NCCE News celebrates the hard work of our conference committee volunteers, and invites you to find out about the role of a conference chair, as well as some of the ins and outs of being a conference committee member.

We caught up with Jean Bengfort, Conference 2004 Program Chair, just long enough to ask a few questions before she was off to yet another challenge. First, we asked her to describe some of the responsibilities of the Conference Program Chair.

“As Program Chair,” she answered, “I work hard to put together a top-notch slate of speakers and sessions that will attract educators to attend the conference. The three conference chairs - Program, Logistics, and Equipment - need to coordinate their particular areas of responsibility and ensure that subcommittees have completed their tasks so the conference will ‘come together’ as planned.”

It sounds like a lot of work, but it also sounds like a lot of fun! “Yes,” she confirms. “When the conference committee was doing some initial planning, one of the first tasks was to determine a conference theme. During the brainstorming session, some pretty funky ideas were suggested, as you can imagine!”

We asked Jean how she became involved in conference committees.

“Well, I have been a member of NCCE for two years. After moving to Coeur d’Alene in the summer of 2002, I was attending my first NCCE conference in Seattle and was invited to a committee meeting by Heidi Rogers, Executive Director of NCCE. Little did I know at that point that they were seeking committee members for 2004! As a newcomer to NCCE, it seemed like an opportunity to network with other educators in the Northwest and establish new contacts.

Asked whether she had specific experience as a committee chair or planner, Jean replied, “Although it was smaller than NCCE, I was actively involved in the conference committee for the ITEC (Iowa Technology and Education Connection) for six years, so that provided me with experience in planning a conference.”

Of course, it’s important to remember that conference committee volunteers teach and work in schools every day just like most of our members. Given the heavy work load a teacher carries, one has to really be dedicated to take on an additional responsibility as a conference volunteer. We asked Jean if she has to concentrate hard to balance her Program Chair responsibilities with her regular teaching job.

Jean’s eyes sparkle as she laughs. “You definitely do a lot of juggling -especially at times when deadlines are approaching and things need to get accomplished. I have spent many late afternoons and evenings working on the conference - getting speakers lined up, putting together contracts, and collecting and reviewing all the proposals for workshops and sessions. Once that phase is complete, we move forward with putting together the advance program and the final program. Planning a conference is definitely like an octopus with many different arms!”

Discussing the criteria for good committee members, we asked Jean what qualities to look for in people who want to volunteer for a committee.

“This conference definitely depends on the numerous volunteers who begin to work a year in advance!” she replied emphatically. “Volunteers do need to have commitment to their assigned responsibilities. Each committee depends on the other committees to follow through with their tasks. If someone ‘drops the ball’ it affects everyone else. I would say that those volunteers serving on the program committee need to have a sense of focus in terms of the kinds of sessions our attendees are looking for and being able to match the submitted proposals with that focus. Volunteers on the program committee also need to be organized, as there are many details involved with topics, room assignments, equipment, etc.”

She continued, “The program committee actually has several areas of responsibility that are assigned to the various members of the committee. First of all, everyone on the committee is asked to read proposals and contribute to the discussion and acceptance process. Beyond that, we divide up tasks such as advance program and final program, signage, and book sales.”

There are other duties, such as handing out registration packets, selling conference souvenirs, or introducing speakers that must be done once the conference begins. We asked Jean if they need volunteers at the conference, and if so, how can potential helpers contact the committee. She affirmed that the program committee will need volunteers.

“We have just appointed a volunteer coordinator for the conference,” she replied. “Nancy Mueller at nmueller@sd271.k12.id.us will be responsible for creating the master list of volunteers needed and assign volunteers to those positions. Volunteering even for a couple of hours will be a big help, so take a minute to drop a line to Nancy, and help out your organization. No special training is needed for most tasks, and we could sure use the willing hands!”

So, there you have it. Get involved! And while you’re at it, stop to thank anyone with the conference committee ribbon on the name badge. These folks burn the midnight oil to provide a great experience for all attendees.

Our thanks to Jean for taking time from her very busy schedule to share her thoughts with our readers. See you in Spokane!

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