After a year of waiting, it’s finally here, the National Youth Workers Convention 2016 (NYWC)! It’s like Christmas, only without the wrapping paper, candy canes, Santa, reindeer, pine trees, and garland. Okay, so maybe it’s not like Christmas, but it’s still AWESOME!!
Tonight we kicked off the weekend with our first Big Room session and the grand opening party for the Exhibit Hall!! Here are just a few pictures from tonights party!
DJ Bobbito the Chef providing the musical backdrop!
Our friends from YS events, already getting a jump on next years convention!
The exhibit hall is loaded with over 150 different vendors. You can find just about anything, and everything ministry related. be sure to spend some time visiting with the exhibitors!
There's a lot to see. Don't make just one trip. Multiple trips through the exhibit hall will prove super helpful. They will allow you to take your time, talk with the various exhibitors, and feel less overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and size.
I know that we are only a few hours into the weekend, but it's already off to a great start.
I want to invite you to follow along with me this weekend as I highlight some of my favorite parts of the convention. From books and resources to seminars and exhibitors, I'll share what I love, who is helpful, and where you can make the most of your time at NYWC.
Follow me on social media as I share the convention as both a behind-the-scenes volunteer and a long-time attendee! - jay
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In my first countdown to NYWC post, I shared a video created by the NYWC staff and the host team, which shared a few fun things to do while in Cincinnati! [ CLICK HERE ] But today I'm here on site, in Cincinnati, as we get ready for this years national Youth Workers Convention!! We arrived late in the afternoon of Tuesday, found our hotel, got settled, and then rushed off to join the rest of the volunteer team to begin our orientation. Since then, it has been a flurry of excitement as the team works to get the convention center ready to welcome and host the thousands of youth workers who will flood Cincinnati in just a matter of hours. This is my 8th year returning as a volunteer to help the YS staff; 4th year as a member of the main stage team. All total, this year will be my 16th convention. I've been attending since 1999, and have been apart of the convention through it's many, recent transitions. I always get a little anxious when I hear about transition, simply because of how important YS and NWYC have become. NYWC has been a significant staple throughout my ministry career. It has shaped how I think, practice and pass along youth ministry. The convention has served as a place for training, mixing practical tips with solid educational materials. NYWC has been the igniter switcher, keeping me fired up and excited about my ministry. It's a constant in my ministry. And now here I am again. I am very proud to say, we have a great weekend ahead. From the seminars to the Big Room general sessions, the exhibit hall to the book store, the HUB, sanctuary, prayer room, and the Idea Lab, we are ready! Ready to welcome, serve, care for, and celebrate YOU, the youth worker! So please know that... We are praying for you. We are excited to meet you. And we can't wait to see you! NYWC 2016. Cincinnati. Arise! - jay
I was planning to share this post a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to add my support for the upcoming National Youth Workers Convention, by sharing news and promos that the NYWC planning team has been posting. Now with the National Youth Workers Convention just around the corner, it's time to get excited about the convention! So keep an eye out for a short series of blog posts that share news from NYWC, and some of my thoughts on the upcoming convention.
In this first post, Youth Specialties published this video a couple of weeks ago, sharing a few fun things you can do or check out while in Cincinnati, OH! Check it out!
Thanks to YS, and the city host team for sharing some of the things that make
Cincinnati a great place to visit.
There is still time to register and join us for this years, National Youth Workers Convention! Myself, along with a couple thousand friends will be participating in the 4 day convention taking place in Cincinnati, OH. Come learn, experience, and be renewed.
Click on the ARISE graphic below to visit the official National Youth Workers Convention website for all the details, lists of speakers, seminars and exhibitors, registration, hotel, and other news! And we'll see you in Cincinnati! - jay
Now that Amy and I are home from the National Youth Workers Convention, I've begun the task of downloading and debriefing the general session speakers, the YS Explores speakers and the conversations that were shared throughout the weekend. A lot of information comes your way in a short amount of time, and sometimes, it takes a day or two to think through everything. I went into the office this morning to a bunch of warm welcomes. Everybody wanted to know how the trip was. As I was talking, sharing some of the awesome things I experienced, I thought, I should just share the #NYWC15 Recap video. So here it is, the NYWC 2015 Louisville Saturday/Sunday Recap Video. It's a glimpse at some of what makes NYWC one of my favorite places to be. It really was a great weekend. And as is the case, there was much that challenged me. From being stretched by the topics of faith and science to the changing landscape of the churches cultures, to the general session speakers that reminded me love really is the greatest thing we could ever receive and give, there is much to think about. And with that, much to write about in the weeks and months to come If you went to NYWC 2015, whether it was in San Diego or Louisville, what were some of your biggest take aways? Which topics or presentations caused you to think? What presenter or speaker forced you to stretch beyond what's comfortable? I'd love to hear from you. Share your comments and thoughts below in the comment section. And thanks for taking the time to read and share! - jay
It's late Thursday night. The Big Room festivities are over. The Exhibit Hall is closed. And all around the Kentucky International Convention Center, youth workers are hanging out, grabbing a late bite to eat, or for exhaustions sake, turning in for the night. So as day one of #NYWC15 comes to it's end, I wanted to share just a few thoughts before calling it a day myself. As a member of the Main Stage Team, one of the responsibilities we share is the 'opening of the doors' at the general sessions known as Big Room. The scene goes like this. Retractable straps rope off an area preventing convention attendees from entering the Big Room space until 15 minute before the start of the session. At about 40 to 60 minutes before the session, youth workers begin congregating in little groups hoping for a chance to get a 'good seat' somewhere near the action. When our pre-session tasks are complete, the Main Stage Team makes our way to this area and chat with the youth workers standing in groups. I love this time spent with the youth workers. It's truly amazing how much you can learn about a person or persons when you take just a few minutes to talk and ask a few questions. Usually the questions are pretty basic. What's your name? Where are you from? Is this your first time, second time, third time, or twenty-third time at NYWC? Tonight I walked up to a couple, a bit older than me, and we started talking. They were the Anderson's. Husband and wife who have worked with students...for years. They have attended NYWC...for years. They even served on the volunteer team...for years. But they have been a way for a few years, and this was the year they were able to return. We talked for quite a while; about the conference, about the chances that YS has experienced over the years, and the memories that have been made throughout the NYWC history. As we talked, I was struck by a particular question the Anderson's asked. The question basically asked, " Does it still feel like family?" I thought for a second and then responded with two answers. The first was, Yes, NYWC is family. The youth workers who attend year after year create a certain familiarity that makes the convention seem like a great big family reunion. I'm never surprised when I bump into an old friend. One part of you hoped that you'd see them, while the other part somehow already knew they were there. But there was more to the question of family then just a family reunion. You see, there's something more, something deeper that happens at NYWC then just seeing old friends. Many, many years ago, when Tic Long and Mike Yaconelli were still the dynamic duo, they created an atmosphere that really made you feel like you were part of the family. And it wasn't just Tic and Mike, it was the entire YS and NYWC staff. They just made you feel so special. Cared for. Loved. And appreciated. You knew that you were in a safe place. A place where you wouldn't be criticized or questioned. A place where it was okay to cry or laugh or or just be. Need a nap? Take one. Take two! Need to talk to someone? Someone was always ready to listen. Then, the convention wasn't always about the speakers or give-a-ways, seminars or exhibit halls. The convention was a place you knew you'd be welcomed, with arms wide opened, because that's what family does. It's what Tic and Mike, and the rest of their staff did. Tonight, as I paused to think about the question, I asked myself, "Does it still feel like family?" My second answer...ABSOLUTELY YES!!! Much as change at Youth Specialties over the last couple of years. There are a lot of new faces. NYWC has changed a little bit, too. But at heart of YS and NYWC, the passion to love-on and care for youth workers still exists. It's that passion that first welcomed me to NYWC in 1999, when my wife and I attended our first convention on Cincinnati. And it's that same passion that has brought us back again this year. I saw Tic tonight, behind the stage at the general session. I told him that I bummed into a great couple who once served as volunteers, and how we talked about family and how we always felt like we were part of a greater family. The funny thing...Tic knew exactly who they were. Why? Because we're family! Faces may change. Names may change. Topics change. Venues, locations, and the number of conventions per year might change. But what hasn't changed is the heart. You are part of this wonderful family. You're home. And, it's safe here. So be free to be you. Laugh. Cry. Take that nap. Heck, sleep all day if you want! Because we're going to love you just the same. It's what we do. It's what NYWC does!! - jay
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AuthorJay Higham is a veteran youth worker of over 30 years; having worked with students in the local church and Christian camping settings. Jay is currently serving as the director of family ministry at a church, located in West Virginia. Jay has been married to Amy for over 25 years. Together, they are raising 5 kids, (4 boys and 1 girl). Jay is an aspiring author, blogger, speaker, vlogger, and social media junkie. He is passionate about student ministry, family ministry, and training youth workers to love and serve their students with passion and excellence. Archives
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