[YL] CTCNet's 14th Annual Community Technology Conference: Updates & Deadlines

[CTCNet Conference]

The 14th Annual Community Technology Conference, "Making Connections,
Strengthening Communities", is just around the corner (June 17-19 in
Cleveland, OH), and registration and hotel discount deadlines are rapidly
approaching.  Several sessions at the conference will provide training for
afterschool programs on using technology & media, and the conference will
kick off with an Opening Plenary, "Connections for Youth", that will
highlight youth work around the country.  Our full program of nearly fifty
sessions & workshops is listed at
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/at_conference/program.asp.  Visit the
conference homepage at http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/ for more details and
please note the important announcements and program updates below!

CTCNet is a network of more than 1,000 community-based programs that use
technological tools to provide training and educational services in
communities accross the nation.  Our members are united in their commitment
to improve the educational, economic, cultural and political life of their
communities through technology.  CTCNet provides resources and advocacy to
improve the quality and sustainability of community technology centers and
programs at the local, national and international level through networking,
capacity building, program development, and partnership opportunities.
CTCNet's Annual Conference has been the premier event in community
technology for over a decade.

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Registration & Accommodations
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In the next couple of weeks, deadlines for discounted hotel & registration
rates will pass.  Be sure to make your reservations at the Intercontinental
Hotel by MAY 15 at 5:00PM (the cut-off date for our discounted hotel rate),
and register for the conference by MAY 17 (the cut-off date for early
registration discounts).  Register online at
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/attending/registration.asp.  There are also
a very limited number of dormitory rooms at nearby Case Western Reserve
University available for conference participants.  See
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/attending/accommodations.htm for details.

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Pre-Conference Workshops
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On Thursday, June 16, CTCNet will hold half-day Pre-Conference workshops on
youth media programs & media literacy, sustainability through social
enterprise, using logic models for evaluation, and expanding your capacity &
impact in your community.  Pre-Conference workshops are FREE of charge and
open to all, including participants not attending the full conference.  To
learn more and register for a pre-conference workshop, visit
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/at_conference/preconf.htm.

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Sessions
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The full conference program is listed at
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/at_conference/program.asp, and we are
continuing to add more sessions.  This year's program is designed to provide
a wide range of professional development and capacity building workshops, as
well as innovative models, promising practices & hands-on learning.  Over
forty sessions will take place, organized into six tracks: Program Design &
Management; Achieving Community Impact; Organizational Capacity &
Leadership; Policy & Civic Engagement; Technology Innovations & Solutions;
and Research & Evaluation.

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Featured Events & Special Guests
=============================
In addition to more than forty workshops & sessions, a number of special
events will provide networking opportunities, celebrate leadership, showcase
valuable resources and spark discussion about the future of community
technology.  View the full program at
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/at_conference/program.asp.

Opening Plenary: We will kick off the conference with a special welcome
highlighting youth work at CTCs around the country and showcasing their
contributions to the field.

Toni Stone Innovative Initiative Awards Luncheon: This celebration of
leadership will feature very special guest speakers and the presentation of
the 2005 Toni Stone Innovative Initiative Award to this year's surprise
winner.

Host Committee Welcome Reception: Friday evening, the local host committee
will welcome participants with a reception at Case Western Reserve
University's Library & New Media Lab, where we'll hear from local officials
& community technology leaders. The evening's activities will also include
free tours of the New Media Lab.

Cleveland CTC Tours: If you plan to attend a pre-conference workshop on
Thursday (June 16), or will be arriving in Cleveland that day, plan to join
fellow participants on a series of tours at Cleveland CTCs after the day's
workshops end.

The Community Technology Share Fair: This popular resource showcase & ice
cream break will feature dozens of shared tools & resources developed by and
for practitioners.  Check the website for opportunities to showcase your
resources at the Fair.

Birds of a Feather & Regional Roundtables: Informal self-facilitated
roundtable discussions will provide opportunities for participants to meet
with others from their region and engage in discussion around topics of
interest.

Featured Panel on Workforce Development: CTCNet will convene a unique
featured panel on Friday afternoon to discuss the the changing nature of
workforce development.  Panelists will include Cleveland-area government,
private-sector, and community technology leaders, who will engage in
discussion with the audience on how CTCs can expand their impact as
resources for strengthening the workforce in their communities.

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Exhibits
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A broad range of companies and resource providers will be on hand throughout
the conference - make sure to visit all of the exhibits to learn about
resources available for community technology programs, and for giveaways and
prizes!  If you are interested in exhibiting at the Community Technology
Conference, we still have a few spaces left - visit
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/support/exhibit_sponsorship.htm for details!
___________________
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet) 
1436 U St. NW STE 104, Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 462-1200
Fax: (202) 462-3892
Email: conf at ctcnet.org

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14th Annual Community Technology Conference
Cleveland, OH ~ June 17-19, 2005
http://www.ctcnet.org/conf/2005/  
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