Graduate Travel
Professional Travel Grants for Graduate Students
VAASL Conference_Roanoke
10 years
I wasn’t sure what to expect at the conference. This was my first conference and I have to say it was great. There were so many sessions to choose from. I didn’t arrive until Friday, so I was only able to attend the Saturday sessions. I attended 4 sessions, each one giving me some great information.Web 2.0 Tools Are Elementary gave me some great ideas for technology, for example ways to use Google Docs, Animoto and QR codes. I enjoyed learning about Makerspace. I wasn’t familiar with this until the conference. My only regret is that I didn’t come earlier. Can’t wait for next year!
Virginia Counselors Association (VCA Convention 2014)
10 years
(left to right) Lisette Bennett, Chelsea Carroll, Ashlie Robertson, and Elizabeth Forman
I attended the Virginia Counselors Associations (VCA) Convention in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was a wonderful, exciting, and educational experience. The convention began on Thursday and ended Saturday afternoon. It was a very valuable experience to be able to attend various sessions on different topics throughout the counseling field. I was able to attend eleven different sessions. I really enjoyed the keynote speaker, James Lloyd. James did a great job captivating and inspiring the audience. I also enjoyed the humor he blended into his speech. One of my favorite experiences during the convention, was having the opportunity to be able to converse with counselors practicing in multiple settings and agencies.
I really enjoyed that the convention was in Williamsburg, VA. It was nice to be within walking distance of Colonial Williamsburg. During the lunch sessions, it was very easy to walk to Colonial Williamsburg to get a bite to eat. Furthermore, it was nice to be able to spend time with fellow Counselor Education students and hear about the sessions they attended. Overall, I had a fabulous experience at the VCA Convention and I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to be able to go and learn new techniques and ideas that are occurring in the counseling world. I look forward to implementing some of the ideas I was given into my current internship.
Great Conference
10 years
The two days I spent at the VaASL conference filled my mind with so many new ideas and understandings about the impact that a school librarian can make on learning in the school. Paige Jaeger’s remarks inspired me to strive for a higher standard for myself because my work with students can make the difference in preparing them to participate in society as literate citizens. There were so many interesting sessions that it was difficult to choose which one to attend. I learned about new books as well as how to use old standards in new and exciting ways. The technology sessions revealed lots of great ways to use tools to improve instruction both in the library and throughout the school. Walking around the vendor area helped me better understand the resources that I can utilize to strengthen my collection. One of the best parts of the conference was spending time with my Longwood classmates!
VAASL
10 years
I attended the VAASL Conference in Roanoke, Virginia. It was an exciting and educational weekend. This was my first professional conference and was impressed at the choices that were offered to me. I started my weekend with reviewing positive behavior management in the session, “Are you spending to much time on discipline?” The presenter went over core beliefs that are the basis of positive behavior management. One belief that made a particular impact on me is that caring is key. I have found this to be super important in the classroom and I am interested in how a librarian shows kids that she cares when she sees most students for a very brief time.
Next I learned about good picture books to use with older students. I was introduced to Patrol by Walter Dean Myers. This gripping, suspenseful and thought provoking story is done in a picture book format but is definitely not appropriate for anyone below middle school.
I also learned a lot in “Family Reading Night:From Hot Mess to Big Success.” The presenter had great ideas that I can’t wait to try. I learned about some great tools in “Using Web 2.0 Tools in Your Library”. Lastly I gained a ton of resources from Dr. Audrey Church’s session, “Top Ten Topic and Trends”. I look forward to attending The VAASL Annual Conference again next year.
VAASL Conference 2014
10 years
I had a wonderful time attending the Virginia Association of School Librarians (VaASL) conference this November in Roanoke, Virginia. I enjoyed meeting experienced librarians and attending a variety of sessions. Here were some of the highlights:
- Listening to Thursday’s keynote speaker and leading researcher on sustained silent reading, Stephen Krashen. He highlighted a 2013 study from the UK which showed that reading books often at the age of 10 and reading books more than once a week at the age of 16 has a greater impact on student reading ability than any other factor, including socioeconomic status, being read to as a child, visiting the library, or the education of the parent. This study, along with much of Krashen’s other research, supports my current school’s focus on SSR and continued commitment to giving students time to read choice novels during the school day!
- Learning about new types of technology, such as Voki, where students can select an avatar of their choice to read a piece of text, or record their own voice reading the information. By using the program, students are given a way to publish their work and develop a larger audience than just the teacher.
- Attending the session titled “Repackaging Research for the Hyper-connected Millennial.” In the session, the Paige Jaeger explored ways to increase the rigor and relevance of research projects by focusing on essential questions that encourage inquiry, vocabulary of the discipline, and a knowledge product. She gave numerous examples on how to transform a research packet into a purposeful assignment that encourages students to wonder, investigate, find meaning, discover, synthesize, and draw conclusions from what they learn.
Overall, the conference was a worthwhile experience. I am excited to use my newfound knowledge however I can throughout the school year!
Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (VAHPERD) State Conference, November 7-9th 2014
10 years
Longwood wins first VAHPERD Trivia Bowl!
While taking a year off from teaching and returning to Longwood for a masters in adapted physical education, I looked forward to attending this year’s state conference. VAHPERD is always on the cutting edge offering many different insights into the different aspects of physical education. By far my favorite session I attended while at VAHPERD was meeting with the Sun Wheelers, a wheelchair basketball team; not only did I learn about wheelchair basketball but I also got to play it! From sessions like “inclusion in action” to “utilizing evidence-based practices to teach motor skills to children with Autism spectrum disorder”, I was able to come away with such valuable knowledge that I can’t wait to return to my school district and share these new ideas. In addition to sitting in on sessions that have enhanced my understanding of adapted physical education, I had the chance to witness Longwood’s undergraduates win the first ever VAHPERD trivial bowl! Overall it was a great weekend and I can’t wait to return next year see what’s new in the world of physical education.
VAASL 2014 in Roanoke, VA
10 years
I enjoyed attending this year’s VAASL Fall Conference in Roanoke, VA, and experiencing the professional rejuvenation of participating in conversations with talented librarians and students from around the state, listening to inspirational presentations by master librarians and published authors, and thinking about how the information applies to my studies. Some of the highlights included:
- Learning about technology and free programs that can be implemented within the library and classroom to enhance student experience
- Dr. Church’s “Top Ten Topics and Trends” – how one person can speak so quickly and cover so many amazing topics in such a short time is beyond me. Simply incredible!
- Spending time with Longwood students and faculty!
Fun at VAASL
10 years
selfies with authors!
I had a terrific time at my first VAASL conference! We did not get to stay at the Hotel Roanoke, which was too bad since the hotel itself was absolutely beautiful. However, the hotel that I was at was a 2 minute drive to the conference. The three big highlights of my trip were:
- Listening to Neil Shusterman talk and read from his books, including a selection from his soon to be published book. He was witty and personable and seemed like he truly enjoyed speaking to us.
- The talk given my Sharon McQueen, from Old Dominion University was amazing! She spoke about picture books for older readers and introduced so many different titles to me. Her passion for the subject was evident in her excitement as she presented. Her talk was tailored down from 90 minutes to 45 minutes, but I was lucky enough to have been able to stay for a bit to chat with her about the rest of her presentation. I was very glad to have gotten a list of titles that were introduced.
- Getting to see Roanoke. I’ve never been there before and I had a blast exploring the city center with my cohort friends and my family.
I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to see different presentations. I only wish that I was able to go to more sessions. Maybe next year!
Refreshing Ideas at the VAASL Conference
10 years
Stacy Hammer and Michelle Sanders
I had the great fortune of attending the Virginia Association of School Librarians conference in Roanoke this year. Needless to say, it was a lovely place to stay for a couple of days, and the conference was certainly educational. But what I loved most were the refreshing takes on the school library and education at every session I attended. Here are just a few:
- Kendra Albright discussed graphic novels written by incarcerated teens to educate other students. “AIDS in the End Zone” was written by a group of incarcerated young men who used their own lives as inspiration to write a graphic novel that could educate student readers about HIV/AIDS. Students who read the graphic novel instead of the CDC material on HIV/AIDS retained significantly more information. This makes me think of two immediate projects for the school library: 1) Be sure to acquire graphic novels that deal with nonfiction issues across the curriculum, and promote them with the staff; and 2) Creating a graphic novel would be a great way to assess students’ ability to synthesize and connect to researched information.
- Having a mock-Caldecott award competition was a great idea provided by Elyse DeQuoy. This would be a great way to ask students to think critically about why they like a particular book or illustration, while introducing them to a wide variety of new books. As a middle school teacher, I could do the same program, but with the Newbery Award.
- Author Kimberly P. Johnson was exactly the kind of presenter that I needed during Saturday’s third session. She said that we would feel rejuvenated after her session, and she was absolutely right. Keeping us on our feet, thinking quickly, and laughing with a variety of games, she reminded us that students need this stimulation to become engaged in their learning, and that it can be applied to the library- or, in fact, any educational setting.
My time at the VAASL conference was definitely well-spent. As well as packing my days full of inspiration and excitement about being a librarian, it was great to share that with my coworkers, professors, and classmates. I look forward to using all of these fresh ideas in my classroom and practical library hours, and eventually in my own library.
VAASL 2014 Conference
10 years
Farmer Minor and his precious pets were a hit in the Exhibitor Hall of the hotel. A good cup of coffee and a doggie kiss first thing in the morning…it doesn’t get much better than that. This was my first stop on a whirlwind journey into The Heart of the School. There were so many things to see and hear I felt at times I needed another set of eyes and ears. It would be hard for me to choose just one thing as my favorite. I came away from EVERY session with new information, ideas and a passion for my job. The sessions were moving and inspiring producing laughter, tears and times of reflection. The gathering of the Longwood alumni was a special time of making new friends. Thanks to all who gave their time, effort and energy to create an atmosphere of friendship, learning and fun. Thank you Longwood for making this journey possible.