Breakout Sessions

Session Name: Gaining Inspiration: Latino & Latina Leaders from Past to Present
Presenter: Roger Garcia, City of Omaha Mayor’s Office
Session Description: This session will be specifically geared toward adolescents and young adult Latino/as in a manner that will seek to inspire them through cultural history and knowledge. The cultural aspect will primarily focus on Latino/as leaders from the past and present, both within the US and outside the US. The histories of these leaders will be described to session participants in an inspirational and understandable way to hopefully inspire youth to overcome obstacles and gain remodels that they can relate to.

Session Name: I am the first one in my family to go to college…What should I do? Where do I start? Should I panic?
Presenter: Lina Traslavina, University of Nebraska-Omaha
Session Description: We will debunk some of the myths and barriers for first generation students trying to get to college. Getting to college should be an intentional process that should be fun and not stressful. Students and families will leave with tools and information (and the network) to accomplish their goals of going to college and finding the money to do so.

Session Name: Find Your True Purpose
Presenter: Juan Cangas, Coca-Cola/SLiCK
Session Description: The session will be an interactive and educational session in which I will teach students the importance of discovering what their purpose is in life and how they can use this clarity to pinpoint different career paths in college that would help them express their purpose every day. So many times students get to college, but don’t know what they want to major in. By having a clear purpose statement students will know what is most important to them and then will be able to choose a career where their purpose is being expressed.

Session Name: What If My Student(s) Someday Go Back to Mexico?
Presenter: Edmund ‘Ted’ Hamann, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Session Description: Based on six years of research in three Mexican states with students there who previously attended U.S. schools, this session will provide an overview of schooling in Mexico, offer a ‘profile’ of transnational students, explore the articulation (and lack thereof) between U.S. and Mexican school experiences, and consider what happens when students leave Mexican schools to go (or return) to U.S. schools.

Session Name: Adelante! Latinas Leading the Way
Presenter: Dr. Carleen D. Sanchez, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Session Description: This session is designed to highlight the history of Latinas in the US and our contributions to our families, communities, and society. Largely overlooked in scholarship, Latinas have had to struggle against negative stereotypes that have limited our dreams, aspirations, and opportunities. This session is designed to provide Latina students, parents, and educators with positive information regarding the many significant contributions made by Latinas. The purpose is to foster self-esteem for students, provide Latino parents with affirmation of their traditions and beliefs, and offer school personnel with an insider perspective on obstacles to Latina achievement.

Session Name: Make Your School No Place For Hate
Presenter: Jessica Gall, Anti-Defamation League
Session Description: Are students in your school being picked on or left out? Have you heard any offensive jokes, name-calling or biased remarks on your campus? Standing up to bullies and against bigotry is never easy – particularly for young people. This is why ADL's No Place for Hate® initiative empowers the whole school community – teachers and students, administrators and parents – to tackle prejudice, bullying and intergroup conflict. Join the Anti-Defamation League for an informative session on how to make your school a place of respect, unity and character.

Session Name: Why Migrant Education?
Presenters: Betty Vertin, Nebraska Migrant Education and Dee Condon, ESU #7
Session Description: Come find out the benefits/services offered to schools, children, and families of students who are identified as eligible for the Migrant Education Program. The advantages of referring potential Migrant Education participants will be described.

Session Name: I can do that in college?
Presenter: Ernesto Mejia, CoolSpeak
Session Description: During this CoolSpeak workshop participants will learn about all of the out-of-class opportunities that await for them in college. College is about academics and learning, but it is also about developing the leadership, communication, and social skills needed to succeed in the professional world. This session will explore the variety of options available to students to develop these skills while in college in a fun-filled, interactive format.

Session Name: Hola My Nombre Is: Communication, Networking & Power
Presenters: Carlos Ojeda Jr., CoolSpeak
Session Description: This CoolSpeak workshop is designed to illustrate the importance of communication and networking. Participants will gain an understanding that influence is the sum total of the power and influence of everyone you know. Participants will also learn that you only get one chance to make a first impression, and learn skills and tactics that will insure the first impression is a great one.

Session Name: Celebrating Other than Mainstream Ethnic Groups in the Classroom
Presenter: Alicia Jimenez
Session Description: This seminar describes the many challenges affecting minorities and immigrants in the U.S. Innovative teaching methodologies to draw these students into pursuing and achieving higher academic success will be suggested. The use of artifacts and relics in the classroom will be emphasized.

Session Name: The ABCs of Reaching Your Goals
Presenter: Jessie Myles, Midwest Equity Assistance Center
Session Description: This highly engaging and interactive workshop will help students identify and develop their own “blueprint” for success and achieving their goals. Students will be asked to answer two basic questions: Where am I going and what do I need to get there?

Session Name: A Year in the Life: A Documentary about Latino Students at Crete High School
Presenters: Brent Meier & Elisabeth Reinkordt, Nebraska Department of Education and Crete High School Students
Session Description: Documentary producers Brent Meier and Elisabeth Reinkordt will showcase highlights from their documentary about Latino students in Nebraska, with individual student stories from students at Crete High School during the 2009-2010 school year. Student and parent biographies are accompanied by interviews with leading policymakers statewide in an effort to document how a town adapts to a shifting population and what schools can do to best serve students. The stories of students – including their self-produced videos – serve as an inspiration to other students and educators statewide. Q & A included.

Session Name: Prizm Club: Helping Students Succeed Through Leadership, Scholarship, Diversity, Service and Fun
Presenters: Karen Buchfinck, Crete High School and Crete High School Students
Session Description: Prizm Club is Crete High School’s very successful multicultural club. A student panel will share club activities and strategies that develop student’s self-worth and leadership, along with how the club helps students for college and provides fun times with friends and a connection to school.

Session Name: TRIO Programs, Educational Opportunities for All
Presenters: Vaughn Robertson, Natalie Frederick, Khari Wallace, Jerry Washington & Beth Jacobson, Educational Talent Search, UNL
Session Description: Do you want to go to college? Do you know someone who wants to go to college? Well we can help! TRIO Programs are federally funded programs to help first generation and low-income students get to college, complete an undergraduate degree, and, for some complete a graduate degree. Come and learn about all the different programs that fall under the TRIO umbrella.

Session Name: Community Building in Crete, NE
Presenters: Kyle McGowan, Karen Buchfinck & Jan Sears, Crete Public Schools
Session Description: This session describes Crete Public Schools’ response to changing demographics in our community through quality programs, which focus on the “whole family”. Collaborative partnerships with industry, churches and Doane College will also be discussed.

Session Name: The Latest In Technology at Lexington High School
Presenters: Brent Frauen & Eric Bell, Lexington High School
Session Description: Join Brent, Eric and a group of high school students share what advances have taken place in technology to engage Latino students to take a leadership role in Lexington High School.

Session Name: Youth Leadership; The Difference It Has Made in My Life
Presenters: Luis Sotelo, Joy Roos and Ray Otero, Lexington Public Schools
Session Description: Students and former students from Lexington High School will answer questions on what their leadership training and experiences have had on their lives. They will also tell the audience ways they can get involved in different things that will help them be successful leaders.

Session Name: KnowHow2Go Nebraska
Presenter: Brad Brown, EducationQuest Foundation
Session Description: Department of Education studies show that eight out of ten students expect to earn a bachelor’s degree, but few know what it takes to fully prepare for college. KnowHow2Go took the extensive to do list for college planning and created four simple steps that students can follow. A national public service campaign to help make college a reality.

Session Name: “ACT-ivating the Entrepreneurial Gene in You”
Presenter: Luis Sotelo
Session Description: Leadership is a phenomenon that does not happen overnight. It doesn't suffice to consider youth as our future when we have the opportunity to embrace their leadership today. During this session, each student will have the opportunity to ACT-ivate their passion, their ideas, and set results-driven goals to achieve their maximum potential and fulfill their dreams. In an interactive, fun, and thought-provoking format, the students will explore how to blend business thinking into their everday life so that they can make a difference in their lives and those around them. It will provide youth with tools on how to start their own projects, clubs, and organizations, and teach them not only to make strategic decisions, but most importantly, manage those decisions. This session aims to inspire the students, and empower them to ACT as entrepreneurs within their personal lives and greater community days after the conference is over.

Session Name: Building Cultural Proficiency
Presenter: Jessie Myles, Midwest Equity Assistance Center
Session Description: This workshop will explore cultural proficiency as a method of examining beliefs, attitudes, policies, structures, and practices that can help educators work effectively with diverse student learners. It includes a combination of interactive activities, discussions, and if time permits a fantastic educational simulation game about culture.

Session Name: Empowering Students: The OPS SLiCK Experience
Presenters: Giovanna Zermeno, Eric Goodell, Josue Hernandez, Amairany Garibo and Xiomara Avalos, Omaha Public Schools
Session Description: Through Migrant Education funding, the Omaha Public Schools has provided students with the opportunity to participate in SLiCK (Student Leadership inspired by Consuelo Kickbusch). This student leadership experience focuses on the development of soul, leadership, identity, culture and knowledge. Through this experience students learn about setting goals, problem-solving and becoming student leaders. The presenters all participated in the SLiCK program and will be sharing the experience and the impact that it has had on their lives.

Session Name: Migrant Education Programming: Making a Difference for Students
Presenters: Susan Mayberger, Juan Cangas, Rita Cano and Carlos Sierra, Omaha Public Schools
Session Description: Through Migrant Education funding, the Omaha Public Schools has been able to implement the BiNational Program and the Avenues Scholar Program Pilot. The BiNational Program enables OPS to bring teachers from Mexico to work in the district’s summer school programming and to provide students and OPS teachers the opportunity to learn about Mexican culture. The Avenue Scholar program is a pilot that is partnering the Migrant Education program with the Bright Futures Foundation with a goal of ensuring that all participating students graduate from high school and successfully transition into college and then the workplace. This session will explain how these two programs are making a difference for students.

Session Name: Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners
Presenters: Terri Schuster & Nancy Rowch, Nebraska Department of Education
Session Description: This session will provide an overview of the modifications for ELLs, based on the nine categories of research-based instructional strategies from Marzano’s Classroom Instruction That Works (CITW). Twenty-three Nebraska trainers are now available to provide CITW with ELLs workshops. A CD-ROM will be provided that includes trainer contact information, LEP and Poverty Plan Resource Guides, the NE developed CITW with ELLs Book Study Guide, and the new Administrator/Teacher ELL Program Guides.

Session Name: Play a Role: Forum Theatre and Bullying Prevention
Presenters: Patricia Newman, Nick Zadina, Haley Haas & Sean Carlson, R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Session Description: Using theatre techniques and games, this session will focus on how student can help themselves and their classmates when faced with difficult social situations such as bullying, peer pressure and dating violence. There will be a short scene presented, an educational game to demonstrate dynamics, and a role playing session to practice and explore prevention techniques.