novacon fall 2019
Dates: September 4, 5, 6 and 9th
Times: 9:30 - 11:30 am
Location: Nova High School
We’re looking for volunteers to offer student workshops on a wide range of topics. Please check out the information below and fill out our volunteer form to sign up.
What is Nova Con?
Nova Con is a conference hosted for Nova students twice a year at the beginning of each semester. It is focused on justice, art and community workshops and events. The conference is designed to connect Nova students to our community and also to the many communities we are nested within.
Workshops are planned and facilitated by students, families and community facilitators. This also allows teachers to meet individually with every student before the semester starts to craft their unique educational experience.
We can’t provide this unique educational experience without the support of folks like you! Please check out the information below and fill out our volunteer form to sign up.
What is the workshop format?
The workshops run for one hour and we have several time options available throughout the conference. Workshops can be in many formats:
Teaching a skill
Doing a project
Creating/making something
Sharing internship options, community resources and/or volunteer opportunities
Leading a discussion
A presentation
Doing something to improve Nova through a reflective discussion and developing an action plan
Doing a service for the school or greater community
Sharing an inspiring or thought provoking piece of media
Sharing expertise or experience.
Workshops run in one-hour blocks from 9:30 - 10:30 AM and 10:30 - 11:30AM. Please fill out our volunteer form to choose the time that works best for you.
What kinds of workshops are needed?
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Racial, LGBTQ+, gender, environmental, ability, immigrant, economic and/or intersectional justice
Organizations doing justice work
Volunteer opportunities
Education and youth specific justice issues including school to prison pipeline, youth jail, youth rights, protest skills and rights
Historic and contemporary justice movements
Intersectional and inclusive history and/or art presentations
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
Opportunities to get involved and be social IRL (in real life)
Social skills and emotional intelligence building. Topics could include
De-escalation
Emotional regulation
Facilitation
Supporting peers in crisis
Consent and relationship skills
Service learning and volunteer opportunities for youth
Opportunities to work in groups and gain teamwork skills
ARTS
Visual arts of all kinds
Music
Theater
Dance
Creative Writing
Storytelling
Learning about arts programs that are youth inclusive
Arts performances
LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS
College and Career
College and technical programs
Applying for college, scholarships and financial aid
Job opportunities and internship programs
Cool jobs with people who love their jobs or may have job/volunteer opportunities
Adulting (knowing how to do things that adults have to do to live and thrive, but are not often explicitly taught)
Moving: Finding an apartment
Cleaning your house
Cars: Buying a car, Car repair, Insurance
Money: Credit, Budgets, Taxes & Bills
Job hunting, Interviewing
Social etiquette when doing things like renting an apartment or interviewing
Nova Community Norms
TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF IN OUR COMMUNITY
Be mindful.
Share your thoughts and leave room for other people to share theirs.
Sit with discomfort but not injustice.
Speak from I (avoid generalizing other people’s experience/beliefs and/or being a condescendy pants)
Be thoughtful about your language because language has consequences. Discrimination based on race, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and/or mental or physical disability is illegal and not tolerated here. Slurs related to these forms of discrimination as well as language and jokes that minimize sexual and physical violence will have serious consequences in our community.
Explain don’t shame
Practice clear consent. Treat people the way they want to be treated, ask them if you don’t know and listen when they explain.
Be sober.
Be thoughtful about broadcasting your personal business. Be aware that folks have different levels of comfort when it comes to talking about sex, drugs/alcohol and other personal biz as well as public displays of affection.
TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN OUR COMMUNITY
Welcome people.
Follow the visitor policy and bring your visitors up to speed about what safety means at Nova.
When you see people at Nova you don’t recognize ask them to check in with the office.
Help each other to be accountable.
Leave Nova and Nova spaces nicer than you found them.
CONTENT WARNINGS
At Nova we respect that people can be upset and uncomfortable about the content of curriculum, discussions and media that is used and shared in classes. We work to be clear in course descriptions and by giving warnings to students ahead of time about potentially upsetting material. We simultaneously work to support students to make good choices for themselves when picking classes and in advocating for themselves when they need an alternative assignment.
Thank you!
FRIENDS OF NOVA
Nova High School
2410 E Cherry St
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 252-3500
admin@friendsofnova.org