GoVanGogh Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Why does one area have a great convention yet another area doesn't? Say you live in one of the largest states - in a large urban area - where homeschooling is extremely common. Why would that area NOT have a great convention? Why would we have few, if any, any impressive speakers? I attended this convention the first few years we homeschooled but did not attend last year. I always filled out a suggestion card afterward and listed speakers I would love to hear. Most people I have spoken with say the same thing - either they don't go because of the speaker line-up or they go but only to shop. The organizers of this convention just came out with their program list for this year. There are 35 sessions, with the same programs offered both days: 8 on home/family life 6 on religion (including a math vendor giving his personal testimony) 11 on general homeschool topics (getting started, how to do unit studies, etc.) 3 on college prep 2 on fine arts 3 on grammar/writing (specific to vendor's product) 1 on classical 1 I didn't know how to classify (from a math vendor but topic/description does not sound math related) I know this area could support a larger convention and bring in nationally known speakers. So why don't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Have you ever helped organize a convention? I'm not trying to be snarky!...just asking. I play a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny part in our state convention and yet...it is incredibly exhausting. I cannot imagine the hours and work the real players put into it. Working behind the scenes has made me less sympathetic to people who complain about something but don't want to put any effort into problem solving or better yet, becoming part of the solution. I think it would be great if people who were not satisfied with a convention organized and put on their own. More options would be good, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 Oh, I agree totally. While I haven't tried to help organize a homeschool convention, I have worked with similar projects and know that many people that complain don't want to put in any effort. I understand that. But - we have a convention. How do we get speakers? How can we make it bigger and better? Or organize another one? This one is done by a state organization. I know dozens of people who have requested the same big speakers I have suggested, but we never get them. I know at this convention, speakers have to pay to speak. Is this typical? All our speakers are basically advertising their programs. How do you go about changing this? Our state is very conservative and so much seems to be religious based homeschooling, not academics. (Hence the fact that a math vendor is giving a personal testimony.) How can you ask for more academic focus and more educational training programs vs advertisements? Can an average person actually rent out a convention center and plan their own? Can a homegrown convention actually turn into one of the bigger ones? I guess I want to know what the secret is??? What makes one big and a good draw vs what we have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Well, you have to think about the logistics of it. First, the timing. You would have to have it at date that there would not other conventions in the general area to compete for your crowd. Okay,so you pick out a good date. But wait, now you have to see if the venue that you want, is available that date. Don't forget to be ready to put down a hefty deposit to book that date. Then you need speakers. Good ones to draw a crowd. Most speakers/presenters are booked a good 6 months to one year in advance. Wait, just because you verified that there were no other conventions in your general area that time, doesn't meant there aren't really amazing conventions on the other side of the country that most of those speakers are already booked for. Then the speaker's point of view....perhaps you are organized enough to be doing all of this a year in advance...so you picked a good date, contacted the speaker, tell him you are starting a new convention on XYZ date next year, he's not officially booked but knows that the HUGE convention in a different state is that same time. Which do you think he would choose? They want the biggest crowd too, right? So now you are in competition, kind of, between other conventions across the U.S. What is going to make your convention stand out, so presenters will want to come to yours versus the other one? There are all kinds of organzing, thoughts, process and not mention $$$$ that goes on in planning something like this all before the actual date. Who is stepping up to the plate to make this happen. Hmm, not me! I'll either be happy with the local convention big or small, or find a better one. The smaller ones, if they really are bad, tend to die out eventually due to lack of speakers, funds and interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 So why don't they? As pp have said, because they probably need more help. It takes a very large organization to put on a big convention, because it is so much work, and it must be spread across enough people (everyone still has to homeschool their dc ;).) You couldn't pay me enough to volunteer to help organize one. Homeschoolers are... particular. :D I can't imagine the headaches involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Oh, I agree totally. While I haven't tried to help organize a homeschool convention, I have worked with similar projects and know that many people that complain don't want to put in any effort. I understand that. But - we have a convention. How do we get speakers? How can we make it bigger and better? Or organize another one? This one is done by a state organization. I know dozens of people who have requested the same big speakers I have suggested, but we never get them. I know at this convention, speakers have to pay to speak. Is this typical? All our speakers are basically advertising their programs. How do you go about changing this? Our state is very conservative and so much seems to be religious based homeschooling, not academics. (Hence the fact that a math vendor is giving a personal testimony.) How can you ask for more academic focus and more educational training programs vs advertisements? Can an average person actually rent out a convention center and plan their own? Can a homegrown convention actually turn into one of the bigger ones? I guess I want to know what the secret is??? What makes one big and a good draw vs what we have? Yes, you can rent a convention center and line up speakers. You can make it have any focus you like (which is why the other one has a religious focus - that is what they wanted.) You will need to pay for speakers (and/or their travel) or give them booth space for free. You will need to charge admission and booth space rental and sell advertising sufficient to pay those expenses. If you don't want any vendor talks, you will need to charge a higher admissions price than average in order to pay all of the speakers. If you can find others who are looking for the same thing, you can form a group to do it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Why does one area have a great convention yet another area doesn't? Say you live in one of the largest states - in a large urban area - where homeschooling is extremely common. Why would that area NOT have a great convention? Why would we have few, if any, any impressive speakers? It's probably all in the people who organize it. The MidWest convention in Cinci started out a lot smaller with a couple great names, and it exploded because the Brennans had time to devote to it and could continue to draw the names. This year, they were also able to expand to three other cities and maintain first rate presenters. But as pp said, it takes a lot of time and devotion to do it. I am sure other areas could do the same thing given a dedicated group of people who saw real value in pulling it off. It's funny, but the Cinci convention is really like three conventions in one. If you want to go for inspiration, it's there. If you want to go for social call to action, it's there. If you want a purely secular series of talks, they are certainly available, though less attended. (I thought MCT's talk on sentence analysis was brills, for example, but hardly anyone showed....) At any rate, I am happy to keep going to the Cinci convention, happy to have the room booked and my kids signed up for the children's conference. HOWEVER if I lived elsewhere, I am sure I'd be wondering the same thing—and wishing SOMEBODY (besides me, of course) would step up to the plate and put on a first rate show. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 (edited) I am involved to a very low degree with my homeschool association's convention. We have one of the best in the country, if not THE best. I attribute the success of our state's convention to the awesome people who organize it. They've been doing it since the organization began over 25 years ago. They are 100% dedicated to its success. They work tirelessly. They are overworked, in fact. Also, hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of volunteers work together to make it happen. I cannot wrap my mind around how they manage it all. They book the convention center years in advance, they design and organize the vendor hall, they organize a huge used curriculum sale, they arrange discounts at local hotels for attendees, they organize all those previously mentioned volunteers, they provide meals/snacks for all the speakers and organization personnel, they arrange the recording of all the workshops and produce a CD - the list goes on and on and on. It is a full-time/year-round job. I am not in the inner circle so I do not know the details. I just know that all the people who I work for are some of the hardest working people on the planet. They do it because they love it. ETA: I do know that these folks attend an annual Homeschool Leader's Convention and I believe that is where many of the state association leaders learn from each other. It's in a different city each year and since I do not attend I don't really know much about it. I only know that there are times throughout the year when they email me and tell me they will be out of town attending this or that conference. Perhaps your leaders could find out about those kinds of conferences and attend so they can learn from others who have lots more experience. Edited February 12, 2011 by Kathleen in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I will add my usual complaint of wishing I could pay a reduced fee to have access to the vendor area only. I'm not interested in the speakers (and honestly, I'd rather not give them any money, but I'm willing to pay a small admission fee to enter the vendor area, so I'll cope), but our major convention won't allow that. So, they don't get any of my money, rather than a smaller amount. I get information on curriculum options from my local homeschooling friends and here, instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I will add my usual complaint of wishing I could pay a reduced fee to have access to the vendor area only. I'm not interested in the speakers (and honestly, I'd rather not give them any money, but I'm willing to pay a small admission fee to enter the vendor area, so I'll cope), but our major convention won't allow that. So, they don't get any of my money, rather than a smaller amount. I get information on curriculum options from my local homeschooling friends and here, instead. Our convention offers this. I think it's fair to have to pay a fee since the space has to be rented by the association and people have to work hard to organize the whole thing. I wouldn't expect to be let in free of charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Our convention offers this. I think it's fair to have to pay a fee since the space has to be rented by the association and people have to work hard to organize the whole thing. I wouldn't expect to be let in free of charge. Which convention are you referring to? I may be interested in going:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Which convention are you referring to? I may be interested in going:D It's the HEAV (Home Educators Association of Virginia) convention in Richmond, June 9-11. http://www.heav.org/convention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooRho Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 It's the HEAV (Home Educators Association of Virginia) convention in Richmond, June 9-11. www.heav.org/convention I too like the HEAV convention. and I too volunteer, same spot every year LOVE IT. and I do like the many options they give for the vendor hall and the used curriculum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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