25th Annual Building Strong Families Conference Agenda Virtual Conference
hosted from the Region 17 ESC
Thursday, October 22, 2020

8:30-9:00
Entertainment Celebrating the Diversity of Families and exhibitors
Welcome & Announcements

9:00 - 9:45
Opening Keynote: - AJ McCleod & Youth Panel
Let’s Chat! Community Impact on Our Youth
In this session, we will discuss how a child’s environment can have a negative or positive impact in their life. We will explore how our youth feel about the community in which they live, along with how having a healthy home environment can influence the trajectory of where they go in the future. We will discuss the “school-to-prison pipeline” for students who come from some environments that are unhealthy and not what we call “up to standard”. We will also explore how having positive mentors who give high expectations may change a students’ and parents’ thought process and how they can help students achieve more in life.

9:50-10:35
Alicia Holligan
This IS My Monkey…This IS My Circus: Parenting With Resiliency and Embracing the Challenge
I remember hearing the news of both my pregnancies like it was yesterday. I purchased every book on what to expect DURING pregnancy, BUT the book that I really needed… was the one on how to raise them to adulthood. Well, there isn’t one! Did I say that was twenty-seven years ago? Oh, how times and family systems have changed! In this session, I will be very open and sometimes raw on the challenges that parenting brings AND share with you the many celebrations that come alongside embracing those challenges.

10:45-11:30
Marty Groves & David Fraze
All in the Modern Family: Parenting Across the Continuum
With adolescent behaviors emerging at pre-adolescent ages in our children… Aging parents living much longer than any previous generation of adults who need our care… The face of family having more differing characteristics than just Mom, Dad and the kids… The current generation of youth extending their presence in our homes beyond the turning of the tassel in high school and even college… We present and unpack together tried-and-true strategies to assist parents in the continuum of post used-to-be “All In The Family”, ever-evolving “Modern Family”, and day-by-day family life of “This Is Us”.

11:30-12:00 - Lunch On Your Own

12:00-12:15
Exhibitors Display – Introduction of BSF Planning Committee Organizations & Services Provided to Parents in Our Community

12:15-1:00
Christine Neugebauer, M.S., MT -BC, LPC
Lunch Keynote: The Power of Music
Music as a therapeutic modality holds its origins since early human civilization and continues in our day and age. This presentation will overview the elements of music as an art form and its function in health and healing from early childhood through older adulthood. Participants will learn practical ways to integrate music for personal well-being and social connection through demonstration and interactive musical experiences.

1:05-1:50
Brandon Clayton
Parenting: Seeing the Treasure in the Challenge
Our children are treasures not despite their challenges, but oftentimes because of them. In this session, we will explore how we parents can redefine our children’s challenges as treasures in transition. We will consider the research and past experiences of some challenging children we’ve come to know and love.

2:00-2:30
Dr. Lisa Ramirez
Closing Keynote: Don’t Be a Loser--- Be a Learner!
As young parents teaching our children to walk, we celebrated the “baby steps”. We focused so little on the times our child fell because we had faith in the learning process. We understood that learning takes time and often requires failure. It is painful to watch those we love develop meaningful understanding in their own time and way. Come learn why it is important to celebrate every win and loss as a way to reframe the emotional challenge of loving our children as they navigate the waters of making tough decisions.

Please remember to complete your evaluation and turn it in. This helps the committee in planning for next year’s conference.

Thank you for attending the conference this year. It is the committee’s hope that you will walk away with new information and tools to be able to celebrate with your children the family you are together.