OKAY, WE’RE AT SACRAMENTO… NOW WHAT DO I DO?

First off, congratulations! You survived Camp Roberts and Fresno. As much fun as it was sharing a barracks with a bunch of teenagers and walking around Fresno was, Sacramento is where, as advisors, we really earn our keep. Below is a list of things that advisors should be doing to help insure all of our delegates are safe and having a great time:

A couple of minutes after curfew do a room check and make sure you physically see every delegate that is suppose to be in the room. If they aren’t there, find them. While you are checking in, make sure that any delegate that needs nightly medication has taken it. If there are any rooms that are still wide awake, remind them that they shouldn’t stay up too late and that they need to keep it down so other people can sleep. After you get done checking in on everyone, hang out in the hallway for a couple of minutes to make sure your delegates are staying in their rooms.

Every morning try to have an advisor or two hang out in areas where the delegates have to pass you on the way to session. This way you can check in with them every day to make sure everything is going okay and you can answer any questions. You can also catch any of your delegates that aren’t in dress code before they get to their session. Deans, staff, and other advisors will send your delegates back to change, and you will have to go with them if it is during a joint session.

Write down the times that your delegates will be speaking on your bill, presenting their court case, speaking on their NIC proposal, etc., so one of your advisors can be there to listen to/take pictures of your delegates. Your delegates will not always know when they will be speaking far in advance, so make sure they let you know as soon as they find out.

During the course of the day sit in on as many of your delegate’s sessions as possible. They may not admit it, but the delegates love it when we come by and see them. Your NIC delegates could be advancing to the next round a number of times, so make sure to check on them periodically.

Try to be as visible to your delegates as much as possible during the course of the program. Not only does this show them you care, but also that you are watching.

Check your delegation mailbox in the Page office at the Hyatt at least twice a day to pick-up any notices.

Remember that the Deans are here for the same reason we are here for, to make sure everyone is safe and to make sure that the program continues. If they say something you disagree with, politely present your point of view. If you feel that there is still a misunderstanding, ask to speak to the Head Dean (Dwayne White) or fill out the Y&G Program Notification Form. Please remember that yelling at a Dean or anyone else for that fact, sets a bad example for your delegates and could get you sent home too.

Make sure your delegates are eating. Some delegates forget money or are too embarrassed to admit they don’t have enough money to pay for food.

Do random room checks. Especially in the morning when delegates should be in session. That way you can make sure no delegates have overslept or are skipping session.

Most important: be there for your kids. There are few things cooler than when a delegate bursts out of session, runs over to you, can’t stop telling you how they spoke for the first time on a bill and how awesome it was. Conversely, it’s heartbreaking to hear about how their NIC proposal didn’t make it out of the first round of debate. The Sacramento conference can be a roller coaster of emotions for delegates. Just try to be as supportive as possible.