Events and Keynotes

Below is a detailed schedule of events, keynotes, and what to expect at the 2019 BOOST Conference!

*Please note this schedule is subject to change

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

Pre-Conference Academies

Mental Health First Aid Certification- Youth 
9:00AM - 5:00PM 

Youth Mental Health First Aid® USA is an 8-hour in-person training program — like traditional First Aid or CPR — designed to give participants the skills to help adolescents age 12-18 who are developing a mental health problem or experiencing an emotional crisis. The course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to recognize and respond to warning signs and connect young people to professional, peer, social, and self-help care. Participants do not learn to diagnose, nor how to provide any therapy or counseling – rather, they learn to support a youth by applying a five-step action plan, “ALGEE:”

• Assess for risk of suicide or harm
• Listen nonjudgmentally
• Give reassurance and information
• Encourage appropriate professional help
• Encourage self-help and other support strategies

Fulfill the Dream - SEL Certification 
9:00AM - 5:00PM

Bringing culturally relevant social and emotional learning (SEL) to your students through the only online Hip-Hop(e) SEL program that embraces mindsets, cultural diversity, equity, and social justice for middle and high school students.

The top ten careers last year didn't exist six years ago, and research suggests that 50% of high school students will end up in a job that doesn't exist yet. So with these realities in mind, how do we prepare young people, particularly young people of color, to have the skills to thrive in the 21st century? Our answer is that we must engage youth in culturally relevant ways, and that we can demonstrate how their culture(s) already embody the critical, creative, and social and emotional competencies required to create, and enter into the careers of tomorrow.

This certification training will help educators and youth development professionals, both veterans and beginners, understand both the theoretical and practical methods to engaging youth to go from surviving to thriving. Combining best practice in social and emotional learning, culturally relevant pedagogy, and social justice youth development; participants will learn the engagement practices necessary to make Fulfill the Dream come to life in an out of school time setting.

FISH! For Schools
11:00AM - 5:00PM

FISH! For Schools is a family of solutions developed by educators, that help you create remarkable school culture. It builds a community where the staff is supportive and passionate, students are caring and focused, and everyone is excited about learning. FISH! For Schools helps you improve:

• Morale and Teamwork
• Engaged Learning
• Positive Behavior
• Environment
• Leadership

Read more here

BOOST Conference Orientation

BOOST Conference Orientation will take place every hour on Tuesday, April 30th.
1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM, 4:00PM
Palm Springs Convention Center Lobby

BOOST Conference Attendee Promising Practices: How to Navigate the Conference and Make the Most of Your Professional Development Experience

Are you new to BOOST? Have you attend BOOST in the past but need a refresher? Stay up-to-date on attendee promising practices during our on-site orientation to help you maximize your time and learning before the conference, during the conference and how to stay connected post-conference. Topics covered: 

- Preparing for the conference
- How to get involved and play a leadership role at BOOST 
- Tips on Networking 
- Navigating the Exhibit Hall 
- Determining the best learning opportunities for your professional development needs 
- How to use the conference app to maximize your conference experience and much, much more! 

Room location: Palm Springs Convention Center Lobby   

BOOST Swim Club

1:00PM - 5:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Not attending a Pre-conference Academy? No problem. Catch some rays, good vibes, and gear up for the conference. Dance to the grooves of our resident DJ,  play water games, and ride the bull during this pre-conference networking mixer! Sunscreen not included.  

Welcome Reception And Hat COntest

5:30PM - 6:30PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool and Rocks Lounge

The BOOST Welcome Reception is truly a day to celebrate in Palm Springs with colleagues from all over the globe. Join us for our early evening reunion and welcome reception poolside. Connect with colleagues and make new friends while the sun sets against the San Jacinto mountains. A perfect way to start the conference!

Be entered into 1 of 3 different Hat Contest categories: Most Glamorous, Best Theme, and Most Creative during the Welcome Reception. BOOST is continuing our creative and fun tradition at our Annual Opening Reception so get ready to celebrate in style. Show up at the opening poolside reception on Tuesday evening and show off. Don’t forget to bring a hat! Glamorous headpieces, outrageous-themed headwear, fancy floral arrangements, sports-themed caps, or boost your company/agency flair! 

Hat Contest Judging will take place between 5:30 - 5:50PM
Hat Contest Winners will be announced at 6:00PM
Must be present the entire time during judging and announcements to win.

Pop-Up Dinners

6:30PM - 9:30PM 
Meet in the Renaissance Hotel lobby

Looking for dinner plans while at the BOOST Conference? Want to meet and network with new, awesome and like-minded BOOSTers? Join our Pop-up Dinners for just that purpose! Space is limited, please click the links below to register for a BOOST Pop-Up Dinner. *Please note that you must be registered to attend the 2019 BOOST Conference with your account paid in full in order to register for a Pop-Up Dinner.

BOOST Pop-Up Dinner - Juvenile Justice
Moderated by: Tapau Osborne, Sr. Program Specialist, Aftercare, Division of Student Programs, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Downey, CA

BOOST Pop-Up Dinner - STEM In Expanded Learning
Moderated by: Larissa Johnson, Residential Energy Program Manager, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Rockville, MD

BOOST Pop-Up Dinner - The Future of Expanded Learning
Moderated by: Mary Jo Ginty, Region 11 Lead, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Downey, CA

BOOST Pop-Up Dinner - Resilient Mindset for Leaders
Moderated by: Liz Weir, Organization Development Manager, Camp Australia, Melbourne, Australia

BOOST Pop-Up Dinner - The Power of Expanded Learning for Secondary Youth
Moderated by: Terry Peterson, Education Consultant, CS Mott Foundation, Kiawah Island, SC; Bill Fennessy, Director of Community Partnerships and Work-based Learning, Think Together, Santa Ana, CA

Escape Room Palm Springs

Tuesday - Friday, 6:00PM - 9:30PM 
Escape Room Palm Springs

A fun and exciting team building experience where you and your team will work together to achieve a common goal, and in doing so, bond, strengthen your relationships and improve communication and teamwork. Each game is 60-minutes in length and includes an orientation and debriefing after each game. Who will escape first?

The Escape Room will be offering a special rate of $20 per attendee, per game throughout the entire week of the BOOST Conference.
*You must be registered and your account paid in full to register your team for an escape room experience and receive a BOOST Conference discount of $20 per game.
*To book an escape room experience, please call or text 310-850-0475 (text preferred) and use the Promo Code I AM BOOST. Credit card payments preferred.
*Space is limited and available on a first-come, first served basis.

Escape Room Palm Springs is located at 2500 North Palm Canyon Drive B3, Palm Springs, CA 92262. BOOSTers are responsible for their own transportation.

outdoor Laser Tag

Palm Springs Convention Center, East Lawn
7:30PM - 9:30PM

Join us at the end of the day for a fun outdoor laser tag event! Gather your team and battle against others in this fun, glow in the dark game. This event is hosted by Stratum Laser Tag and Limitless Learning. Click here to sign up for outdoor laser tag.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Breakfast with Exhibitors

7:30AM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Mingle with our exhibitors and enjoy a healthy breakfast in the Exhibit Hall. It's a great way to start your day!

Conference Opening & General Session

8:45AM - 9:45AM

A New Model for Social Change
Amy Smith, Chief Giving Officer, TOMS, Los Angeles, CA

TOMS was born of a belief in a better tomorrow. Since 2006, the TOMS community has been providing shoes, sight, and safe water to millions of people around the world, one by one and One for One. Now, in addition to our One for One program, TOMS is partnering with changemakers and organizations who are striving for progress- by creating, by inspiring, by doing. Because it's bigger than shoes. It's what we do in them. A New Model for Social Change In such divided times, it can be hard to remember that we agree on the most basic human issues. All of us deserve access to education, safe water, a place to call home, and a pair of shoes. And none of us want to live in fear of gun violence. Today we take our first stand on an issue that unites us all. Because the only way forward on the issues that matter is together. #EndGunViolenceTogether

March for Our Lives
David Hogg, Co-Founder; Matt Deitsch, Co-Founder, March for Our Lives, Parkland, FL

Not one more. We cannot allow one more person to be killed by senseless gun violence. We cannot allow one more person to experience the pain of losing a loved one. We cannot allow one more family to wait for a call or text that never comes. We cannot allow the normalization of gun violence to continue. We must create a safe and compassionate nation for our youth to grow up in. In the days after the tragedy in Parkland, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students strived to ensure that what happened at their school never happens again. As a nation, we continue to witness tragedy after tragedy, yet politicians remain complacent. The Parkland students, along with young leaders of all backgrounds from across the country, refuse to accept this passivity and demand direct action to combat this epidemic.

Learn more about March For Our Lives and how to take action at https://marchforourlives.com/

Dairrick Khalil Hodges
Dairrick Khalil Hodges is the founder of The SOULcial Workers, a theatre arts collaborative that serves to support the social education and emotional development of vulnerable youth and communities. A playwright and performer, his works aim to amplify the voices and experiences of those who experience marginalization and raise community consciousness around trauma and mental health. Dairrick has worked for over a decade in social services, integrating the arts into his work with foster youth, youth experiencing homelessness and youth in the LGBTQ+ Community.

2019 OSTI (Out-of-School Time Innovations) Awards

BOOST Break with Exhibitors & Meet the Authors

9:45AM - 10:15AM

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for networking and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule. 

Lunch & Keynote Address

12:30PM - 1:30PM 

When You Walk with Purpose, You Collide with Destiny
Dr. Bertice Berry, Founder, Dr. Bertice Berry Productions, Savannah, GA

Sociologist Dr. Bertice Berry is a best-selling author and award-winning lecturer has been named Comedian of the Year, Lecturer of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. She has published 11 best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction and has won numerous awards and accolades for both her writing and presentations. Berry has had her own nationally syndicated television show and has hosted, interviewed and made numerous television, documentary and radio appearances on a variety of diverse venues including The Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, Between The Lions, Crossfire, 20-20, NPR, PBS, and Comedy Central and CNN.

Learn more about Dr. Bertice Berry.

BOOST Break with Exhibitors & Meet the Authors

1:30PM - 2:30PM

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for snacks, networking, and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule. 

BOOST Live Networking Reception

4:45PM - 6:00PM

Duck, Duck, BOOST Relay Race

6:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Oh yes, it’s a new twist on the classic Duck Race! Get your ducks in a row during BOOST Live on Wednesday evening and cheer on our duck racers in the Duck, Duck, BOOST Relay Race in the pool! Who will be the lucky duck?! 

Duck, Duck, BOOST is a fundraiser for the BOOST Conference Scholarship Fund. This fund was developed in order to provide financial assistance for a lucky duck to attend next year's conference! Duck, Duck BOOST is a 50/50 fundraiser. 50% of the collected funds go towards the scholarship fund and 50% goes to the winning ticket holder. $5 BUCKS PER DUCK! Race starts at 6PM in the pool! 

Team      

BOOST Homecoming Party - SUPERHERO SPECTACULAR

7:00PM - 10:00PM
Rocks Lounge Terrace, Renaissance Hotel

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Morning Recess

7:00AM - 8:30AM 
Palm Springs Convention Center, East Lawn

Get up! Wake up! Rejuvenate! Bring your friends (and meet new ones) to the Morning Recess session, bright and early at 7:00 AM. Maximize your morning and set the tone for the day. Please join the U.S. Soccer Foundation Team for a morning of pick-up soccer games and scrimmages. We will be going over the fundamentals of soccer, having some fun warm-up exercises, and organizing some 3 vs. 3 competitive and non-competitive scrimmages. Participants will have the opportunity to win U.S. Soccer Foundation gear and prizes!

Tour de BOOST Walk/Scavenger Hunt

6:45AM - 8:30AM
Palm Spring Convention Center, East Lawn

Join fellow BOOSTers on a fun Tour de BOOST walk and a scavenger hunt around Palm Springs. This 3-mile hunt through scenic Palm Springs will lead you to some of Hollywood's most famous stars' Palm Springs getaways. Enjoy a beautiful Palm Springs morning, get some exercise, and best of all, connect with other BOOSTers as you figure out which Hollywood stars' homes you are going to visit!

All Tour de BOOST participants will meet in front of the Palm Springs Convention Center on the East Lawn. Please be prepared to complete paperwork and form your Tour de BOOST team at 6:45AM. Teams will receive their clues and start the race promptly at 7:00AM. Late arrivals cannot be accommodated. Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes. One smartphone and Twitter account will be needed per team to complete the scavenger hunt. If you don't have your own, bring a friend! Complimentary bottled water and snacks will be provided.

All Tour de BOOST participants must pre-register for this event. To sign up, access your online BOOST registration account, select Tour de BOOST, and make your payment. To sign up at the conference, visit the BOOST Collaborative Booth (0101 & 0105) in the Exhibit Hall. $20 Tour de BOOST fees are non-refundable and all proceeds benefit our 2019 Giveback Organization.

Proceeds to benefit: 

Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:00AM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Mingle with our exhibitors and enjoy a healthy breakfast in the Exhibit Hall. It’s a great way to start your day!

BOOST Blood Drive with Lifestream

8:00AM - 1:00PM
Palm Springs Convention Center 

Join us at BOOST and donate blood this year for a worthy cause! We are partnering with LifeStream to bring their donor truck to Palm Springs with one valued mission that we support - to help save lives by connecting donors and patients through the gift of blood. 

Click here to sign up to donate.

LifeStream is a non-profit 501(c)(3) blood center founded in 1951 as the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In 2008, the organization’s name was changed to better reflect the breadth of services offered and its expanding geographical service area. Today, LifeStream provides blood products and services to more than 80 Southern California hospitals and medical facilities in six counties. To fulfill patient need, LifeStream must collect 600 blood donations daily.

Opening & General Session

BOOST Mass Meditation 

8:45AM - 8:55AM

Coming together with a shared intention can have a profound impact on our lives, our communities, and our universe. Experience a moment of peaceful mindfulness lead by Jeffrey Zlotnik, Founder of The Meditation Initiative. We will bring our global community together to create deeper connections to ourselves, to our work and each other.

Keynote Address

9:00AM - 9:45AM

Dr. Shawn Ginwright 
Chief Executive Officer, Flourish Agenda Inc., Oakland, CA and Associate Professor of Education and African American Studies, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 

Dr. Ginwright is an Associate Professor of Education in the Africana Studies Department and Senior Research Associate for the Cesar Chavez Institute for Public Policy at San Francisco State University. In 1999, he received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His research examines the ways in which youth in urban communities navigate through the constraints of poverty and struggle to create equality and justice in their schools and communities.

Learn more about Dr. Ginwright.

Evaluation Cabana Hosted by American Institutes for Research

9:00AM - 3:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

For the fifth year in a row, AIR is hosting an Evaluation Cabana where you can meet one-on-one with one of AIR’s evaluation experts to discuss program evaluation and assessment. If you have ever wondered if your program is too new to evaluate or if an outside evaluator is needed, be sure to sign up.

Register for a complimentary 40-minute time slot on Thursday, May 2, in our poolside cabana at no additional cost (must be a registered conference attendee). Space is limited to six participants. REGISTER HERE

Some example questions are:

- Is my program too new to evaluate? How do I know where to start?
- Should I use grades and test scores to evaluate my program?
- How many participants do I need to have data to show an impact?
- Does an outside evaluator need to conduct my evaluation?
- How do I assess social and emotional skills?

Don't let these questions limit you!

As we know, quality programming and evaluation is the result of intentional planning, sharing, and reflection. Come see us in the cabana to learn more about developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving your afterschool program. 

Networking Lunch & Meet the Authors

12:00PM - 1:00PM

Lunch will be served in the exhibit hall. Grab your lunch and take this opportunity to mix and mingle with exhibitors and participate in our Meet the Authors series throughout the exhibit hall. 

BOOST Break with Exhibitors & Meet the Authors

2:30PM - 3:30PM

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for snacks, networking and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule. 

Enjoy an hour of exclusive promotions and discounts from selected vendors in our Exhibit Hall. Shop 'Til You BOOST! 

THINK RED Inspire & Paint

6:00PM - 8:30PM  
Date Terrace at the Renaissance Hotel

The event will be hosted by professional artist and drag queen, Xrystal, from Amazing Craft Workshops.

Please join us for a fun event of painting while raising funds to benefit organizations that serve the San Diego HIV & AIDS community. This fun event will be guided by a professional artist, Nathan Mohle, Amazing Craft Workshops, San Diego, CA.

100% of the proceeds go to the San Diego non-profit Think Red Project.

TICKETS- $25

Ticket includes:

• 2 hours of professional painting instruction
• Use of acrylic paints, paintbrushes, and easel
• 11" x 14” canvas for you to take home

Drink specials will be available for BOOST attendees participating in this special event.
Think Red Project & Red Dress Party San Diego / www.reddresspartysd.com 

Login and register for this event here

VillageFest Street Fair

6:00PM - 10:00PM
Downtown Palm Springs

Locals and tourists happily mingle at the Palm Springs VillageFest held year-round every Thursday evening on Palm Canyon Drive. An open-air street fair with more than 200 booths offering live music, fresh fruit stands, artists, craftsman, unique foods, and street entertainers to charm the crowd is a must for conference-goers. Admission is free and within walking distance from all of the BOOST conference hotels!

The Palm Springs Art Museum offers free public admission every Thursday evening from 4:00 - 8:00PM during VillageFest! The Art Museum currently has 28 galleries, five art storage vaults, two sculpture gardens, four classrooms/resource centers, a 90-seat lecture hall, the 433-seat Annenberg Theater, a Museum Store and a Café in an architecturally significant building designed by architect E. Stewart Williams at the base of Mount San Jacinto. An adjacent Administration building contains offices and a 12,000-volume Library.

www.psmuseum.org

Karaoke Party & Talent Show at Peabody’s CafE

7:30PM - 9:30PM
Peabody's Cafe, Palm Springs

Calling all BOOST superstars! It’s time to get down and get your groove on at the BOOST Talent Show! You can bring your team, your friends, or come and find your new crew. Sit back and relax, people-watch from the sidewalk patio, or join in the karaoke party and let your talent shine! Don’t forget to wear your BOOST name badge… drink specials will be available exclusively for BOOST attendees. 
*Peabody’s is located at 134 S Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs.

Poolside Dive-In Movie (Free event!)

8:00PM - 10:00PM 
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Gather poolside in a chaise lounge or on a raft in the pool and watch the film on the big screen! Drink and appetizer specials will be available. Rafts and BOOST beach towels will be available for purchase at the BOOST Booth in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday & Thursday only. 

FRIDAY, MAY 3

BreakFEST

7:30AM
Palm Springs Convention Center, East Lawn

It's a new twist on breakfast! Meet us on the PSCC East Lawn for a breakfast festival experience with a food truck, lawn games, festival activities, laughter yoga, a drum circle, and live screen printing (get your t-shirts to take home)! Coffee and breakfast items will be available for purchase. This is the perfect opportunity to say your farewells before heading to morning workshops, and closing & raffle.

Closing & Raffle

11:15AM - 12:00PM

Don't miss our fun and energetic conference closing with thousands of dollars worth of raffle prizes! Get your raffle tickets at the door for a chance to win!

Extra Credit

12:00PM

You have attended workshops, networking events, met with exhibitors - now what? Take this opportunity to intentionally connect with your colleagues and begin your action planning and next steps. We have complimentary meeting space for you and your team to retreat and begin the process to focus on ideas and setting goals for end-of-year, summer, and upcoming school year.

BOOST Golf Outing at Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort 

Check-in: 1:00PM
Tee Time: 1:30PM

Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort is one of the premier public golf resorts in Palm Springs, CA. Play golf within minutes from Palm Springs International Airport, downtown nightlife, and hotels in Palm Springs. Tahquitz Canyon, nestled in the San Jacinto mountain range, will provide the framework for incredible vistas while tales of the banished shaman, Tahquitz, will keep your imagination running wild. Golf Digest recently rated Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort as “One of the Best Places to Play” for golf resorts.

The "golf package" includes green fees, golf cart, Range Balls, 2 drinks, and a souvenir Tahquitz Creek golf cap for just $49 per player. Arrange transportation on your own, or carpool with other players. We encourage you to secure designated transportation (Uber/Lyft/Taxi) if you plan to drink. Deadline to register is April 25^th.

This event hosted by Bill Fennessy, Director of Community Partnerships and Work-based Learning at Think Together. 

Click here to register yourself and/or your team

Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including meals and workshops.