The following is a three part account of the CKP Student Leadership Conference. (Part 1 of the recap. Part 2 of the recap.) Click here for more first-hand accounts of the conference.CKP National Conference Day 3
Date: October 7, 2006
Location: Gonzaga College High School, Rosemary's Thyme
Everyone met at Gonzaga College High School for breakfast around 8:30 am, and then went over to Cantwell Hall for the Breakout Sessions. These sessions were 40-minute lessons on various concepts related to the Campus Kitchens Project.
The three Breakout Sessions I attended were "Marketing the Campus Kitchen" with Karen Borchert, "Managing the Budget" with Glenda Cognevich, and "Culinary Job Training" with Becky Locker. All three of the Breakout Sessions taught me something I didn't know about the Campus Kitchens Project.
This format was very helpful for me to learn about topics that I knew little about. Only one of my Leadership Team members was able to attend these sessions, and it would have been nice if more of them were there.
After the Breakout Sessions, we had lunch in the Jesuit Dining Room. This was followed by a lengthy discussion about what everyone learned at the conference. For me personally, it was incredible to witness how similar every Campus Kitchen is. We all face similar problems and this conference opened my eyes. During this part of the day, all the schools split up to make a list of what they want to accomplish. There were three dates used as goals in this exercise: by next week, by Dec. 31st, by next conference. We also had to list what we were going to do for the local Campus Kitchen as well as the Campus Kitchens Project as a whole.
We had a brief break before reconvening at Rosemary's Thyme restaurant on 18th Street. The food there was excellent and the company was exquisite. There, the annual awards were presented to distinguished volunteers. I was really impressed by all of the volunteers that won accolades. It was so inspiring to hear their stories that it made me want to do more.
The final day of the conference was my favorite because it allowed for the most communication between Campus Kitchens. Hearing everyone talk about their kitchen made me realize how similar our causes are. In the same way Robert Egger is bringing together non-profits, we need to work together to achieve the ultimate goal of ending hunger in America.