Monday Morning Keynote

Known to many as "America's Educator," Ron Clark is the 2000 Disney American Teacher of the Year, a two-time New York Times Bestselling author, the subject of a television movie and the founder of The Ron Clark Academy. Ron is regularly featured on network and cable television (The Today Show, CNN and Oprah,) and was dubbed by Ms. Winfrey as her first "Phenomenal Man."

Ron Clark brings charisma, energy and devotion to the education profession. Ron pioneered innovative projects in rural North Carolina working with minority students in a low wealth area. His highly effective programs garnered national attention and led to a White House invitation to be honored by the President of the United States.

In 2003, Ron Clark released the New York Times Bestselling book "The Essential 55" which includes his 55 expectations of students - as well as all individuals - young and old. Ron's second book, "The Excellent 11," was released in August 2004 and further captured the attention of parents, educators and students alike.

He shares the uncanny adventures he has had in the classroom and speaks of his experiences teaching in Harlem. Within his humorous and heartwarming stories, he delivers a message relevant to each of us. It is a message of hope, dedication and the never-say-never attitude required to achieve goals and dreams.

Presented by Ms. Donna Porter with Mr. Dewayne "DJ" Batiste

Monday Afternoon Keynote

Are you tired of classrooms that feel distant? Are you tired of feeling disconnected from your students? Are you ready to help create a community of learning that is truly a family? Do you believe that you are meant to do more than teach information? Do you believe that you are truly called to change lives? Changing the culture of the American classroom begins with changing our paradigm of education. Donna Porter is a recently retired high school teacher and now motivational speaker who is revolutionizing the field of discipline in classrooms and transforming the environment into a community model unseen in the classroom. Using a relationship based model, Donna applies a new paradigm of discipline, leaving an indelible mark upon the lives of students who can believe in the value and possibilities of an education. In March 2012, Donna was the recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher of the Year award which lead to her and D.J. being featured on CBS nightly news. Listen as Donna and one of her former at-risk students, D.J. Batiste, share their experiences and motivate educators across the nation to believe in a new type of classroom.

Tuesday Keynote

Dr. Jaiya John was born into foster care in New Mexico, and is an internationally recognized humanitarian, author, speaker, poet, and youth mentor. Jaiya is the founder of Soul Water Rising, a global rehumanizing mission that has donated thousands of Jaiya’s books in support of social healing, and offers scholarships to displaced and vulnerable youth. Jaiya is also the founder of Harvest Project, a global initiative reviving traditional gathering and storytelling practices to fertilize social healing and liberation. He is a former professor of social psychology at Howard University, has authored numerous books, and has spoken to over half a million people worldwide and audiences as large as several thousand, including conferences, schools, Indigenous reservations and communities, prisons and detention centers, shelters, and college campuses. Jaiya is a National Science Foundation fellow, and holds doctorate and master’s degrees in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a focus on intergroup relations and identity development. As an undergraduate, he attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and lived in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he studied Tibetan Holistic Medicine through independent research with Tibetan doctors.

Jaiya’s book titles include Your Caring Heart: Renewal for Helping Professionals and Systems, Daughter Drink This Water (inspiration), Calm: Inspiration for a Possible Life, Sincerity of Sunlight (inspiration), Fresh Peace (inspiration), Legendary: A Tribute to Those Who Honorably Serve Devalued Children, Beautiful: A Poetic Celebration of Displaced Children, Reflection Pond: Nurturing Wholeness in Displaced Children, Clear Moon Tribe (novel), The Day Jumoke Found His Name (children), Father to Son: Ode to Black Boys (spoken word), Habanero Love: A Poem of Sacred Passion, Lyric of Silence: A Poetic Telling of the Human Soul Journey, and Black Baby White Hands: A View from the Crib (memoir).

Wednesday Keynote

Ami R. Davis is a dynamic, engaging, and even comedic presenter with charisma and an openness that makes learning fun and creates long-lasting impact. She has been an invited speaker and instructor in many sectors, including prominent health, education and law enforcement organizations. She has a degree in Psychology from California Baptist University, is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, is an author, and runs a Consulting firm known as The Acadami. She specializes in Gender and Sexual Minority education; pulling from her vast experience and knowledge in youth services, trauma and prevention.

As a self-identified Queer Person of Faith, Ami does not shy away from “hard to discuss” topics in the various intersections experienced by the GSM communities. Her grace, humor and keen knowledge keep audiences connected and feeling part of an experience by creating an equitable and safe learning environment for ALL folks; she encourages open and honest dialogue; facilitates connection; and engages with the audience in mutual respect, compassion, patience, and understanding. She combines educational lecture with personal story-telling, humor, and action items to create a truly transformative and immediately helpful training experience.

Ami operates on the belief that we can all work together to Make it Hard to Hate™.

Thursday Keynote

During Roy's MyBag MyHome keynote presentation, Roy Juarez Jr. will share his personal story of growing up as a homeless teenager. Roy first became homeless at the age of 14, and eventually with his 9-year-old sister and 2-year-old brother due to domestic violence.

Roy was able to leave the streets only to return to them as an activist after graduating from Hardin Simmons University in 2009. Today, Roy will share with you his personal message of hope, perseverance, forgiveness and the value of a higher education. Juarez’s story and work have garnered national media attention on outlets such as CNN, CBS San Antonio, Chicken Soup for the Soul. Most recently, Juarez was able to partner with Ford Motor Company Fund in their Ford Driving Dreams Tour to inspire students to graduate on time and pursue a higher education. Mr. Juarez Jr.'s has recently (2018) released his first published memoir "Homeless By Choice." The book is about his journey, the mentor that have made a difference and is designed as a teaching tool for students, parents and educators to help continue Roy's message of hope and inspiration. A documentary film about Roy's life and journey to reconnect with his father is also currently in pre-production.

To date, Roy Juarez Jr.'s Rescuing Our Youth IMPACT Tour has already reached nearly 500,000 students, parents and educators across the country!

Friday Keynote

Media sensation, motivational speaker, producer and social entrepreneur Shane Feldman is on a mission to inspire leadership and transform community culture through meaningful connection — in spite of the fact that his earliest memories are riddled with disconnection. As a child of divorce, Shane was constantly moving around, lacked consistent male role models, experienced relentless bullying, and felt socially isolated. After moving to a new city and being rejected by his first choice high school, at the start of freshman year it felt like the world was testing Shane. He entered 9th grade desperately hoping for a great new experience and instead he felt lost and invisible. With the help of a very committed guidance counselor, Shane became active in clubs, theater and volunteer groups.

Getting involved turned Shane's life around, and led him to start a school project that went viral, and has since evolved into the largest youth-led organization in the world. Born out of Shane's challenging transition into high school, Count Me In is an entirely student-led charity and global brand that inspires young people to be positive change agents in their community. With Shane at the helm, Count Me In has impacted more than 10-million young people through speaking tours, educational programs and major broadcasts which have aired in over 100 countries. Over the past decade, the organization has inspired tens of thousands of youth-led volunteer projects, equating to over 100-million hours of community service worldwide.

Once socially isolated, Shane is now a youth advocate, motivational speaker and social entrepreneur, and loves any opportunity to energize students who feel lost or disenfranchised just as he once did. As a global youth empowerment expert, Shane travels the world sharing his story, inspiring corporate and educational audiences to create a culture of connection, and helping students discover their value and potential. Shane has appeared on national media, been recognized by The United Nations Youth Assembly and the President's volunteer initiative, and he has been listed on Youth In Motion's Top 20 Under 20 list.

Musical Presentation

Kaitlyn has been singing longer than she could talk. She started her professional musical theatre career at the age of nine playing Duffy the orphan in Rancho Cucamonga Community Theater’s production of Annie. She found she enjoyed singing, acting and dancing so musical theater became her passion. She went on to work for Performance Riverside, Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater, Inland Valley Reparatory Theater and Center Stage Theater. Her favorite roles have included Little Inez in Hairspray, River City Teen in The Music Man, Sarah’s friend in Ragtime and most recently, Dorothy in The Wiz. Kaitlyn attended Valley Elementary School, Mesa View Middle School and Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa. She is currently a Theater Arts major at Riverside Community College. In her spare time, she appears at birthday parties as Moana and Princess Tiana. Her future goals include performing on a Disney cruise ship and eventually appearing on a Broadway stage.