A powerful lineup of keynote speakers is on tap for the 2007 Northwest Conference on Celebrating Educational Opportunities for Diverse Students, April 27-29, in Seattle. These speakers — all experienced educators — will challenge attendees to make academic achievement a priority for all student populations.

	Thomas-EL
	Anaya
	Pavel

On Friday, educator, principal and author Salome Thomas-EL will share his thoughts on commitment, leadership and service. Working in an inner-city middle school in Philadelphia, Thomas-EL developed innovative programs, including the school’s chess club, to build motivation, discipline and critical thinking.

Saturday’s keynote speaker, Dr. Alfonso R. Anaya, will offer his insights as the Director of Migrant and Bilingual Education for the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. A child of migrant farm workers, Anaya now heads Washington state’s partnership with schools, communities and families to support the unique educational and health needs of migrant students.

Closing the conference on Saturday will be Dr. Michael Pavel, a member of the Skokomish Indian Nation and Traditional Bearer of Southern Puget Salish culture. As an associate professor at Washington State University, Pavel focuses his research on the educational access and achievement of American Indian and Alaskan Native students K-12 through postsecondary.

An exciting addition to the conference is a breakout session on the nationally renowned “Challenge Day” program. Challenge Days are workshops during which students, teachers, parents, administrators and counselors participate in a series of innovative games, group discussions and trust-building exercises — all designed to break down the walls of separation and create new levels of respect and communication in schools. Teena Ellison, a Seattle-based Challenge Day leader, will discuss the success of the program.

The conference is a collaborative project of WSSDA and the school boards associations of Idaho, Nevada and Oregon.