My journey to becoming a member of the NOAC training staff began many years before the start of this conference. At the 2000 NOAC in Knoxville, TN, I had the good fortune of participating in a "Train the Trainer" cell. This training greatly aided me in becoming an effective trainer. Four years later, I would use the tools provided in that training to assist Arrowmen from across the country as a NOAC trainer.
Experience from training at local, section, and region events also helped me develop my training skills. This developmental process is slow, but exciting. Each new level of training requires a higher standard of performance. Training at the National Order of the Arrow Conference is the pinnacle of OA training and also has the largest audience. As such, it is a tremendous honor and a weighty obligation to be selected as a trainer.
My NOAC training experience officially began in early February when I was contacted by one of the section chiefs on the training committee. As a Lead Cell Trainer for NOAC, I was assigned a topic to present at my sessions. From that moment on, the training cell would take on life with the format that we as trainers chose. Cell trainers at NOAC work with the Lead Cell Trainer to shape the information that is presented during the session. The syllabi, Power Point presentations, resources, and handouts are submitted to the training committee for approval. This information undergoes revisions and is made available on the Lodge and Individual Resource Disk for all NOAC participants and staff.
Months of planning and preparation come to fruition at the conference. Lead Cell Trainers arrive two days before the conference; other trainers come a day early. Room setup and final preparations take place before the participants arrive. Days begin early once the conference starts. Training sessions begin at 8:30 in the morning and last for three hours. Excitement, enthusiasm, and adrenalin keep the trainers ready for each session. Utilizing various training methods, trainers hope to achieve an inspiring, active, and informative exchange of ideas. Once the session is over, trainers have the remainder of the day to check the evaluations, modify their session, and explore the other program areas of the conference.
Training at NOAC is a very amazing experience that enables select Arrowmen to present information, elicit a great exchange of information, and hopefully benefit all of the training participants.
Revised 8/3/04.
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