New England Fall Seminar
New England
October 25-27

Friday:

ODW Last Year

Thetford- Overall, ODW went very well. We started early and were well organized. We began meeting early in the fall every Thursday. We made an attempt to get a lot of students involved, and educate the school. Each person had their own responsibilities to educate the school- games, slide shows, discussions. We put on a community ODW dance, not for money, but to promote ODW outside the school. There was a small turnout, but it still had the effect we were hoping for. 90% school worked, and they raised over $9800. We had a ton of fun! We get more organized each year. Our goal for next year is to inform the community more. We had celebrations after the workday. We focused on celebrating, not congratulations to only those who worked. ODW has been a class since the beginning, so we didn't have a lot of the struggles new schools are dealing with right now.

Newton- 32 7th and 8th graders raised over $2000. The whole junior high participated. We put on an Ethiopian dinner which raised $1000; another $1000 came from workday. We doubled previous money earned. John Layton came and presented to all sixth, seventh, eighth graders.

Sharon- ODW just starting there. Still trying to get it. Not much time to meet.

Hanover- Last year was our first year. ODW here was started by five people from the Newton School. We had a lot of difficulty finding an advisor. Before then, tried to start it in school at a Volunteer Fair. List of interested people. Big turn out in beginning, but dwindled. Went to S.C. to explain ODW and to get support. S.C. gave $100 to start. Car wash for workday, but it snowed, so it had to be postponed for a week. We started too late in the school year for a real workday. We also had a weeklong bake sale, to raise money and to get the word out. We've found it really hard to get the word out because of size of school and lack of time in school. We aspire to be like Thetford Academy, but it'll be hard because of size. The school is never together. It's a struggle trying to compete with other clubs for attention. Goal: have a workday on a weekend. An all-school workday is still far in the future. People know of it, but they don't know about it. John Layton came, which was really effective for us. Efforts are paying off a little, but not as much as would be liked. Things are slightly disappointing. Adults in school are learning more, which is a help.

Goals:

*FOR THIS WEEKEND*
* have fun!
*have unity between the schools
*learn how ODW changed at the convention
*set up an email/person check-in system
*continue strive to be student-run
*realize we can do it all ourselves, we don't need the national level
*make a plan to recruit new schools and strengthen the existing once
*psyche people up and spread the word
*make a plan to make ODW look exciting
*want to be here
*bringing the Massachusetts schools into what we have
*making a regional committee

Saturday

Lauren Harris (Hanover) and Jessica Wolfe (Sharon)--National Committee Update

Is the $ we're spending being put to effective use?

no more national conventions--now, regional conventions Constitution
-can't use anymore because we're run by the gov't
-we'll keep and use when we're on our own

Students should not to focus on national level--more on regional/school level

use USAID people who are in charge of four regions: Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Africa (?)
-they would pick the NGOs they think would best represent ODW
-we would choose project first, instead of country
-in future years, NGOs should be out October 1
-ensure that we get really good NGOs to choose from New Committees

Youth Leadership Council (Nat'l Committee becomes this)
-has one student per school, includes Nat'l Committee
-they recommend and request materials, a sounding board, school and community guidance

Advisors' Educational Council
-includes any advisors
-they are guidance, work with curriculum materials

USAID/ODW Advisory Committee includes: USAID member, student, Humphrey Forum member, Norway member, advisor, White House member, an alum
-will work on growth and overseeing the whole organization, look at independence from USAID, make the bigger decisions that affect ODW as a whole

Evergreen Calendar

Sept--Welcome Back packet sent out to new and old schools, with new promotional/info materials
Oct--Experts on different regions of the world nominate one NGO from each region. These nominations will arrive Oct. 1
Nov.--On November 1, schools will vote on an NGO
Dec--logo contest to put on posters and web sites. Logos must be in to USAID by Dec 1. Schools get one vote on which logo they like the best.
Jan.--logo produced on promotional materials by Jan 15, Campaign Report will be sent out by USAID
Feb.--schools start to plan work day and educational events
March--International Month
April--work days (maybe on national youth service day)
May--work days finishing up
June--All money raised must be reported by the 1st.
July--The annual evaluation is sent to participants, given back to USAID, and then published

Lela Schlenker (Thetford) and Margaret Perry (Thetford)--Presentation on Norway Trip

Trip set up by the Humphrey Forum, Norway Foreign Affairs and OD Norway
Went to Norway's Five day Seminar
Head Committee and District Committees attend

-long days, super organized
-they already know what the NGO is--the NGO is expected to come and present
-they can bring this back to their schools
-workshops on press releases, etc. (necessary skills)
-slide show on country, movie, newspaper, handouts for teachers
-everyone leaves feeling prepared and excited
-totally student led (three adults there=listeners)
-hire adults to deal with money

all three groups had some sort of publication
charge for subscription
member fees

-we need a publication, materials (posters, brochures)
-we don't have capabilities to take care of these details--we still need USAID
-we need to learn how to do these things ourselves before we separate
-taking initiative=respect

Start from GRASSROOTS
-2 regional seminars--New England and Midwest

-packet of info to help recruit new schools
-make specific goals for recruiting new schools--FOCUS ON GROWTH
-discuss past campaigns
-workshops on basic skills (grant writing, public speaking)
-create regional committees
-start a publication
-in June, a second set of seminars to evaluate campaign

Regional Committee Positions

Conductor

-responsible for uniting the two regions, making sure the campaigns are running in sync
-would create and distribute an annual calendar
-would organize any conventions
-write a monthly report for publication
make sure everyone does their jobs

Media Head

-edits a publication that will inform students and teachers about the project and country, what students have been doing, news on past projects, etc.
-also in charge of trying to get media attention

Notorious NGO Guru

-stays in touch with past NGOs
-passes on updates to ODW at large; makes presentation at convention
-research possible future projects

Material Girl or Boy

-creates posters, brochure, other propaganda
-a separate person to create and maintain a web page (Thomas Hulse)

Dr. Finance

-in charge of $$$--grants, accounting, budget, etc.

Recruiting Officer

-responsible for giving new schools any info they might need -helping ODW develop in new schools -editor of recipe book -develop a traveling presentations to take to new schools

Czar of Information

-collects information on the project and country

How ODW Works at Thetford

-many forms from Thetford in the packet

-Job sign up form- all information for the jobs
-ODW form-goes to past employers, also for community members
-all info is kept on the job info form so the school has all the information for the job (contact info, etc.)
-permission slip for students to give back to the committee after being signed by parents
-thank you letters go to the students before they work with the receipt, they also talk about rules for the day
-receipt to keep track of the money that was raised for each job, every student must return it with their money raised
-letter to the editor was very successful: way too many jobs
-Brochure -changes every year
-specific project info and general
-anyone can copy any of the materials in the book that they would like

To Include in Presentations to New Schools (why schools should want to join):

-ODW is fun
-a feel good feeling
-an amazing organization something to be proud of

Important Ways to Get New Students/Schools interested:

-food
-create suspense
-explain the benefits
-exactly what ODW is
-hype it up
-bribe them in some way
-eye catching posters, bulletin boards, etc.

-ODW at Thetford has always been a class

-makes is much easier because people have never had to fight to get it going

-thank you notes to everyone go out after the workday

-drivers, employers, students, etc.
-people are told how much is raised, etc.
-motivates people to do more next year

-businesses are contacted by person, and by phone calls

-people work at businesses

-they do random things around stores that are needed that might not get done otherwise
-all local businesses who want to help out and who don't have to go through their superiors
-jobs come from all over because Thetford is so small
-from the circling towns

-brochures are helpful when trying to get businesses involved

-they like to have something that they can concretely have

Kathy MacKinnon- Director of Development at Thetford Academy

What is Public Relations:
-advertising

-selling yourself
-looking good
-has to be interesting
-has to have information

-creativity
-feedback

-people know about you
-people want more information
-involvement
-respect

Objectives:

-within the school
-within the community
-finding jobs/business world
-recruiting new schools
-support of faculty and administration
-more student involvement
-raising awareness

Ideas:
example: within the school:

-make announcements
-bulletin board
-personal contact
-assembly
-posters

Things to think about:

-what to say
-how to say it
-how will it look
-where do they go
-timing

Types of Media:

-commercials
-radio
-newspaper
-local magazines
-web page
-billboards
-newsletters
-letter to the editor
-morning announcements
-public transit
-hand bills
-general store bulletin boards
-word of mouth
-mailings
-e-mail
-telephone tree
-leaflets
-crop signs
-brochures
-special event
-community announcements

Sample Press Release:

-tell what is going on
-grab them
-information

For this Event: "grabbing phrases"

-regional convention
-first annual
-fun fest
-babes galore
-ODW
-revolt against government
-student run/organized
-unity
-tri-state representation
-planning to clean up America
-6th-12th graders

MORE ON REGIONAL COMMITTEES

IDEAS
-positions divided up by the schools

-each school would take one position
-they would choose one person to be the leader

-not just by schools, could be from other schools

-i.e. have to have an age restriction and experience restriction, etc.

-share some responsibility with the Czar of Information

-also give information to students about what is going on within the committee

Sunday

Clarifications: There wasn't a choice about the National Committees. Things had to happen the way they happened.

Reactions from students:

* The National Committee was a mess.
* For people who didn't have reps, nothing has changed.
* It was the National Committee versus the students.
* It's unfortunate that the Constitution is now worthless. It may be because of a change of administration.
* The Constitution never really had the weight some people wanted it to have. But no one told us that for almost five years.
* If it was called something other than a Constitution, would it work better?
* We need to stand up to them. If we show them that we can lead, the more responsibilities we'll get.
* If you want something done, don't tell Washington; just do it!
* If we do it all ourselves, why didn't we raise more than $17000.
* Quincy had connections with El Salvador, but the orphanage never heard of ODW.
* The money didn't get to the orphanage for over nine months, and they didn't know we were even working to help them.
* We need to make sure the student-run aspect of ODW is held on to, it's in jeopardy.
* We need to stand up more. Take care of more of the jobs- materials, recruiting.
* These problems with USAID need to be solved now, otherwise we can't grow.
* They don't care whether or not we prove ourselves.
* We're not stupid; we could do this ourselves.
* We could do this without going through the government moneywise.
* We could use Quincy as an existing NGO to go through.
* We cannot exclude ODW schools elsewhere.
* There's no more rules!
* It's an option to break off and have our own regional ODW.
* We're the backbone of ODW.
* We're trying to bite off more than we can chew right now; it may be too late in the year. Maybe next year it can work, but there are most important things that need to be done now.
*Let's start a committee to research all of these options.
-THIS WAS DONE

MORE ON REGIONAL COMMITTEES:

Idea #1: Three Conductors- 1 main "stay-in-touch" person

3 meet to plan conventions
Preferably, they are in the same area, so they can meet.

1 main Dr. who gets grants for conventions.

1 main Czar
Job- spread info!

Publicizes Czars info
Produces a newsletter
Publicizes ODW in general

1 Head person who publishes the group's ideas
PLUS 1 separate webmaster.

Idea #2: Each position is held by one elected person.
Subcommittees:

Media Expert-- a subcommittee from different schools.
Material Girl-- subcommittee from same region who could meet.
Recruiting Officer-- a subcommittee from different schools.
Czar of Information-- a subcommittee from different schools.

Idea #3: Fall Seminar: everyone votes and chooses one position per school.
Quincy schools share two positions.
School Groups: chose a leader of your position.

Everyone at the school works together to do the job.

-Bounce ideas of each other
-Help with ideas.

-Meet every once in a while and discuss how things are going.
-Every year at the fall seminar, vote to see if there's a need to change positions.
-Every year at the school, vote a new leader, or reelect the old leader.

Idea #4: Divide it in half to talk about today:-positions still need to be voted on in the regions