Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation FACILITATOR'S GUIDE Published by: U.S. EPA Region 4 Environmental Justice and Children's Health Section Environmental Justice Academy JV United States Environmental Protection mI a m Agency ------- Only the Beginning: Module 9 Presentations and Graduation Facilitator's Guide Preparation Materials 1 Introduction 2 Module 9 Day 1 (Optional) 3 Module 9 Day 2 4 Module 9 Day 1 6 Facilitator Notes 7 Welcome 7 Dinner 7 Setup 7 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 1: Time for Some Fun 7 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 2: What Did You Learn to Promote Change? 8 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 3: Dinner 8 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 4: Who You Met 8 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 5: Appreciative Inquiry Affirmations 8 Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 6: Thanks from EJ Academy 8 Module 9 Day 1: Toast to the Future 9 Module 9 Day 1: Closing Remarks 9 Module 9 Day 2 10 Facilitator Notes 11 Welcome 11 Setup 12 Additional Notes: United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Preparation Materials Background Information and Logistics United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 1 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Introduction Workshop Synopsis Description Module 9 celebrates the accomplishments of program participants, reinforces the skills they gained, and provides an opportunity for participants to share lessons learned. Each participant will summarize and present their community portfolio and action plan to potential stakeholders using the skills they developed in the EJ Academy. Module 9 will culminate in a formal celebration that will highlight the learning objectives covered in each module. Graduation awards will be distributed. Objectives During this module and after its completion, participants will be: 1. Empowered to address existing and future environmental, public health, and organizational challenges. 2. Proud of their community portfolio and action plan, which will provide a comprehensive description of their community and showcase their ability to sustain their organization's long-term progress. 3. Excited and inspired to further their organization's efforts while sharing their experience with the EJ Academy. 4. Commended for completing the EJ Academy and acknowledged for their participation. 5. Inducted into the EJ Academy Alumni Association. Setup/Materials Prepare theater-style seating with a stage and podium. Set up a separate table for graduation certificates and gifts. Connect all technical aids (i.e., computers, viewers, displays) and make sure all participants can view the aids. Secure a different location from the previous sessions that is intimate, vibrant, and conducive to a graduation/celebration. Set up tables or easels for participants to display their posters based on their portfolios/community projects. Encourage participants to invite up to four of their partners/organization members to attend module 9. Participants should give them at least three weeks' notice. Identify a keynote speaker representing a community organization that will inspire the participants. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 2 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Invite EPA leadership to the EJ Academy graduation and address the graduates as soon as possible. Consider inviting the following staff members: Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Environmental Justice at EPA Headquarters, EPA Administrator, Region 4 Regional Administrator, and Director of Strategic Programs Office in Region 4. Provide the following specific equipment: For presentations: Overhead projector, a large format easel and paper, markers, a microphone, and any additional materials requested by the participants. For the portfolio session: Tables, easels, or cork board for the participants' posters. For celebration: Participants' gifts, music, paper plates, napkins, cutlery, cups, beverages, lunch to accommodate the number of students and guests you have invited, and cake. Agenda Module 9 Day 1 (Optional) Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Date: Time: Location: Contact: Time Day 1 Facilitator Arrival Time Host organization Allot 15 minutes for participants to arrive at the restaurant. Arrive before 6:00 p.m. to ensure details are in order and to greet participants when they arrive. Dinner Time is flexible (depends on restaurant). What Did You Gain to Promote Change? Participants Open dialogue about participants' program experiences and knowledge gained. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 3 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Time Day 1 Facilitator Give each participant approximately 2 minutes to share. Try to go around the table, but let the conversation flow naturally. Account for eating time. Thanks from EJ Academy Share inspirational words from EJ Academy Team. Show appreciation for participants. Give out superlative certificates. Host organization Module 9 Day 2 Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Date: Time: Location: Contact: Time Day 2 Facilitator Welcome EJ Academy Welcome guests and participants. facilitators Provide encouragement and be inspirational. Provide refreshments (e.g., coffee, orange juice, snacks) for early arrivers. Keynote Speaker: It's Only the Beginning TBA Suggested topics: o Being a confident leader. o Being a change agent in your community. o Make the impossible a reality. Look at What You Have Accomplished: Open Portfolio Session 1 Important stakeholders, future investors, sponsors, or partners should be present. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 4 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Time Day 2 Facilitator Each participant will present their portfolio and action plan. Only 10 to 13 students will present in the first half. (There will be two different sessions so that guests and peers can see more presentations.) Guests will walk around to see each person's portfolio. Break Look at What You Have Accomplished: Open Portfolio Session 2 Important stakeholders, future investors, sponsors, or partners should be present. Each participant will present their portfolio and action plan. Only 10 to 13 students will present in the second half. Break The Time Has Come: Graduation Presentation of certificates/diplomas. Recipients will remain on stage. o Award medallions to outstanding participants, o Take pictures. EJ Academy facilitators Induction Into the EJ Academy Alumni Association Each participant will receive an EJ Academy pin. Brief overview of purpose and activities. EJ Academy alumni or facilitators Lunch Toast to the Future Toast to the graduates. Participants' closing remarks and toast, o 30- to 45-second toast. o Inspirational words for the future. Cut the cake. EJ Academy facilitators Closing Comments and Congratulations EJ Academy facilitators United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 5 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Module 9 Day 1 United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 6 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Facilitator Notes The following information for module 9 day 1 is completely optional and is up to the discretion of the facilitator to host and coordinate such events. Welcome Briefly welcome and thank the participants for attending the closing dinner and congratulate them on making it this far. You might also discuss how you have enjoyed the experience. Dinner The dinner will be either catered or be a potluck provided by the EJ Academy. During the dinner, establish an open environment where participants feel free to share their experiences. Encourage an open discussion before or after most of the participants have finished their food. Present participants with leather portfolio cases to place their community portfolios in. Setup The dinner may be held in a space where setup is required. If that is the case, make sure to bring the following equipment and materials: One to two long tables (for more of an intimate setting) or six to eight round tables (for convenience). 30-40 chairs. Decorations (e.g., balloons, tablecloths, signage). Music (e.g., stereo, speaker). Plates, napkins, silverware, and cups. Projector and screen. Laptop. Camera. Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 1: Time for Some Fun Turn up the music and do some line dancing. Play a couple of songs and let everyone have some fun. It will release some of the tension and put everyone in a mood for fun and sharing. This is a joyous occasion. Allow the evening to flow naturally and not be forced. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 7 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 2: What Did You Learn to Promote Change? This will be an open dialogue about participants' experiences with the program and the knowledge they gained. Each person will have approximately 1 minute to express how this program has increased their awareness, how they have used lessons learned in their own organizations, or what this program has meant to them. Randomly go around the room, allowing conversation to flow naturally. Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 3: Dinner After dinner, discuss who will tell your story, why, and how will they portray you. After becoming an EJ Academy graduate, you will have learned new skills that will alter your conversation, your actions, and your confidence in your abilities to lead your community. Describe what do you think your community, new partners, and other stakeholders you encounter will say about you and the work that you are doing on behalf of your community. Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 4: Who You Met There is only 10 minutes allowed for this time, so not everyone will be able to speak. Allow participants to discuss someone they met during the program and what fascinated them most about meeting that person. Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 5: Appreciative Inquiry Affirmations Each participant will have an 11x14 poster with their name on it. Other participants will use as many sticky notes as they like to write positive affirmations and post them on other participants' posters. Ask them to write one-liners or action verbs that describe that person. If there is time, ask a couple of participants if they would like to share their affirmations. Module 9 Day 1: Lesson 6: Thanks from EJ Academy Give participants superlative certificates. Acknowledge the valedictorian and salutatorian and give them gift bags. Ask the valedictorian and salutatorian for any quick, final words of appreciation. Staff members will share inspirational words. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 8 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Module 9 Day 1: Toast to the Future Toast to the graduates. Participants will say closing remarks and toast. The host organization's leader should give a 30- to 45-second toast and provide inspirational words for the future. Cut the cake. Module 9 Day 1: Closing Remarks Congratulate participants again and pump them up for their presentations on day 2. Answer any last-minute questions before the graduation. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 9 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Module 9 Day 2 United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 10 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Facilitator Notes The following information will help you execute a successful graduation and presentation event. These notes also describe logistics and details for closing out the EJ Academy program. Welcome The host organization will welcome guests and participants to the graduation ceremony and thank those who helped make this day a success. They should also provide inspiration and acknowledge the participants for completing the program. Before and during the welcome ceremony, present photos from the class, a video montage of the modules, or any other videos or images of your class's activities on the projector screen. Look at What You Have Accomplished: Open Portfolio Sessions The open portfolio sessions provide an opportunity for participants to present the work they have done throughout the program and showcase their plans for improving their communities. They will have a chance to meet a variety of stakeholders, including potential investors, sponsors, and partners. This presentation will give them a platform to express their ideas to people that can help them implement change. There will be two 45-minute sessions where 10 to 13 participants will present their portfolios to potential stakeholders. They will have several audience members interested in learning more about their community projects. The graduates should rehearse their presentations prior to the culminating event. The presentations will consist of three major components: 1. A one-page summary, which will include: o A description of the community's background (e.g., history, demographics, major challenges), o The participant's goal, o Action steps, o Contact information. Multiple copies will be available for each person that views the presentation. This one- pager should have been created during the piranha bowl exercise. 2. A poster presentation, which will include: o Their community background, o Their vision/mission, o Action steps. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 11 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide o Time frames, o A budget. o Pictures of their community. A PowerPoint template should be given to each participant during modules 5 and 6 to make this creation process easier. The template will help the participants create a poster presentation. Encourage students to be creative and change the format of the template. However, their final poster should include all the main topics in the poster template. Technical assistance provided during modules 6 and 8 should assist them with completing this poster. Community portfolio/action plan. Each participant will have their completed portfolio at this session for those interested in learning more information about the participants' communities. Setup As mentioned earlier, we recommend the following materials and layout: There should be six to seven long tables with two presenters per table (there should be a divider on the table to avoid confusion) or 13 smaller tables with one participant per table. If possible, each participant should have their own table. Each presenter will have their poster set up on an easel or corkboard next to their side of the table. Depending on the layout of the room, the table should be set up to allow guests to move easily from poster to poster. To allow sufficient time for setup, the EJ Academy staff should have the presentation room set up an hour before the event with the following materials: Participants' posters (printed out the week before). Six to seven long rectangular tables or 13 smaller tables. Tablecloths. Corkboards. Poster stands/easels. Copies of all the participants' handouts. Divider for long tables, if necessary. Tacks/pins for posters. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 12 ------- Only the Beginning: Presentations and Graduation Module 9 Facilitator's Guide Purpose This person will give an overview of the EJ Academy experience. It is ideal for someone from the host organization or planning team to describe the program's purpose. Keynote Speaker: It's Only the Beginning The keynote speaker should encourage and inspire the participants, as well as express admiration for the participants' success and hard work. The speaker should discuss being a confident leader, being a change agent in a community, and making the impossible a reality. This speech should build each participant up and provide them with the confidence to present their portfolios at this ceremony and in every opportunity they encounter. The keynote speaker will have about 15 minutes to create a positive atmosphere, which will set the tone for the rest of the module. Participants should be dressed in business attire. The Time Has Come: Graduation Each participant that completed the EJ Academy in its entirety will receive a certificate of completion, as well as other benefits mentioned at the beginning of the program. Induction Into the EJ Academy Alumni Association The induction ceremony will occur immediately after the participants receive their EJ Academy completion certificates and last for approximately 15 minutes. Ask all participants to stay on stage after receiving their certificates. They will learn the purpose and expectations of becoming EJ Academy alumni. They will also receive a brief overview of the program and other opportunities that will be available. They will then be given a pin to symbolize their official induction into the EJ Academy Alumni Association. Closing Comments and Congratulations Make any final comments and congratulate all the participants. Then, exchange parting words before everyone leaves and begins to travel home. United States Environmental Protection ^1 m m Agency 13 ------- |