Proposal Submission, Review and Selection

When will the Call for Presenters Open?
The Call For Presenters is open September 4 - October 14, 2019. Download the Educational Session Proposal Template to plan out your proposal. When you’re ready, submit it via the Presenter Portal.

When will the Call for Presenters informational webinar take place?
The Call for Presenters informational webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 18th at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT. You can register here.

How many sessions do you plan to accept?
Due to space and schedule, we are anticipating accepting up to:

• 70 workshops and panels
• 40 sparks
• 20 leadership intensives
• 5 community showcase presentations

Proposals are only accepted through the Presenter Portal. Submit your proposal by 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, October 14, 2019. We do not accept proposals via email and can not extend the deadline.

What presentation formats are offered at NAA Convention 2020?
There are five educational session formats available at NAA Convention 2020:

• Workshop (60 minutes) – These sessions are interactive with hands-on learning experiences, discussions, and activities that involve participants.
• Panel (60 minutes) – These sessions feature up to three panelists and a moderator who share insights and different perspectives on a specific topic. Panels should allow for at least 15 minutes of audience Q&A throughout your presentation.
• Spark (30 minutes) – These are quick informational sessions with key takeaways, a short lecture, or a TED Talk-style presentation. Held at the end of the day, every day, no Q&A is required for these short sessions.
• Leadership Intensive (2 hours) – Intended to be focused on leadership and professional development, these sessions take a deep dive into a topic and should be led by experienced trainers and leaders.
• Community Showcase (15 mins or less) – Our version of TED talks! A brief 5-15 min prepared presentation with a clear story arc, delivered from the main stage to our full audience of 1,500 participants during a general session. We’re seeking to highlight inspiration, takeaways, and innovations from our community. Finalists will be determined in the CFP process, with a second round of selection taking place November through January, where you’ll be invited to submit a video pitch.

What are your presenter requirements?
Presenter requirements:

• Before submitting a proposal to present, please ensure you are available to present at any point during March 15-18, 2020. Breakout sessions will be hosted on all conference dates.
• If selected to present you will be required to confirm you plans to present by November 26, 2019.
• If selected, you must pay for conference registration by January 15, 2020. Lead presenters are given a $200 discount off of registration fees, but co-presenters, panelists, and other speakers are not offered a discount.
• You will be notified if your proposal is accepted by November 16. If selected, we’ll share your exact presentation date and time in December. Presenters not registered by January 15, 2020 will have their session(s) cancelled.

I’ve submitted my session proposal. When will I hear if my session was accepted?
We will contact all submitters and presenters via email on Friday, November 16, 2019 with the status of your proposal (accepted, alternate, or declined).

I received an email that my session proposal is being considered as an alternate. What does that mean?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept all session proposals to be included in NAA Convention 2020, and there are some that we consider as alternates in the event that we need additional sessions or have cancellations. We will contact all submitters and presenters of alternate sessions with the final status of your session by the end of January 2020.

Do presenters receive a discounted rate for registration?
Yes, lead presenters receive a $200 discount off of registration fees. We are not able to offer the discount to co-presenters, panelists, or facilitators.

Exhibitor Sessions

My session will include a product or service available to Convention participants. Do I need to also purchase exhibit space in the Learning Expo?
If you will be demonstrating or sharing products or services for purchase by participants, you will need to purchase exhibit space in the Learning Expo in order to have your proposal considered. We have a select number of sessions set aside for exhibitors, but it is still a competitive process and workshop content will be considered.

If you will be sharing free products or services, we encourage you to purchase exhibit space in the Learning Expo to reach the breadth of Convention participants. Either way, your proposal will be considered as part of the competitive review process and there is a chance you may be asked to purchase an exhibit space in order for your proposal to be accepted.

Can exhibitors present sessions?
Yes! We have a select number of sessions set aside for exhibitors, but it is still a competitive process that we take seriously, based on the quality of your session proposal.

If you are an exhibitor and would like to still submit a session proposal, please contact our Exhibitors and Sponsorships Team at exhibit-sponsor@naaweb.org.

Confirmed exhibitors are welcome to submit their session ideas through the call for proposals. There is a question in the form that asks if you are sharing products or services for purchase or for free. Please make sure to answer that question accurately. If you have a product for purchase, you will need to purchase exhibit space in the Learning Expo in order to have your proposal considered.

I am an exhibitor and I have already submitted a session proposal. When will I hear back about the status of my proposal?
Exhibitor sessions are reviewed separately as part of the exhibitor track. We will confirm all exhibitor sessions by the end of January.

Submitting a Session Proposal

The Call for Presenters is open September 4 – October 14, 2019!

Download the Educational Session Proposal Template to plan out your proposal. When you’re ready, submit it via the Presenter Portal. Submit your proposal by 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, October 14, 2019. We do not accept proposals via email and can not extend the deadline.

What are some general tips and reminders for creating a competitive educational session proposal?
See some of our top tips below.

• Use complete sentences in your proposal. This will help proposal reviewers and participants gain a clearer picture of what you plan to share and do in your session.
• Write a title and description that are accurate, compelling, and would draw an audience. If your session is accepted, this information will be printed in the program book. This is how participants will decide if they wish to join your session. When you read your title and session description, would you be interested in attending?
• Incorporate interactive components into your session. Participants aren’t likely to want to sit through a lecture – they want to work with and learn from each other. Consider ways to break up your session with activities, pair-and-shares, group discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. If you are doing a panel, remember to also leave time for audience Q&A.
• Identify the right audience experience level for your session. Participants should feel like they are learning something new, working toward advancing to the next level in their careers, and are continually engaged during a session. Review the content levels below to determine which level your session best aligns with.
• The maximum number of presenters for each session is four: one lead presenter (who will serve as the main contact for the session) and up to three co-presenters. We recommend no more than two total presenters to maximize your time and simplify planning.
• Presenting at Convention is an excellent opportunity to highlight the important work you do and a great learning opportunity. Consider what you do well that can be taught to others. The goal is to replicate success and build capacity for the field!

Will I be able to edit my session proposal once I’ve submitted it?
Yes! You can log back in and edit your proposal any time between September 4 – October 14. We close the platform at 11:59pm PT on October 14, so make sure to fully complete your proposal and finish any editing before midnight.

I’ve never presented before. Can I still submit a session proposal?
Yes! We encourage staff of all levels of experience to submit a proposal. It takes a lot of work to present at Convention, but it’s an excellent opportunity to highlight the important work you do, gain valuable leadership experience, and build the afterschool profession.

Please note that two-hour leadership intensives are intended to be led by experienced trainers and leaders.

I can only present on a specific day during Convention. Can I still submit a proposal?
All potential presenters should plan to attend all of Convention, and be prepared to present on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. If accepted, we’ll share your exact presentation date and time in December. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact presentation managers at Presenters@naaweb.org.

Where can I learn more about NAA’s Core Knowledge and Competencies (CKCs)?
Click here to learn more about NAA’s CKCs.

Question not covered here? Contact our presentation managers at Presenters@naaweb.org.