You are invited to the 68th annual
District Convention
of The Texas-Oklahoma District! DCO
N EXPRESS
2017
April 20-23, 2017
D A L L A S-T E X A S T H E W I Z A R D I N G W O R L D OF S E R V I C E
n o i t In v it a Hello Key Clubbers of Texas-Oklahoma! This year has been one filled with service all around our communities. With all the work done, why not celebrate your achievements? Fellow members, I’d like to invite you to The 68th Annual Texas-Oklahoma District Convention, a weekend that’ll get you spellbound by service. At the well-known Sheraton Hotel in Dallas, Texas, you will be able to spend four days learning new ways to help the community, interact with other members around the district, and make unforgettable memories. Included will be many fun activites, exciting and informative forums, and a variety of contests in which anyone can participate! The forums provided during District Convention will do one of two things: help your club improve, or help you develop individually. Each forum will be both informative and interactive. Learn from our District Officers how to grow in leadership, better yourself at public-speaking, and manage time between Key Club and school. All in all, you will be guaranteed to have a blast while learning! This bulletin includes important information on how to register and provides descriptions for the many activities that will be going on at District Convention. Be sure to also look through the rest of the DCON Resource Package for information on contests, running for office, patch requirements, etc. If you have any questions, please contact your Lieutenant Governor or me. We hope to see you at DCON 2017! Yours in service, Chris Do Convention Liaison Texas-Oklahoma District Key Club International CL@tokeyclub.com
Registration Prices (per person)
- Early Registration Fee: $120 - Early Registration Deadline: March 17th - Regular Fee: $150
Hotel Information The Sheraton Hotel is a clear landmark in Downtown Dallas with its gorgeous city views from 242 suites. Convention guests will enjoy relaxing in the comfort of the modern rooms provided by the four diamond rated hotel with a crisp white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed, flat panel HDTV, and eco-friendly features. With its recent $90 million redesign, attendees are sure to have a luxurious stay. All hotel reservations must be made through the HOTEL by each club separately before registering for District Convention. You will need to contact the convention hotel to make room reservations for your club (make note of the confirmation number(s)). To reserve your rooms, call the Sheraton at 214.922.8000. Then submit your convention registration online and mail your convention registration fees as instructed by the site. You cannot make room reservations through the T-O District Office. Be sure to inform the hotel that you are with The Texas-Oklahoma Key Club Convention to ensure you get our discounted convention rate. The hotel price is set at $155.00/night per room plus tax. It is a requirement that all convention attendees stay at the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Dallas, TX. Failure to register at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel will effectively cancel your convention registration. If the hotel becomes over-booked, contact the T-O District Key Club Administrator for overflow hotel information at 830.733.0008. Be sure to request a confirmation of hotel reservations from the hotel. This will ensure that your rooms will be available and eliminate confusion or problems when checking into the hotel. The total occupancy tax rate in Dallas is 15%. Of that, the state sales tax rate is 6.0%. Schools are encouraged to use their tax-exempt status (TX schools only) to remove 6.0% sales tax (NO exemption for remaining hotel tax). To take advantage of this, a club must pay for room and tax by school or organization check and present a copy of their tax-exempt certificate. This may be done upon check-in. Before requesting a school check or determining your means of payment, confirm with the hotel the total cost of all rooms, including all taxes. We suggest that any club that plans to arrive late contact the hotel to make sure room reservations are held. Check-in time is at 3:00 PM and checkout time on April 23th is at 12:00 PM. Per Key Club International policy, no adult may share a sleeping room with a student. In addition, male and female students are prohibited from accommodating the same room. Please make your reservations accordingly.
Getting Your Money’s Worth Events
The convention registration fee covers admission to all general sessions, including the Opening Session, Leadership Luncheon, and Awards Banquet. In addition, convention guests gain admission to all forums, the opportunity to enter a variety of competitions (see Code of Contests and Awards), entry into the Governor’s Ball, and rights to vote in Regional Caucuses and the House of Delegates (see District Bylaws and Code for Elections and House of Delegates for eligibility).
Items
Each attendee will receive forum materials, the convention program book, the souvenir convention bag, official convention t-shirt, and a Texas-Oklahoma District convention lapel pin.
Meals
Key Club guests will enjoy two flavorful meals and dining service during Leadership Luncheon and Awards Banquet on Saturday. Advisors are also invited to attend a special Advisor’s Round Table lunch on Friday to share ideas and learn from their peers.
Our Contribution
Our convention registration fee is $150 per person for students and adults ($120 if submitted by March 17th, 2017). This remains one of the lowest registration fees across Key Club International for a district convention. By keeping our rate lower, we hope that more T-O Key Clubbers and Kiwanians can join us in our celebration. Note that this fee is separate from hotel registration fees (see Hotel Informtion).
House of Delegates
According to Article VII, Section 3 of the Texas-Oklahoma District Bylaws, “Each club in good standing shall be entitled to two (2) voting delegates at convention.” These delegates (and 2 alternates) should be elected by a vote of the club membership during the month of February. They will represent the club on all matters of business, including the election of the 2017-2018 District Executive Staff and amendments to the bylaws, to come before the House of Delegates. The students elected as delegates and alternate delegates from your club are appointed as such when checking in using our convention automated kiosks. Be sure to select the right students for this position. We recommend the delegates be familiar with parliamentary procedure before attending the House of Delegates on Saturday.
Sergeant At Arms
Each club must submit a specified number of Sergeant-at-Arms representatives to aid in the enforcement of the Code of Conduct at convention. The students who are chosen must be responsible and willing to stay up late. The main job of a Sergeant-at-Arms representative is to make sure stu-dents are not outside of their rooms after curfew (12:00 AM) by patrolling a specific hallway.The required number of Sergeant-at-Arms representatives is determined as follows: 2-10 attendees ..........................2 SAA 11-20 attendees ........................3 SAA 21-30 attendees ........................4 SAA 31 + attendees ..........................5 SAA The students chosen to serve as Sergeants-at-Arms are appointed when checking-in using our automated kiosks at convention.
Contest and Awards
At each District Convention, over 75 trophies, plaques and other honors are given to both clubs and individuals that show achievement in specified contests and categories. Any Key Club member interested has an opportunity to participate in our wide array of exciting contests! For more information, see the Code of Contests and Awards on what competitions are available, found in the DCON Resources Package. Be sure to thoroughly read the rules and learn how to enter.
CLUBS
individual
Clubs can participate in numerous contests to award themselves for their success and of course, represent! Some examples include the Governor’s Project, District Project, Major Emphasis, Single Service Award, and Outstanding Club Officers. Entering contests as a club and presenting your accomplishments will be a great way to sum up your year of service. Share ideas with other clubs and prosper!
Put yourself in the spotlight! You can show off your skills in multiple contests. Got the smarts? Sign yourself up for the Quiz Bowl! Are you a good writer or speaker? Go for the Impromptu Essay or Oratorical Contest! Enter the Talent competition, and show off any skill you have! The contests at District Convention are all for having a good time, so remember to enter some contests and have a blast!
Themed Contest
Video Game Contest
Continuing the tradition of a theme contest every year, the 2017 contest will be to make a house banner. This banner will portray your club in the most unique, original, artistic, and creative manner. The banner is open for interpretation, but must be appropriate with what your club represents on the banner. You’ll be judged on the contents of the banner, originality, creativity, and description. Be creative and have fun with it! For more information on this contest, refer to the Contest and Awards folder in the DCON Resource Package.
Are you into head-to-head fighting games? We hope so, because the video game contest this year is a fast-paced brawl between your favorite Nintendo characters -Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Nintendo Wii! If you are interested in entering this contest, be sure to register at the convention kiosks during check-in. Let’s see if you have the skills to make it into the final match during the Leadership Lucheon!
What’s New? This year at District Convention, Appointed Candidacy Forms for District Editor and Convention Liaison respectively will be due BEFORE District Convention on April 14, 2017 to District Administator, Walt Roetter at ‘Administrator@tokeyclub.com’. A big change to contest and awards this year is the elimination of the three ringed binder. This year all forms will be electroniclly submitted and will be due two weeks prior to District Convention and must be submitted to ‘DCON@tokeyclub.com’ when applying for your respective club officer award. Please be aware of this major change and look for it in our Contest and Awards folder in the DCON Resource Package.
Financially, we are introducing a new method of payment to District Convention 2017 by allowing the transaction of credit cards. This payment type will require a processing fee, but will allow for an easier method for clubs to pay. This method will not be on the resgistration page and will have to be done by contacting District Administor, Walt Roetter at ‘Administrator@tokeyclub.com’. In the past years at our Welcoming Activity, we have allowed clubs to show off their best service project they’ve done throughout the year and present it at District Convention. This year we have eliminated the Service Fair so we could focus more on service at our Welcoming Activity on Thursday afternoon.
At District Convention 2017, we have made a change to the formatting of our ribbons that attach to the attendee badges. We have flipped the ribbons from a vertical to horizontal style to fit our badges. We will have fun and stylish ribbons available for purchase at District Convention, so make sure to bring your galleons (money) to purchase these once in a wizarding lifetime ribbons. To promote the spirit and theme of District Convention 2017, ‘The Wizarding World of Service’, we will enchant our attendees by providing limited edition magical ‘Snapchat’ geofilters custom made for our convention!
Each year at the Opening Session, we invite a keynote speaker to give a funny and inspirational experience. This year, Kent Julian will be coming to deliver his message by empowering teens to show up and shine. He will show attendees how they can use their life and leadership experiences to take 100 percent responsibility for their lives and live into their bigger stories. Through his impactful, informative speech and forum, attendees will be for sure to gain inspiration.
Keynote Speaker kent julian
How to Register (Step-by-Step)
Advisors must register their clubs for District Convention on the T-O District web site. DO NOT REGISTER until you have booked your hotel rooms through the Sheraton, as you will need your hotel confirmation numbers in order to complete your registration. Please follow the steps below to register your club: 1. Go to http://www.tokeyclub.com. 2. Click on the Login link on the upper-right corner of the page. 3. Log in using your club user ID and password. If you do not know your user ID or password, contact District Administrator, Walt Roetter, for assistance at 830.733.0008 or administrator@tokeyclub.com. 4. Once logged in, hover over the Members Only button. Then click on 2017 DCON Registration from the dropdown menu. Registration will not open until February 6th, 2017. 5. After the page loads, follow the onscreen instructions to register each convention attendee. Prior to beginning, you will need to know the following information about each attendee: Name, Position/Office, Gender, T-Shirt Size and Meal Option. In addition, you will need your hotel confirmation number(s). 6. After you’ve submitted your registration, it will be in Pending status until approved. Make sure the email address you enter is a working address, as you will receive email notification at that address once your registration is updated or approved. Approval is required to set the registration price for each attendee (based on timing of submission), as well as to ensure compliance with our district’s policies on adult-student ratio. 7. You can check your status at any time (or once you receive an email notification) by logging in, hovering over the Members Only button, and clicking Check DCON Registration Status. This screen will indicate the current amount owed for registration fees (once approved), as well as what payments have been received and credited to your account. This will change and be updated if additional registrants are added throughout the registration process. If this liability is not cleared prior to your arrival at District Convention, you will be required to pay any amount still owed at check-in in order to participate. 8. All payments should be mailed to District Administrator, Walt Roetter, at the address below. If you are paying via credit card, you must contact Walt Roetter stricly by phone number. Please write “Convention Fees” AND YOUR CLUB NAME in the memo line to ensure proper credit to your account. Walt Roetter, Administrator T-O District Convention 422 Meadow Ridge Drive Kerrville, TX 78028
Phone Number: 830.733.0008
9. If you have additional questions, you can click our DCON Frequently Asked Questions page from the Members Only area of the web site. We update this as we get questions that might pertain to others. You can also email us with specific convention registration-related questions at DCON@tokeyclub.com.
District Staff Elections
Along with the celebration of all the service accomplished over the year, District Convention will hold the election of certain District Staff members, including the Governor, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each leadership position is unique, but together, become the chief executives of the district, overseeing the work of Lieutenant Governors and clubs. If you are chosen to represent your school and fellow Key Clubbers, the future of T-O is in your hands! You, as a member, will have the opportunity to be a part of the District’s decision in who the next leaders are of Texas-Oklahoma. Interested? Go onto the district website for details on each officer position; the candidacy forms are available for download from the website and are included in the DCON Resource Package! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact District Administrator, Walt Roetter at Administrator@tokeyclub.com.
Senior Scholarships
Are you a senior? If so, don’t miss out on the chance to win college scholarships! Provided by the Texas-Oklahoma District Kiwanis Foundation, thousands of dollars are granted in scholarship funds each year. The program is also exclusive to Key Club and CKI members in the Texas-Oklahoma District! Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity to help fund your college tuition.
Candidates must maintain a strong Key Club service record and high academic performance. If accepted, the chosen applicants will be scheduled for an interview at District Convention. For more information about the T-O Kiwanis Foundation scholarship program and application, look in the scholarship folder in the DCON Resource Package. APPLICATIONS ARE TO BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN FEBURARY 1ST, 2017!
Welcoming Activity & Service Fair
In order to kick off the convention, we prepared a Welcoming Activity that gets everyone in the mood of the theme and excited for the weekend. This year, we have placed extra charms on the Welcoming Activity in order to create an even better start to our Wizarding World of Service. Prepare to compete in the houses of Crimson, Saffron, Iris, and Viridian, and be awarded house points to win the house cup at the end of District Convention when completing certain activities. The Service Fair was an ongoing event during the Welcoming Activity, where clubs can show off a service project from the year. This year we are emphasizing the magic of service through more service projects in our Welcoming Activities.
Convention Dress Code
The dress code is strictly enforced at all convention events and sessions. Students and sponsors alike are expected to abide by the posted dress guidelines for each specific event (see the Tentative Agenda on the last page of this bulletin). Note the details of this dress code, as attendees will be refused entry at session doors for non-compliance. Advisors and sponsors will be required to acknowledge understanding of these rules at convention check-in.
Formal
(Optional)
Professional Professional
Ladies and Gentlemen
Gentlemen
- Professional or tasteful formal dress will be permitted. Formal or semi-formal dresses no shorter than fingertip length; spaghetti straps, halters, one-shoulder, and strapless dresses are acceptable; all other rules for professional attire apply.
- Suit or dress coat and tie with dress slacks or khakis, socks, and dress shoes. Dress coat and tie are absolutely mandatory. - Unacceptable: shorts, denim, sneakers, sandals of any kind, or letterman jackets.
Ladies - Dresses, suits, pantsuits, skirts (no shorter than fingertip length) with blouse (sleeve at least dollar bill width (around 3�), dress shoes, and sweaers/dress jackets. - Unacceptable: flip-flops, sneakers, denim, shirts with sleeves less than dollar bill width (halters, spaghetti straps, one-shoulder, stra[less, etc.), bare midriff, shorts, excessively low-cut blouses, or letterman jackets.
Casual Ladies and Gentlemen - Appropriate dollar bill width shirt straps and fingertip length shorts/skirts. - Unacceptable: any excessively low-cut shirt, tattered or torn jeans, shirts not abiding by proper measurements (dollar bill width and fingertip length; ex: halters, spaghetti straps, one-shoulder, etc.), bare midriff, or excessive skin, any clothes with explicit language or symbols (includes sexual innuendo, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, foul language, etc.)
REMINDERS
Seating Assignments Medical Releases & Code of Conduct Form
Seating for general sessions is assigned by letter grouping. The earlier the money from your registration is received, the better your seat is! The letter groupings range from A to D. The A seating group will be invited to enter all sessions first, followed by B, C then D. Sit close to the front for all sessions by registering your club and submitting your registration fees as soon as possible.
All Key Club members, chaperones, and advisors attending MUST sign a Medical Release and Code of Conduct form before registration can be completed. The advisor or his/her representative must present a copy of all the forms upon convention check-in and should retain the originals for his/her own use. This form is included with the DCON Rescource Package.
Parking
Judges
Self-parking is available for cars in the hotel parking garage. The cost is $12.00 per day plus tax (about 40% off the normal price). There is no bus parking available at the hotel. For information on where buses can park, contact Marellie Robinson at 918.299.5425. The Sheraton Hotel is located 10 minutes from Dallas Love Field Airport and 25 minutes from DFW International.
Each school must register at least one adult judge for contests. This judge shall meet all requirements listed in Article V of the Code of Contest and Awards. No sponsor may judge a contest in which the Key Club he/she represents is entered. Sponsors may not judge the same contest for consecutive years. Judges are registered upon convention check-in.*
*Contest entries will be penalized for clubs whose judges do not appear at their required judging times.
Tentative Convention
District Schedule
Thursday, April 20, 2017: 3:00 PM-9:30 PM 6:00 PM-9:00 PM 8:30 PM-9:00 PM 9:30 PM-10:00 PM 10:00 PM-11:30 PM
Convention and Contest Check-In Welcoming Activity Advisors/Judges Orientation Meeting Candidates Orientation Meeting* Sergeant-at-Arms Orientation Meeting
Casual Dress Casual Dress Casual Dress Casual Dress Casual Dress
Friday, April 21, 2017 7:00 AM-8:30 AM 8:00 AM-12:00 PM 8:00 AM-12:00 PM 8:00 AM-4:00 PM 9:00 AM-2:00 PM 12:00 PM-2:00 PM 2:00 PM-4:00 PM 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Last-minute Contest Check In Late Convention Check In Forums Scholarship Interviews Contests Advisors’ Round Table Lunch (Advisors/Sponsors Only/Meal Provided) Forums Opening Session
Casual Dress Casual Dress Casual Dress Professional Dress N/A Casual Dress
Regional Caucuses Scholarship Interviews Leadership Luncheon (Meal Provided) House of Delegates Awards Banquet** (Meal Provided) Governor’s Ball (Dance)
Professional Dress Professional Dress Professional Dress Professional Dress Professional Dress Casual Dress
Board Installation Breakfast (Past/New District Board & Families Only) (Meal Provided) 2017-2018 District Board Meeting
Professional Dress
Casual Dress Professional Dress
Saturday, April 22, 2017: 8:00 AM-10:00 AM 8:00 AM-4:00 PM 12:30 PM-2:00 PM 2:30 PM-4:30 PM 6:30 PM-9:00 PM 9:00 PM-11:45 PM Sunday, April 23, 2017: 9:00 AM-10:00 AM 10:00 AM-10:30 AM
*Mandatory for Candidates only **Dress is optional formal for the Awards Banquet ***All events and times are subject to change
N/A
