Professional Travel Grants for Graduate Students
Posts tagged Williamsburg
VAASL Conference Williamsburg 15′
9 years
by
in School Librarianship
The VAASL conference held in Williamsburg was a AMAZING! Despite the fact that I was on crutches, and finding a men’s restroom was harder than locating the “holy grail,” I had a fantastic time and learned so much. I can’t wait to implement some of the practices I learned. For example, I have a ton of new ideas for collaborating with the math teachers in my building. One of these ideas is using fractions to create a coded message. The message students would decode is the first line to a novel. Once they decipher the message using fractions, they then have to try and guess what book it belongs to. The books would be displayed for the students to see while they are trying to “crack the code.” Once students have deciphered their messages and matched their answers to the books, the librarian would then present the answers through a series of booktalks. This however, is just one of the many exciting ideas I brought back with me. I could write an entire book about all of the sessions I attended, and the creative ideas that were presented. I’m already looking forward to next years conference in Norfolk!
Justin Bye
Godwin Middle School
Virginia Counselor Association Conference 2014
10 years
This past November I was able to attend the Virginia Counselor Association Conference held in Colonial Williamsburg from the 20-22. This conference held some amazing sessions that I appreciated because we had the chance to learn from people in the field with different views and experiences. The keynote speaker James Lloyd, did a phenomenal job getting people motivated and uplifted; I would love to see him speak again if I had the chance.
The sessions that I went to were very diverse in their topics. Some of them talked about mindfulness and the importance of maintaining an awareness of one’s mind and learning to remain in the present instead of always thinking about past and future events. One of the sessions that I went to also had a discussion about Disney characters and how their experiences are related to what happens in the real world. Some of the stories have to do with grief, some have to do with conflict, and others have to do with differences in personality and how to best relate to one another. For example, Winnie the Pooh reflects a variety of personalities and how they all learn to get a long is a good lesson.
Finally, the conference in general felt like a vacation. The first night we were able to participate in a fun event to get to know other counselor’s and to have some great refreshments. We had a reception for the Longwood Graduate students as well at one point so I felt like we were a part of the Counseling field, even if we are Graduate Students. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to go and I can’t wait until next year!
Virginia Counselors Association Convention 2014
10 years
The VCA convention was absolutely a remarkable experience. I believe every one should take the opportunity to attend one while a student or counselor. As a student preparing to indulge in the counseling field it was inspiring to be apart of such a big event. One gets the opportunity to notice numerous counselor come together and celebrate their accomplishments. They all seem to want to make an impact in children’s lives, as well as help those who need assistance. The atmosphere as I attended the three day convention remained positive through out the entire conference. Everyone was so welcoming, wanting to learn about one another and what position they play in schools or institutions. It was great to meet new people and find out their “stories” and where are they come from.
During the convention, I learned plenty while attending each of the session. Each presenter had a great topics to introduce and discuss; all worth listening and learning from. One of my favorite lectures dealt with adolescents and social media. It gave a great insight of today current trends and how adolescent use social medias such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and etc.If possible, I would want to attend again next year.
Virginia Counselors Association
10 years
This November, I had the opportunity to attend my first professional conference. This year, the VCA conference was held at the beautiful Williamsburg Lodge in Williamsburg, Va. During the weekend, I attended sessions on grief, ambiguous loss, ethical concerns regarding social media, infertility issues, play therapy and even how to use Disney stories and characters in counseling sessions. I had the opportunity to network with a variety of school and mental health counselors and gain their advice about entering the field as a new professional. The keynote speaker, James Lloyd, a well-respected motivational speaker, opened up the weekend with an encouraging message. He emphasized that we as counselors should strive to provide grade A “customer service” and care. He stated that when people receive exceptional service, it is an experience that remains with them for life. He added that it is essential to have the attitude of “There you are” rather than “Here I am” when we interact with others. Those words have and will continue to stay with me as I enter the counseling field.
This conference has taught and reminded me not only how vital our profession is, but also how people find hope and healing everyday from our interventions and care. This conference has provided me with new tools to go into my counselor toolbox and has most definitely reminded me why I am studying to become a counselor.
Virginia Counselors Association Conference
10 years
I attended the VCA Conference from Thursday through Saturday, November 20 – 22, 2014. I attended 9 fantastic sessions on a variety of topics: Narrative Therapy, Emotional Literacy, Restorative Justice, Substance Abuse, Counseling Multiracial Students, Grief and Loss, Trauma in Schools, Counseling ADHD Students, and Preventing Truancy. I found the sessions overall to be extremely interesting and informative. I have a huge binder full of all of the notes that I took over those three days!
I also enjoyed spending time with other graduate students in the counseling program, as well as with some of my professors. The picture is of Dr. Doyle and I at one of the many Thursday-night receptions.
I thought that the Williamsburg Lodge was a great location for the conference, and I look forward with great anticipation to next year’s conference, which will be held at The Homestead!
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.