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A diverse series of pre-Conference seminars will be featured at ETC 2009! Read on and plan to take advantage of some incredible educational offerings geared to expand your skills, experience New Orleans, explore 19th century icons, and express the true spirit of giving!
Jumpstart Seminar - Nuts and Bolts of Nonprofit Travel
Seminar on Wheels - Water & Culture of New Orleans or Historic Plantation Tour
Volunteer Experience - Giving Back to New Orleans
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21st Annual! Jumpstart Seminar: The Nuts & Bolts of Nonprofit Travel
(for Travel Planners only)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
$195 if attending conference ($325 if NOT attending full ETC conference). Don't re-invent the wheel! Jumpstart Your Travel Program by taking advantage of ETC's Ongoing Professional Development for Educational Travel Planners. A full pre-conference day February 18th delivers a nuts-and-bolts introduction to nonprofit travel planning. An excellent and diverse faculty will lead the training with a hands-on, practical approach to the "real world" of educational travel. The intensive curriculum has been carefully tailored to address the specific programming and marketing needs of both start-up programs and those travel planners new to an existing travel program. This Jumpstart Training is invaluable for ANY travel planner who is new to the niche market of educational travel or those travel planners in need of refresher and/or critical operational updates. Meet Face-to-Face with your peers in the Educational Travel Community and attend the Best Training for Educational Travel Planners Available! Learn the latest and greatest ways to run a successful, profitable travel program for your alumni and/or members. In the morning, a series of in-depth training modules provide the nuts and bolts you can really use, giving you the most realistic, up-to-date information available AND tips to apply as soon as you get home. Learn and review essential elements of your program—Mission and program objectives—where travel fits within your organization, why you are doing it, and what you want out of it; industry partnerships, liabilities and emergency preparedness; and, a comprehensive overview of marketing. Programming also includes great in-depth information on risk management, contracts, preferred travel itineraries, and the role of various partner companies and suppliers in the business. In addition, this year's seminar has been enhanced to include a full afternoon of small group interaction. Learn from and connect with colleagues representing similar affinity programs from like-minded institutions. Travel planners representing museums, alumni, zoos, aquarium, conservation organizations, and all other nonprofit travel programs will benefit tremendously from attending Jumpstart! Travel planners from all organizations in the non-profit world are encouraged to attend. Whether you are a small program run entirely by volunteers or a large, mature program running dozens of trips a year, Jumpstart can help you get started, start over, or simply make the most of the tools and talent you already have. Morning sessions taught by your peers in the industry will help you learn program essentials and how to protect your program and travelers, while providing your travelers with their best experience ever. Lunch will provide great networking time and a valuable Q & A session, and the afternoon will be filled with small group interaction/real world examples, plus a new section on how to continue your learning in specially chosen sessions throughout the conference. Bring your questions and real world scenarios, and come away with useable solutions and a much more in-depth understanding of educational travel's dynamic and rewarding marketplace. Download the Jumpstart Agenda here! View information about the Jumpstart Trainers here (coming soon!)
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8th ANNUAL SEMINAR ON WHEELS The 8th Annual Seminar on Wheels program will give you the opportunity to take a closer look at New Orleans: the history and importance of water, the levee system, and the cultural icons of today; or, in contrast to New Orleans, explore the history, culture, and architecture of 19th century life along the historic plantation road. WATER AND CULTURE OF NEW ORLEANS: A Very Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
$135 includes lunch, transportation, fees, guides and refreshments  This program will provide you a behind-the-scenes look at life in New Orleans as interpreted through public works projects, new as well as established cultural institutions, and down-home ethnic cuisine. Experience New Orleans today as you walk through the Ninth Ward and the historic French Quarter, sharing insights on the cuisine, architecture, and music that make New Orleans heritage a celebration of life. It will be a fast-paced day with a diverse agenda designed to give you a preview of only “some” of what New Orleans has to offer, and a lot more which you will need to return to savor!
The morning begins with Dr. (Brigadier General) Gerry Galloway’s short, incisive lecture on the Mississippi River flood control and the hurricane protection systems in New Orleans—what failed during Katrina and why and what is being done to deal with future challenges. This analysis will be based on the technical U.S. national academy and international review team studies, the history of decisions made on hurricane protection over the last 50 years in New Orleans, his seven years as a member of the Mississippi River Commission, and his current service as a member of the Louisiana Governors Advisory Commission on Coastal Restoration and Protection. Given the widespread interest in this topic, Dr. Galloway’s lecture will be open to all delegates at ETC.
Following the lecture Dr. Galloway will personally conduct a field tour (for individuals signed up officially for this SOW program) of the flood and hurricane protection systems in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the City of New Orleans. Visits include Lakeview, where the breach of the Canal T walls and the pumps at the end of the canal will be discussed. You’ll also see a New Orleans pump station at the head of the canal, the lower Ninth Ward, St. Bernard Parish, locations that flooded during the recent Hurricane Gustav, and selected locations where current levee reconstruction is proceeding. En route to the morning site visits our first stop will be at a local Creole restaurant to enjoy coffee and King Cake—served only during the official season of Mardi Gras.
Following a full morning program, enjoy a boxed lunch at the creative and new Southern Food and Beverage Museum with President Elizabeth Williams. Ms. Williams will lecture on the distinct and diverse cuisine of New Orleans and share a prepared local specialty dessert, Bread Pudding New Orleans-style.
Our afternoon exploration will lead us first to The National World War II Museum, founded as The National D-Day Museum by renowned historian and author Dr. Stephen Ambrose and current Museum President Dr. Gordon “Nick” Mueller who were professors together at the University of New Orleans and great friends for more than 30 years. Designated by Congress as the country’s official museum of the Second World War and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum illuminates the teamwork, courage and sacrifice of the generation who won the war that changed the world. We will experience the dramatic galleries and powerful personal stories, and meet with Dr. Mueller to discuss the major expansion underway. It is hard not to be impressed by the scope and content contained in this moving and beautifully interpreted museum, which is enhanced by the dedication of World War II veteran volunteers and the people who work there.
As a final highlight of the day, enjoy a walking tour with historian John Magill through the French Quarter enroute to the "Historic New Orleans Collection" for a behind-the-scenes tour of the properties (including the History Galleries and the Williams Gallery, which house the WRC Reading Room and exhibition spaces that will showcase A Closer Look: The Antebellum Photography of Jay Dearborn Edwards, 1858-1861), tea and King Cake in the Collection's Counting House, and meeting with key staff and lecturers on the history of Jazz in New Orleans.
HISTORIC PLANTATION TOUR: The Old River Road Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
$150 includes lunch, transportation, fees, guides and refreshments During the 19th century, wealthy planters built great estates along the Old River Road from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. While the slave system they embodied was destroyed by the Civil War, the remaining stately houses continue to capture the imagination. Explore the history, culture and architecture of this world apart while examining a cast of bygone characters, from New Orleans residents to planters, from slaves to free blacks. Ride along the River Road and visit Evergreen (a privately owned home open only to special groups), Laura Plantation, and Houmas House, where you will enjoy a special private lunch. Admire the architecture of these homes and discover their fascinating history as you set romantic ideas aside and consider what plantation life was like for all who lived and worked on the plantation. Specialized guides are uniquely suited to sharing the history and culture of this fascinating area of Louisiana, a great contrast to the big city life of New Orleans. ______________________________________________________________________________
top 2nd ANNNUAL VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Giving Back to New Orleans Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
$85 includes facilitator, lunch, transportation, and a financial donation
Volunteering offers the ultimate experiential component to travel and allows travelers the opportunity to give back to the people and places they visit. This year, ETC delegates have overwhelmingly requested the opportunity to give back to ETC’s host city—New Orleans. In response to this demand, ETC will work with two different organizations, giving you a variety of ways to roll up your sleeves and assist the New Orleans community.
Both organizations will introduce you to unique areas of New Orleans, and New Orleanians will provide you with the educational context for your project. Novice and veteran volunteers, as well as your family members and friends, are welcome. ETC representatives with extensive volunteer experience will accompany both trips. You’ll also have a chance to debrief with your guides after the experience and again at the ETC Voluntourism Session on Thursday, February 19. No experience or special skills are needed; however, please consider the nature of the work as listed below to determine which project may be best for you. There may be opportunities for family members and friends to extend their volunteer service. When you register for ETC's 2nd annual Volunteer Experience, you will be asked to choose one of the following options:
Voluntourism Experience 1: Hands on a Home
Volunteers are still needed to help restore the many homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, especially in lower-income communities. Whatever your skill level, you will be making a worthwhile contribution toward rebuilding someone's house. You may be performing tasks such as painting, scraping, landscaping, drywalling, taping, cleaning, installing appliances, and tiling. Staff members of the organization will supervise you and provide instructions on how to do unfamiliar tasks. This will no doubt prove a rewarding and memorable experience working side-by-side with your colleagues to make a difference in the lives of New Orleans residents. Following the volunteer experience, there will be a guided tour of the Ninth Ward, which was thrust into the nation's spotlight during Hurricane Katrina. Much of this area suffered from catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina. Reconstruction and recovery is continuing here, but progress is slow and living conditions in neighborhoods vary. This tour will help provide a greater understanding and appreciation for the day-to-day reality of Ninth Ward residents and why volunteering here matters. Voluntourism Experience 2: Hands on the Land
The eco-systems of the Gulf Coast region were severely disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The communities in the area were left without the resources for sustainable, healthy soil, clean water, and locally grown produce. This volunteer experience will bring you either to a community garden and bioremediation project or to the wetlands of coastal Louisiana. In the community garden you may be collecting soil samples, mowing, working with local children to harvest food, weeding, or planting organic produce for local residents and businesses. In the wetlands, you may be helping to plant brush or pull invasive species, as wetlands play a critical role in protecting the Gulf Coast from storm surges. Following the volunteer experience, there will be a guided tour of the Ninth Ward, which was thrust into the nation's spotlight during Hurricane Katrina. Much of this area suffered from catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina. Reconstruction and recovery is continuing here, but progress is slow and living conditions in neighborhoods vary. This tour will help provide a greater understanding and appreciation for the day-to-day reality of Ninth Ward residents and why volunteering here matters. Family Members and Friends Interested in Extending Volunteer Service
If family members and/or friends will be joining you for ETC's 2009 Volunteer Experience in New Orleans and wish to extend their service beyond a day, they can contact ETC 2009 Volunteer Partners Common Ground Relief and OnSite Relief. They should mention that they will be part of the ETC 2009 volunteer team on February 18, 2009. If they prefer to find a different volunteer opportunity, please download this PDF for a list of volunteer organizations in New Orleans. Family and/or friends may also wish to visit the Volunteer Louisiana website to search for more volunteer options.
Family Members Are you bringing a family member to New Orleans? Select pre-conference programs and events are open to accompanying family members. For details please download the Family Registration Form. |
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