NAF Leadership Discovery Summit
August 9 - 12 | Atlanta, GA
SUMMIT UPDATE:
May 12, 2020
We have spent the last few weeks gathering feedback from all applicants as well as school districts. Based on that feedback and many other factors including the health and safety of everyone involved, we have decided to postpone the Summit until August 1 – 4, 2021.
This was not an easy decision. We know applicants were very much looking forward to connecting with other students and alumni in Atlanta this summer, but we are excited to be able to offer this event opportunity in 2021.
Next Steps:
- Save the date for August 1 – 4, 2021. All applications will be considered for the 2021 Summit unless you withdraw your application. There is no need to take any action yet – we will reach out sometime this fall semester with more information.
- Keep an eye out for information about the pilot project “NAF Student and Alumni Leaders.” Many applicants indicated that they are still interested in this opportunity, so over the next couple of months, we will be taking the next steps to put that together. This group is intended to elevate the voice of students and alumni across the NAF network as we connect directly to support their college & career journey and strengthen the NAF academy experience.
- Remember that NAF is still here to support your journey to being future ready! We share resources on our Instagram channel, on the NAF blog, and our YouTube channel. Tag @NAFCareerAcads in any of college and career updates – we’d love to hear from you!
If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You can DM NAF on Instagram @NAFCareerAcads or you can email us at conference@naf.org.
Go back to NAF Leadership Discovery Summit page.
FAQ
For the first time ever, NAF is hosting a leadership summit for NAF students and young alumni. To create a world in which all young people have equal opportunity for successful futures, we recognize the need to amplify the voices of students and alumni. Participants will learn tangible skills that will help them achieve their career goals – this is an essential component of being future ready, but it doesn’t stop there. Through the lens of current events and social issues affecting youth, participants will have a unique opportunity to learn how to make a difference in their communities while developing key leadership skills that will help them on their career journey and beyond.
This Summit will create a unique and coveted opportunity for participants to go back to their home communities as members of the NAF Student & Alumni Leaders Initiative for the 2020-2021 academic year.
NAF Student & Alumni Leaders is a pilot initiative to uncover ways NAF can strengthen student and alumni engagement and develop leadership skills.
Keep an eye out for information about the pilot project. Many applicants indicated that they are still interested in this opportunity, so over the next couple of months, we will be taking the next steps to put that together. This group is intended to elevate the voice of students and alumni across the NAF network as we connect directly to support their college & career journey and strengthen the NAF academy experience.
Logistics
The NAF Leadership Discovery Summit has been postponed until August 1 – 4, 2021.
Atlanta Marriott Marquis. 265 Peachtree Center Ave, Atlanta, GA 30303
The participant application process will be open to all NAF academies. Rising high school sophomores through rising high school seniors are encouraged to apply (10th – 12th graders). For alumni, we invite any alumni who graduated from a NAF academy from 2015 through 2020 to apply. Please see the “Participant Selection” section for more information.
There will be approximately 150 students and 50 alumni, plus chaperones, NAF staff, corporate partners, postsecondary partners, and speakers.
We are covering the cost for participants’ flight, hotel, and meals! The only cost to participants is a $200 registration fee, but if that presents a barrier to any participant to attend this event, they can let us know after they receive notification that their application was accepted and the fee will be waived. We do not want finances to be a barrier to attending this event. Stay tuned for more information.
Meals that are covered: Dinner on Sunday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Monday and Tuesday. Breakfast on Wednesday.
Students’ inability to pay the $200 registration fee will not affect their eligibility. If the $200 registration fee presents a barrier, students and alumni can check a box on their registration form notifying NAF and the fee will be waived. Fee waivers do not impact acceptance to the Summit.
All information will be shared on NAF’s Instagram @NAFCareerAcads and via email to academy leaders, students, and alumni so please check your emails from nafemails@naf.org.
Content
- Career spotlights in all 5 NAF career themes
- Worksite tours in the Atlanta area
- Mock interviews with corporate partners
- College essay writing support
- Networking opportunities and workshops
Some of the targeted learning outcomes are below. However, the summit content and learning outcomes will evolve with more youth input during the planning process. It is vital to NAF that this summit not be created for youth, but instead that it be created WITH them. Participant applications and outreach will help to create an event NAF students and alumni are proud to attend.
Participants will leave with the following:
- Strategies to improve communication and storytelling skills
- Networking skills – including not only how to make contacts, but how to continue engaging and leveraging connections
- Leadership skills – discover qualities that contribute to strong leaders and how you can develop your leadership skills
- Career awareness and exploration – understand how career goals and skill development leads to continued success and fulfillment
- Build a community of peers who are supportive of your career goals and interests
Chaperones will be able to take back tools, resources, and strategies to:
Support the continued learning and growth of fellow NAF students and alumni in your home community. This may include learning about fundraising to support your local NAF academy, ways to address social issues, how to recruit internship providers and partners for your academy, and more.
Participant Selection
Applicants have been notified that the 2020 Summit has been postponed until August 1 – 4, 2021.
All applications will be considered for the 2021 Summit unless you withdraw your application. There is no need to take any action yet – we will reach out sometime this fall semester with more information.
There will be an application process for NAF students and young alumni. Prospective participants should apply directly themselves.
The application includes 5 parts:
- Basic Personal Information
- Student Responses
- Confirmation of Commitment Checklist
- Parent Information & Confirmation of Commitment
- Adult mentor letter of support
If academy leaders wish to nominate certain students to apply, they may do so following their own process. We highly encourage academy leaders to consider students of varying skills and experience.
The application deadline has passed.
We’ll be evaluating applications based on students’ articulation of how social leadership and their future pathway to school and work will intersect. We’re looking to build complementary viewpoints between students who are academically-driven, and those driven by passion and instinct. All students will show an interest in developing leadership skills, navigating their future path, and exploring ways that becoming a professional can be values-driven and socially responsible.
We have a particular interest in ensuring that students are represented from multiple points on the spectrum of ‘access.’ Some participants will have minimal barriers to post-secondary pathways, and others will have many. Students’ inability to pay the $200 registration fee will not affect their eligibility.
The application deadline has passed.
All 2020 applications will be considered for the 2021 Summit unless you withdraw your application. There is no need to take any action yet – we will reach out sometime this fall semester with more information.
Chaperones
Travel (airfare or mileage, with certain conditions), hotel, and meals at the Summit will be covered by NAF. Neither the chaperone nor the school is responsible for those costs.
The number of chaperones you bring must be in accordance with your high school and school district rules. You are responsible for following your local rules. Typically, we hear from districts that many of them have a 1:5 or 1:10 chaperone to student ratio, but please follow whatever rule your school and district has in place.
All chaperones must follow their local school district rules. This includes passing a background check and having that record on file with the school.