The National School Boards Association celebrates its 72nd annual conference [1], April 21-23 in Boston, and attendees will be able to see first-hand how technology transforms learning and improves students’ lives.
The conference theme, “A Better Tomorrow Starts Today,” will focus on educators’ commitment to children.
With more than 200 educational sessions [2], attendees will get best practices from colleagues in district workshops, hear from NSBA’s advocacy staff about national legislative trends and federal court cases that may impact their district, and find education technology sessions for every member of their team.
General session speakers include:
- Correspondent Soledad O’Brien (April 21 General Session): Soledad O’Brien is an anchor and special correspondent for CNN. O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the world and has produced award-winning documentaries on a variety of important topics. A strong believer in the power of education, she commits considerable time and support to the foundation she and her husband founded, which awards 10 scholarships each year to underprivileged young women from across the U.S.
- Chef Jeff Henderson (April 22 Morning Session): Best-selling author and inspirational culinary star, Chef Jeff Henderson will address the Sunday morning gathering with a talk entitled “From the Streets to the Stove: The Power of Potential.” Chef Jeff grew up on the streets of central Los Angeles and San Diego and at the age of 24 was sent to prison for 10 years for dealing drugs. While incarcerated, he discovered a passion for cooking and committed himself to turning his life around. Through his determination he eventually became the executive chef at Café Bellagio in Las Vegas. Today, he is the Food Network personality behind The Chef Jeff Project, which takes at-risk young adults and commits them to changing their lives through work with his catering company. Chef Jeff is the author of the best-selling memoir Cooked: My Journey from the Streets to the Stove.
- Sal Khan (April 22 General Session): Sal Khan is the founder of the Khan Academy, a free online education platform and not-for-profit organization. His innovative approach has accelerated learning for students around the world, with more than 2,300 popular videos available via internet on a wide range of topics, mainly focused on mathematics and science. Khan has worked closely with public schools in California, where his teaching methods have been integrated with classroom instruction to enhance student engagement and achievement. Khan has been featured on many national news programs, including CNN and the NBC Nightly News, and, in 2009, the Khan Academy received the Microsoft Tech Award for Education.
- Geoffrey Canada (April 23 General Session): In his 20-plus years with Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc. (HCZ), Geoffrey Canada has become a nationally-recognized and passionate advocate for education reform. Canada joined the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) in 1983 and became its president and CEO in 1990. The work of Canada and HCZ has become a national model and has been the subject of many media profiles. Canada is passionate about the need to turn our nation’s attention toward investing in public education to provide a quality education for all students.