesday

-              Youth Convention Registration - 9:00am to 6:00pm

-              Welcome Mixer AND Youth Mixer – 6:00pm to 10:00pm

 
7/17/2008 – Thursday

-              Thursday Morning Workshops -  9:00am to 11:45am

-              Convention Youth Luncheon – 12:00pm to 2:00pm

-              Visit to Olympic Park – 2:15pm to 5:00pm

-              Park City Outlets and Dinner – 5:00pm to 7:00pm

-              Possible Candidates Forum – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

 7/18/2008 – Friday

-              Friday Morning Workshops – 9:00am to 11:45am

-              Convention Awards Luncheon – 12:00pm to 2:00pm

-              Min Yasui Oratorical Contest – 3:00pm to 5:00pm

-              Activity To Be Announced - 5:00pm to 7:30pm

-              Nihon Machi – 7:30pm to 9:45pm

 7/19/2008 Saturday

-              Convention Mentorship Session – 8:00am to 12:00pm

-              JACL CU Luncheon – 12:00pm to 2:00pm

-              Alpine Slide – 2:00pm to 5:00pm

-              Sayonara Banquet – 6:00pm to 10:00pm

 Events

Detailed Descriptions

 Wednesday

 Youth Mixer @ the Salt Palace

 Immediately following the Welcome Mixer on Wednesday, youth attendees are invited to head over to the Salt Palace for music, refreshments, desserts and mixer activities.

 Thursday

 Thursday Morning Workshops

 Youth participants will attend a series of Thursday morning workshops including a Kendo and Martial Arts workshop. Immediately following with be a workshop on breaking the Model Minority Myth and Asian American Identity.

 Convention Youth Luncheon (Vision Awards Luncheon)

 Each year, the JACL National Youth/Student Council selects an individual who serves as an inspiration and role model to API youth. The 2008 honoree will be introduced and recognized at the exciting and inspiring Vision Award Luncheon. Youth participants are invited to attend and meet the convention delegates as well as the Vision Award recipient.

 
Visit to Olympic Park

 
Similar to the convention tour, youth will be invited to visit Olympic Park, home of the 2002 Winter Olympic venues for bobsled, long jump, luge and skeleton events. Transportation will be provided from the hotel.

 Dinner & Park City Outlet Shopping

 Immediately following the trip to Olympic Park, participants will be invited to visit Historic Park City for dinner as well as outlet shopping. Historic Park City features a number of small shops and great buys! Transportation will be provided to and from the hotel.

 

Friday

 Friday Morning Workshops

 A series of workshops for youth, covering such topics as small business, high school involvement and API political awareness will be offered in the morning. These workshops will be led by the National Youth/Student Council. Further descriptions can be found on the “about page”

 Min Yasui Oratorical Contest

 The oratorical contest will feature finalists from each of the 7 districts of JACL competing for the top prize. This year’s contest topic is: “The current generation of Japanese American youth faces issues of growing ethnic and generational diversity within the community. As a youth member of the Japanese American Citizens League, how will  you approach this challenge of incresing diversity to meet the needs of the changing community?”

 

Nihon Machi Play

 

The Grateful Crane Ensemble will perform their new play “Nihonmachi: The Place to Be.” The story is about nostalgic Japantown centering on manju maker and store owner, Alan Iwata who has decided to close the family business after 99 years.  From there, he is taken through a journey back in time by his late grandfather to experience the way Nihonmachi used to be.  By learning his family history, he realizes the sacrifice his family has made and the importance of his business to the community. 

 Saturday

 

Convention Mentorship Session

 An exciting addition to this year’s convention youth activities is the convention mentorship session. Youth participants will be paired with a JACL chapter delegate and take part in the decision-making process of the JACL National Council. Participants will learn how resolutions are debated and passed (or defeated) and ultimately how the organization makes decisions and sets its course as a national civil rights organization.

 

Alpine Slide

 Participants will be taken to the Snowbird Ski resort to experience the Alpine Slide. The Alpine Slide winds down Chickadee Run through twists, turns and tunnels. The Alpine Slide starts near the top of the resort and finishes 1,300 linear feet later. Once again, transportation will be provided to and from the hotel.

 Sayonara Banquet

 This amazing event will feature numerous awards as well as ravishing speakers, and emcees. The Sayonara Banquet is truly the event that makes convention special.

 Frequently Asked Questions:

 Should the youth stay for the Sayonara Banquet?

 YES! The Sayonara banquet is truly the capstone of the convention for both the regular and the youth participants. It’s an incredible event that will really open the participants eyes to what JACL does in the community.

 Can you provide details to the activities that don’t have descriptions on the youth convention activities description page?

 Most of the those activities such as:

-              Convention Awards Luncheon

-              JACL CU Luncheon

Are activities that all of the convention participants attend. These are events that will be both part of the JACL Convention and the youth convention.

 Travel

 Youth Convention Hotel Accommodations

 Special hotel accommodations are being arranged to mitigate the price of booking. This is still however To Be Announced. We will update the website as soon as we know.

 **Please register for the Youth Convention and hold off on reserving a room. We will let registrants know as soon as we coordinate special rooming accommodations.

 Youth Convention Transportation

 We have not yet confirmed transportation to and from the airport. We will update the website as soon as we know.

 No transportation is necessary once the participants are at the convention. Bus transportation will be provided to the various site visits.

 Optional Activities

 Youth Convention Participants READ BELOW!

 Please register for the youth convention package. Off-site visits and activities are all part of the package deal and you do not need to register for any optional activities.

 Registration

 

(for the website in general, this is my thought)**The online registration page is confusing to youth registrants. It needs to be more clearly delineated what activities are for youth and which are for adults.