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Virginia School Consortium for Learning

Virginia School Consortium for Learning
ANNUAL STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

2019-2020

Thursday, November 14, 2019
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Emmet Street Holiday Inn
Charlottesville, VA

General Information

The VaSCL Student Leadership Conference is provided each year as a benefit of membership in The Virginia School Consortium for Learning.  The conference is FREE for participants from VaSCL member high schools.

Click here for a list of VaSCL Members

This year’s VaSCL Student Leadership Conference will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at The Holiday Inn (1901 Emmet Street) in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Audience

Teams of High School Students from Grades 9 – 12 and Faculty Advisors.

Conference Description

The theme of the 2019 Student Leadership Conference is “What School Could Be.” 

The 2019 Student Leadership Conference will continue for a fourth year the work of exploring the VDOE “Profile of a Virginia Graduate,” with an emphasis on innovative programs and projects that help students develop the 21st century skills of critical thinking, creative problem solving, communication, and collaboration. This year, we will be partnering with Ted Dintersmith, producer of the documentary Most Likely to Succeed, and the author of the book, What School Could Be, and the conference will focus on how schools can best help students become “life-ready” individuals who can make a positive difference in the world.

The goal of the conference is to explore innovative approaches - that schools are already implementing or new ideas that schools could put into practice - which enable students to gain purpose and agency, as well as essential skills and mindsets. Throughout the conference, the focus will be on how small steps can lead to big changes, and how students can be empowered to take ownership of their own education and to help create an environment in their schools which makes all students want to come to school and want to learn. The hope is that participating in the conference will engage and motivate students to be bold and imaginative leaders who are committed to improving their schools and their communities.

General Opening Session

The Student Leadership Conference will begin with a ninety-minute General Opening Session for all of the more than 300 student participants and their Faculty Advisors.  The Keynote Presentation will feature clips from the documentary Most Likely to Succeed, an award-winning film which offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of – if we have the vision and courage to transform our schools. During the Keynote, Ted Dintersmith will also lead a discussion with the audience, focused on generating ideas on how students and teachers can best help schools create learning experiences that prepare all students for life in the 21st century.  The hope is that this General Opening Session will stimulate dialogue about what matters most for students today and in the future – a conversation that will continue not only throughout the rest of the day, but when students return to their homes, schools, and communities at the end of the Student Leadership Conference.

Share Fair Assembly

During the conference there will be a sixty minute large-group Share Fair Assembly during which those schools which have chosen to do so will make a formal presentation about some program, activity, or project at their school that they are particularly proud of and that they feel students from other high schools would like to learn more about. 

In keeping with this year’s theme of “What School Could Be,” we are asking that Share Fair Presentations focus on innovative programs or projects which build on students’ interests and passions and enable students to gain the conviction that they can make a positive difference in the world.

In thinking about what your school might like to share, please consider:  What programs give students choice and voice, and develop their sense of responsibility for their own education?  Which activities allow students to gain deeper understanding by applying their knowledge and skills to real world challenges?  What projects give students the chance to set goals, manage their own efforts, assess progress, and learn to persevere to achieve completion?  What activities encourage students to use resourcefulness, determination, conceptualization, and creativity to make the world a better place?  What hands-on projects provide opportunities for critical analysis, meaningful problem-solving, innovative design, and team work in addressing open-ended questions or problems?

One goal of this Share Fair is to give students the chance to develop and demonstrate their personal skills as leaders by planning and delivering a five-minute presentation for an audience of approximately 200 participants.  The other goal of the Share Fair is to allow schools to share innovative programs, activities, and projects that are working well in their schools, so that all participants have the opportunity to learn from their peers about ideas which might help them to address the issues that they are dealing with in their schools and communities.

Small Group Session

During the conference, all students will also participate in discussion groups with approximately 25 other students from different high schools. These small group sessions will give all participants the chance to learn more about each other as well as learn more about the over forty different high schools from across the state of Virginia which will be represented at the conference. The small groups will be led by seniors who have volunteered to take on this role and who have participated in a training session for their role as facilitators before the conference is held. The discussions in these small groups will give students the chance to motivate, teach, inspire, and learn from each other as they discuss the questions and problems that are important to them. The hope is that these small group sessions will help students grow as leaders by giving them the opportunity to share their experiences and collaborate with other students in coming up with creative approaches which will help enable their schools and communities to best serve the needs of all students.

Important Information for Faculty Advisors

Faculty Advisors are asked to CLICK on the following links, especially Planning & Preparation, for important information on this year’s VaSCL Student Leadership Conference.

Registration is Closed

If you would like to register your high school to participate, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to see if there are spaces available.


As a benefit of membership in VaSCL, there is NO CHARGE for participation in the Student Leadership Conference.

However, registered high schools are required to give NOTICE of CANCELLATION by Thursday, November 7, 2019, if they are not able to attend.

Registered high schools which do NOT give notice of cancellation at least one week in advance will be charged $200.

Teams of THREE to FIVE students (grades 9-12) and one-two Faculty Advisors from each VaSCL member high school can be registered using the online registration form.

Please NOTE:  Schools which choose to take on the extra responsibility of preparing a proposal for a five minute presentation during the Share Fair Assembly at the Student Leadership Conference will be given the option of registering TWO additional student participants (for a total of up to SEVEN students on their SLC team).

Conference Coordinator

If you have questions or concerns, or would like more information about this year’s VaSCL Student Leadership Conference, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..