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Christine Rolka Director of Education |
Convention-style education
If you change it, will they still come?
One of my greatest joys, having been part of the NWTF for 12 years now, is reuniting with the most committed folks in the conservation community in Nashville each year. Once again, I left our national convention with an ambitious to-do list for the upcoming year and (even better) a list of volunteers and partners who are eager to help make it happen.
Another joy is to see youth, families and educators now flocking to the convention education programs we've cultivated over the years with the help of our partners.
If you haven't taken part in convention before the last couple years, it may be hard to believe that what is now The Roost began in 2001 as coloring sheets, a few hands-on activities and a couple of seminars just for kids at our JAKES booth. We worried whether kids would even show up.
Within a few years, however, the crowds and opportunities grew enough to warrant its own section of the convention exhibit hall called JAKES Junction, and finally two years ago, it became The Roost. This year, The Roost was 18,000 square feet, packed with activities. And there are plans for making it even bigger next year!
We also began hosting full-day "Let's Talk Turkey" conservation training workshops for educators at convention about the same time. Each educator that registered in the early years was cause for celebration. Now, we easily fill our workshops and often have waiting lists.
Anyone who has planned an event has most likely agonized over the thought: Will people come? Lucky for us, they did — as a tiny trickle at first, but growing every year. It's affirmation that we are on the right track in making our national convention more kid and family friendly.
We are a family organization, after all.
And this year's success — with more than 3,500 visitors to The Roost — is a result of a more than a 10-year quest to make convention education programs better each year. And there's no better way to show that the NWTF is committed to Our Youth. Our Legacy. — Christine