If the Puzzle Piece Fits…
This year’s STN EXPO is ‘Putting the Pieces Together’ with inspiring keynotes, exciting events and workshops covering the industry’s hottest topics
H
ere we are again, just weeks away from another STN EXPO. We’ve pulled out all the stops to give attendees an experi-
ence that will give a booster shot of yellow and help energize operations for an up- coming school year that’s expected to be difficult as the past few when it comes to budgets. Hence the title of this year’s show, “Putting the Pieces Together,” which will in- clude a local event that will keep everyone on their toes and pushing themselves to the limit. In addition to the industry’s larg- est one-day trade show on July 26, we’ve also developed five dozen workshops and sessions and identified keynote speakers that will once again inspire attendees and keep conversations ongoing for months following the event, similar to last year with John Walsh of “America’s Most Wanted.”
PURSUING HAPPYNESS ON MANY LEVELS Tis year, Christopher Gardner will be
stopping by to talk about his experiences as a homeless, single father and how he was able to turn his life around to become a successful entrepreneur. Gardner, whose life was the subject of both the book and film “Te Pursuit of Happyness,” will speak on the importance of a father’s role in his child’s life as well as the difficulties faced by homeless families who try to give their children a normal life despite their cir- cumstances. Tis special event on the late afternoon of July 25 is sponsored by Blue Bird Corporation and REI. Known by some as the “Bully Buster,”
behavioral psychologist Edie Raether will be on hand the following morning with her keynote speech entitled “Tink Up, Bash On and Become Unstoppable!” Ra- ether is not only a keynote speaker but also author of “Stop Bullying Now!” and the “Be a Buddy — Not a Bully” program. She says she has not only been able to show how to stop bullying but also the ir-
reparable damage it can do to its victims. Her keynote will attempt to answer the questions that are pressing to districts around the country: why kids bully, why others are bullied and how to stop the cycle of violence. A 13-year-old boy from southwest
Florida will set an STN EXPO milestone as the youngest speaker. Reno Williams has Asperger’s syndrome and will present the general session “How to Be a Good Friend to Kids with Autism,” a talk designed to give everyone a first-hand account of living with this autism spectrum disorder. Williams, who was born legally blind and is currently visually impaired, first began researching the ins and outs of autism and Asperger’s when he realized there were a few things that made him unique from his classmates. Since then, he has been working to help others understand the “uniqueness” of those with a spectrum disorder and how to keep others from bullying those who might now follow all the societal norms or the steps to get them from point A to point B. Williams book, “Reno’s World:
Pre-
senting Autism and Related Disabilities to Youth,” and his work to dispel many common myths concerning autism have received awards
from the International Center for Autism Research and Education.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR AN EMERGENCY AND REVISITING SCHOOL SAFETY Te EXPO will also be enjoying another
first this year, as we have partnered with Schools Prepare and Ready Together Across Nevada, or S.P.A.R.T.A.N., for a mock school bus crash event called the “Broken Axle Reno Exercise.” S.P.A.R.T.A.N. is a collaborative group that works with its members throughout the state to keep schools prepared for possible emer- gency situations, like a school bus crash. Te exercise is scheduled to take place at the conclusion of the STN EXPO on
38 School Transportation News Magazine July 2011
A keynote by author and entrepreneur Christopher Gardner of “The Pursuit of Happyness” highlights the STN EXPO Conference on July 25.
July 27, and following the S.P.A.R.T.A.N. Conference, a two-day school emergency planning meeting. First responders, mem- bers of the medical examiner’s office, the local Amateur Radio Emergency Ser- vices, the Health Department and Reno’s Washoe County School District were also involved in the planning of the event. Te staged event will consist of a vehicle col- lision involving two loaded school buses, one regular education and one special needs, that crashed while driving on a mountain pass highway. Mike Dorn, executive director of Safe
Havens International, will return to Reno this year to teach a special eight- hour pre-conference seminar on July 23. The workshop, “Powerful Tools for Improving School Bus Climate, Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness,” will open your eyes to not only what drivers might miss on any given day, but what could result from not paying attention to some specific clues that could save the lives of students. Dur- ing Dorn’s last visit to the STN EXPO, his son Chris showed attendees how a seemingly harmless student could be hiding dozens of weapons in clothing.
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