National School Conference on International Youth Exchange - 2008
 |
 |
Sheraton City Centre Hotel - Indianapolis, Indiana - February 28-29, 2008
The Inaugural National School Conference on International Youth Exchange was held at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana and was co-sponsored by CSIET and the Indiana Department of Education. The conference provided an opportunity for school leaders, educators and administrators to meet and network with school colleagues and leaders of various youth exchange programs. With over 150 participants, the attendance surpassed CSIET's original expectations. Forty percent of the attendees were educators and school personnel. With 13 exhibitors and four sponsors, this meeting was an impressive first-year endeavor.
Sessions and speakers were very well received by attendees, with particular praise for sessions on best practices, national education policy, and athletic eligibility. A video welcome message was prepared by U.S. Senator Richard Lugar. The keynote addresses from Ambassador Kenton Keith and Dr. Suellen Reed were well-received. Additionally, exchange students and host parents delivered compelling presentations. Further presenters included representatives from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Education, state and national high school athletic associations, and several high schools and exchange programs.
During the Friday Luncheon, CSIET Board Chair, John Doty, presented awards to the first three winners of the 2008 Global Classroom Awards. Representatives C.D. Hylton High School, the Metropolitan Learning Center, and Skaneateles High School spoke about the impact of international exchange and education on their school community and what this type of recognition means to their programs.
The conference was promoted by the Indiana Department of Education's media office which generated a mention in the Indianapolis Star newspaper. In addition, the Mayor of Indianapolis, Greg Ballard, issued a formal proclamation recognizing the School Conference along with two other conferences going on the same week. He declared that week a, Citywide celebration of cultures: converging and connecting the worlds of music, social studies and international exchange to benefit students and communities.
In conjunction with the National School Conference, the Indiana Department of Education launched a webpage on international youth exchange and endorsing CSIET efforts. CSIET staff provided extensive input on the content. You can view the site at: http://www.doe.in.gov/internationaleducation/welcome.html.