April 14-16, 2009, Crazy Horse Memorial, Black Hills, South Dakota

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Registration at Crazy Horse Memorial. Participants must arrive by 4 p.m.

1 to 4 p.m. Registration. Students and their advisers, conference mentors, staff and presenters register for conference. Each student participant must complete a written registration form and online profile for the Kuder Career Planning System. Participants receive room assignments at four Custer motels: the Bavarian, Econo Lodge, Holiday Inn Express and Super 8. Distribution of giveaways (name tags, tote bags, program brochures, T-shirts, books, notebooks, pens, Crazy Horse materials etc.). Literature and display tables stocked. Orientation Center Lobby

Mentor and staff orientation begins at 4:30 p.m.

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Orientation meeting for conference mentors and staff. Light refreshments: coffee, soft drinks. Welcome and introductions by Jack Marsh and Larry Atkinson. Orientation and basic training by Mary Arnold. Discussion about expectations. Explanation of story and project assignments for writing-group and multimedia-group mentors by Mary Arnold and Val Hoeppner. Explanation of Kuder by Chuck Baldwin. Follow-up discussion about teaching materials distributed to mentors in advance. Explanation of logistics by Jack Marsh. Laughing Water Restaurant

Opening program and evening activities for all conference participants begin at 6 p.m.

6 to 6:30 p.m. Welcome by Larry Atkinson, opening prayer, staff introductions and logistics. Introductions of staff and mentors by Larry Atkinson. Overview of curriculum and program by Mary Arnold and Val Hoeppner. An orientation to the rules, guidelines, expectations and logistics of the next two days by Jack Marsh. Orientation Center Theater

6:45 to 7:30 p.m. Buffet dinner (no program during dinner). Laughing Water Restaurant

7:45 to 8:15 p.m. Keynote address by Gerard Baker. Introduction by Doris Giago.
Orientation Center Theater

8:15 to 9 p.m. “Journalists in action: Getting it right” led by Mary Arnold. Orientation Center Theater

9 to 9:40 p.m. Conversation with Al Neuharth followed by Q&A with audience. Video introduction. Orientation Center Theater

9:45 p.m. Participants released. Return to their motels in Custer.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

6:30 a.m. Automatic wake-up calls to all motel rooms.

7:30 a.m. Shuttle buses pick up at motels, transport students and other participants from Custer to Crazy Horse. Staff members (Janine Harris and Jackie Zimmerman) will be at motels to direct students onto buses.

7:30 to 8:15 a.m. Buffet breakfast. Distribution of handout listing all student names and their assignments to different mentor groups. Announcements from restaurant podium. Mary Arnold explains mentor groups and how they are organized. Laughing Water Restaurant

8:30 to 10:15 a.m. Students go directly to their assigned mentor groups at locations on the upper and lower levels of the Orientation Center. Get acquainted; receive basic “nuts and bolts” instruction and assignments.
8:30 to 10 a.m. Teacher/adviser breakout session. “Roundtable Discussion for High School Journalism Teachers” moderated by Doris Giago.  Library on lower level of Orientation Center

10:15 to 11 a.m. Success stories among Native role models. Aspiring journalists and working professionals share why they pursued journalism and their experiences so far. Moderated by Val Hoeppner, with Shannon Shaw, Nancy Kelsey, Charles Pulliam and Devin Wagner. Orientation Center Theater

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students return to their mentor groups and pursue assignments. Mentors prepare students to ask questions during Ziolkowski family press conference.
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Teacher/adviser breakout session conducted by Native American Journalists Association. “Introduction to New Media: Running a Convergence Media Newsroom” moderated by Ray Chàvez. Library on lower level of Orientation Center

12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Buffet luncheon. No program. Logistics announcements. Laughing Water Restaurant

1:15 to 1:35 p.m. Showing of Crazy Horse 20-minute orientation film “Dynamite & Dreams.” Introduction by Jack Marsh. After the film, announcement of mountain blast and arrangements for trip up the mountain. Distribute and collect signed release forms. Orientation Center Theater

1:45 p.m. Mountain blast. Ruth Ziolkowski and Jack Marsh announce countdown. Viewed from outside veranda between Laughing Water Restaurant and the Orientation Center.

1:50 to 2:30 p.m. Trip up the mountain and group photo on top. Following blast, board vehicles outside the Orientation Center entrance. (Weather permitting. If necessary, it will be rescheduled for after lunch on Thursday.)

2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Press conference with Ruth Ziolkowski and daughters. Moderated by Jack Marsh, joined by professionals. Students ask questions from audience. Orientation Center Theater

3:30 to 6 p.m. Students return to mentor groups and resume work on assignments.

3:30 to 5 p.m. Teacher/adviser breakout session conducted by NAJA: “Generating Story Ideas” moderated by Ray Chàvez. Library in Orientation Center

6 to 7 p.m. Buffet dinner (dessert later). No program. Laughing Water Restaurant

6 to 6:15 p.m. Mentor meeting conducted by Larry Atkinson and Jack Marsh. Orientation Center Theater

7 to 8 p.m. Students return to mentor groups and resume work on assignments. Groups can break early for dessert, DJ and dance, or can continue past 8.

7 to 8:30 p.m. Teacher/adviser breakout session conducted by NAJA: “New media tools and technology” moderated by Chris Krug.  Library in Orientation Center

7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Social time. Dessert buffet, DJ and dance. Native American Cultural Center

9 to 10:45 p.m. Shuttle-bus service for all participants runs continuously between Crazy Horse and motels in Custer. Last bus leaves Crazy Horse at 10:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

6:30 a.m. Automatic wakeup calls to all motel rooms.

7:20 a.m. Depart motels for Crazy Horse. Transportation “on your own.” No shuttle-bus service. Check out of rooms before leaving.

7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Buffet breakfast. Laughing Water Restaurant

8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Students report to their mentor groups. Finish assignments and submit work for use on conference website, www.freedomforumdiversity.org, and in conference publication, Native Journal. Students and mentors discuss career paths and journalism opportunities. Those students who have not already done so, complete an online survey (Kuder Career Planning System) assessing their career interests and personal talents.

8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Teacher/adviser breakout session conducted by NAJA: “Opportunities and Partnerships” moderated by Jeffrey Palmer. Library in Orientation Center

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Optional film showings. For conference participants who have completed their work.  Showing of Newseum short-subject films about journalism, journalists and the role of a free press. Orientation Center Theater

9:15 to 10 a.m. Teacher/adviser breakout: “Conference Critique Session” moderated by Larry Atkinson and Jack Marsh. Library in Orientation Center

10:30 to 11 a.m. Multimedia and online journalism: New opportunities and options for today’s journalists. Showing of multimedia projects completed by students. Presentation led by Val Hoeppner. Orientation Center Theater

11 to 11:15 a.m. Presentation of Crazy Horse Memorial Journalism Scholarships by Jadwiga Ziolkowski, Jack Marsh and Jim Emery, representing the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. Scholarships honor the memories and legacies of Robb DeWall, Lem Price and Peggy Sagen. Orientation Center Theater

11:15 to 11:35 a.m. “Where We Go from Here” by John Bodette. Introduction by Breanna Roy. Orientation Center Theater

11:35 to 11:55 a.m. Special presentation by Doris Giago, Larry Atkinson and Jack Marsh, joined by others. Honor song by Bryan Thunder Hawk, Naca Charging Crow and Scott Means. Conference participants are asked to remain in room until dismissed. Orientation Center Theater

12 to 1 p.m. Buffet luncheon and closing program. Larry Atkinson, Doris Giago and Mary Arnold. Presentation of certificates to students and their teachers. One representative for each school. Closing prayer. Laughing Water Restaurant

1 p.m. Adjournment.