The NEXT factor

This summer, OA youth leaders and key adults from across the nation will gather at Indiana University for the 2016 national event, NEXT: A New Century. As a part of this program, the 2016 region chiefs are on a mission to find the most innovative and radical ideas and then share them with the world. They are on a mission to find The NEXT Factor. This NEXT Factor program will be a game show competition where region chiefs will find the best ideas and turn them into programs to be presented to attendees at NEXT. During the week, NEXT attendees will be given the chance to listen to idea presentations and vote on the ones the like the most, until the single NEXT Factor is chosen.

There are three phases to “The NEXT Factor” program:

Phase 1: Best Practice/New Idea Submission

1. Think of a lodge best practice that has led to unprecedented success OR a new revolutionary idea that will challenge the status quo and lead to success. Ideas should pertain to lodge programs, membership retention and innovation.
2. Film a one minute long video explaining your best practice or best new idea. Be clear and succinct. If you cannot create a video, you may submit a paragraph written explanation.
3. Submit your video by the May 31 deadline. Video rules may be found below.

Phase 2: Region Chief Selection

1. 2016 region chiefs will review every submission, and each region chief will select two lodge ideas to develop as contestants for the NEXT Factor Finals.
2. Region chiefs will reach out to their chosen lodges and work with them to expand and elevate the idea they submitted.

Phase 3: Competition at NEXT

1. Delegates of chosen lodges will present chosen ideas to over 400 NEXT attendees.
2. Lodges whose ideas were not chosen will visit the Innovation Center. Here the Innovation team will work with lodges to refine and present new questions to work through unique solutions to the OA program.
3. From the Innovation center, lodges will be given the chance to present their improved ideas to the region chiefs, and join in the live NEXT Factor competition.
4. Audience members will vote on the ideas they like the most, and by the end of NEXT one lodge and their idea will be declared the NEXT Factor champion!

The winning lodge will receive a major prize, and every lodge that participates will be recognized for their submission. Does your lodge have the NEXT Factor? See below for video submission guidelines.

NEXT FACTOR VIDEO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Videos should be kept to around a length of 1 minute and present a brief overview of the best practice or idea. The message should be clearly audible. The Arrowman presenting the idea should appear in full class A and sash. If filmed on a mobile device such as an iPhone, Android, or Windows phone, please film horizontally. Lodges may enter more than one submission.

To enter a submission, please follow the following steps:

1. Send the video in an email to nextfactor@oa-bsa.org or uploaded through Hightail. The attached video should be in one of the following formats: (.MOV/ .MPEG4/ MP4/ .AVI/ .WMV/ .MPEGPS/ .FLV/ 3GPP/ WebM)
2. In the email or Hightail content box, please include the following info:
   1. Name
   2. Lodge
   3. Phone number
   4. Preferred email address
   5. A one-line statement outlining the best practice

Note, that in cases where creating a video is prohibitively difficult, lodges are allowed to submit a paragraph detailing their idea or best practice. These paragraph submissions should be 350 words or less, and can be submitted as a word document or PDF using either e-mail (nextfactor@oa-bsa.org) or Hightail. Video submissions will be preferred over written entries.