SCHEDULE
PRE CONFERENCE
OCTOBER - JANUARY 2026
Upon acceptance, delegates form teams and choose one of three fields for innovation: climate, education, or media. Teams receive a topic portfolio and review documentation to build understanding and kindle ideas. In sequence, here are the pre-conference steps:
Students apply
Delegations form
Chaperones register
Delegations book hotel rooms, confirm transportation (regional transportation hubs provided), select a field for innovation, and dive into their field portfolio
CONFERENCE DAY 1
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2026
Delegates choose and study c-suite career tracks in leadership, marketing, operations, finance, or advocacy. Teams build foundational bridging skills and develop their strategy for addressing their selected field.
8:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Opening plenary
11:00 a.m. Career Track Breakouts #1
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Bridging Workshops
2:00 p.m. Strategy Development
3:00 p.m. Career Track Breakouts #2
4:30 p.m. Team Time
6:00 p.m. Dinner
CONFERENCE DAY 2
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026
Teams develop, rehearse, and deliver a strategy pitch to a panel of civic leaders who provide actionable feedback and awards for the most realistic, creative, and ambitious approaches.
8:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Pitch Development
11:00 a.m. Breakouts
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Rehearsals
2:30 p.m. Round 1 Pitches
4:00 p.m. Intermission
4:30 Round 2 Pitches
6:00 p.m. Awards and Reception
The winning team receives $5,000 and support to implement their initiative.
