DCON 2019

What to expect at District Convention 2019 The Division 32 Group from 2018 We travel as a group and stay in the hotel together‌so we really get to know each other well!

WHEN|WHERE|COST • Ontario Convention Center (2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA • April 12th – 15th – Convention is 12th – 14th • Cost Breakdown: • Convention registration $184 Paid to the district

• • • •

Convention hotel Ribbons Friday casual dinner Tip for maid

• Disneyland • Hotel for the extra night

•TOTAL

$ 96 Paid to the division

$105 Paid to the club $ 40 Paid to the club

$425

Payment Schedule •Due February 11th - $250 •Due April 1st – Another $175 These amounts need to be in the Key Club Bucks account. Members can put own funds into the account, if needed.

Other Expenses Connected to the Trip Breakfast at Starbucks in Coddingtown on Friday Lunch on Friday as we travel there Lunch on Sunday as we travel to Anaheim Meals in Disneyland Breakfast on Monday Lunch on Monday as we travel home Sometimes students wish to purchase snacks at a Starbucks located within the hotel, pizza late at night from the hotel, etc.

• Souvenirs • Incidentals that may arise – small things they may think they need to get in the hotel shop • Members could spend as little as $40 or as much as $75 • • • • • • •

Being teenagers, you can COUNT on them being hungry on both the travel time and late at night when in the hotel. It’s smart to have them bring lots of snacks with them!

For our Cloverdale students it can prove to be an eye-opener to the world beyond Cloverdale. They find out that there are a lot of other teens out there who also value doing service. It usually helps them to feel a stronger commitment in the future to doing something special with their lives.

Friday • We’ll meet at CHS at 5:30 a.m. & load up our vehicles with both people and luggage • Everyone is restricted to one piece of small luggage or a duffle bag • We’ll meet with the other D32 members at Coddingtown and follow their charter bus on what will be about a 7- 8-hour trip to Ontario

Bring things to entertain you on the trip!

• Games • Headphones • Food • Anything that doesn’t take up much space…

We will go straight to the Holiday Inn where we will be, for the most part, 4 to a room.

The division members will be mixed up in the rooms‌but every Cloverdale member will be with at least one of their friends. We will make every effort to ensure that friends room together.

After checking into the hotel, we’ll get into spirit gear, which includes the division t-shirt. If a member doesn’t have one, it will have to be purchased for $15.

Friday is “Spirit Day� and we can wear face paint, tutus, anything that shows our division Dino spirit. We even make and bring spirit sticks, etc.

So what happens at the convention on Friday?

• On Friday afternoon you get a chance to meet the District Officer candidates in a room where you can wander to visit them at tables.

• Then, there are two small workshop sessions members and chaperones will attend, starting at around 5:30 p.m. These will include training for so many aspects of Key Club, and a special region meeting with members from all over CNH. • Most sessions have a couple hundred attendees and are led by other Key Club members or advisors.

• At 8:30, there will be a GENERAL SESSION, with close to 3,000 members and advisors there. You meet the Governor, and you will hear a motivational performance that is usually VERY inspiring!

• At 10:30 there exit to the hotels, with curfew at 11:30 p.m.

There are so many people there, that we often actually watch what’s happening on stage via a huge set of video screens.

Members are kept active until late at night!

• My experience, after taking students to conventions for the last 35 years is that keeping them busy until they collapse is a VERY SMART move!

• It keeps them out of trouble, hopefully!

This is the reason that the final session on Friday night doesn’t end until late and curfew is so late!

Saturday Saturday is “Business Attire” Day. Our entire division dresses in black tops with purple ties and black bottoms. We provide the ties, but you’ll need to get the tops and bottoms. (They can be purchased at Goodwill, if money is tight.)

On Saturday night, everyone gets dressed up for the dinner, the Awards Session and dance.

There are VERY STRICT dress code guidelines • Pay close attention to the shoes!

• Usually, for the early part of Saturday, we don’t have problems, as everyone is careful to follow the division guidelines.

Saturday evening, however, can be problematic

• Girls try to wear shoes that have back-straps • Girls try to wear dresses that are too short • Girls try to wear dresses with spaghetti straps • Girls try to wear dresses that show too much cleavage • Guys try to wear shirts that don’t support a tie • Guys try to wear nondress shoes

So, what actually happens on Saturday?

• In the morning

• Breakfast • Caucus Session – listen to District Officer candidate speeches • Several Workshop Sessions • House of Delegates – elect the new District Officers

• In the afternoon

• Lunch • Second General Session • A couple more workshops • An Expo & Hands-on Service Projects • Time to change clothes & get ready for the evening • We often have our club’s name come up on the screen.

• Sometimes, member names are up there, too!

The following members may see their names on the screen for the Member Recognition Program (recognizing their service record):

• • • • • • •

Alyssa Neidi Lilly Kayla Miguel Alexis Paula

Member Recognition Program The last day to earn eligibility for this award was January 31st application is sent from the club to honor members with • One 50 or more hours of service. levels are 50+ hours; 100+ hours; 150+ hours and • Recognition 200+ hours.

• All the members on the previous slide have met the criteria. will receive certificates they can put into their school • They portfolios.

• Saturday dinner is usually a special, served-bywaiters meal.

• Then we head into the Awards Session.

• Members in our club who may be eligible for recognition at this session include: • • • • •

Rowan & Kayla – Distinguished Newsletters Miguel & Alex – Distinguished Website Kayla – Member of the Year Lilly - Distinguished Single Service Project for our Save the Rain activities Alexis – Distinguished Year-in-Review Scrapbook

Here are some last year’s Cloverdale winners with their medals

The evening finishes with a dress-up dance and alternative activities!

Sunday

We wear a new convention t-shirt and go to the Closing Session where the current LTGs are retired and the new ones installed

The final session is fairly short, and then we head to Anaheim for our Disneyland fun!

We’ll Stop at Our Hotel & Leave the Luggage Before Heading to Disneyland • Before heading to Disneyland, we’ll eat a meal someplace relatively less expensive • Disneyland is open until midnight.

• We may be too tired to stay that late.

• We’ll figure it out as the day progresses.

• You will be eating the rest of your meals in the park, so it can be expensive!

When finished, we’ll head back to our hotel • We’ll sleep the next morning until 9 a.m.

• We’ll have breakfast & then get on the road, and HOPE that traffic is not too heavy • It’s about 8 hours to get home, but that doesn’t include bathroom or meal stops • Best guess is that we’ll get home around 8 p.m. that night

Is DCON worth going to?

Ask those who’ve gone in the past…

It’s pretty great to find out that there are other teens out there, keeping busy, making a difference in the world, just like us!

While there is a lot of educational activity at DCON, and some of the sessions can be long……….. Almost everyone comes back from DCON saying that it’s……………..

Deadline Reminder - Again • Monday, February 11th – paperwork & $250 in Key Club Bucks • Monday, March 11th - $150 more in the Key Club Bucks

If deadlines are proving difficult, talk to the advisors…there is ALWAYS a solution that can be explored!