JRGC 2023 RESOURCES
Thank you for attending the 2023 Jostens Renaissance Global Conference! See highlights of all your favorite events of this year’s JRGC and hear from attendees on why they loved their experience.
RALLY TIME
Thanks for hopping onto Renaissance Air for the trip of a lifetime and helping us get out of the jungle!
Do you want to do this Renaissance Rally at your school? Download the script below and start planning!
Breakout Presentations
Thanks to the many AMAZING educators who presented during this year’s breakouts. Below are videos and presentations, as well as other resources available for viewing. If you presented and do not see your presentation here, we’d love to post it and provide to your fellow attendees. Email [email protected] to submit your presentation.
Setting the Stage for a Student-Run Renaissance Awards Night
Content Area: Culture and Climate
Presenter: Adam Erickson
Come find out how one middle school plans, organizes, and executes a totally student-run Renaissance Awards Night each trimester. Your ASB or Renaissance Leadership class can do it too!
Yes, Renaissance Works in Africa
Content Area: Character Development
Presenter: Bob Casper
Of course, cultures and education systems differ in third world countries. However, tried and true Renaissance
principles can be adjusted to meet the needs of vulnerable children living in areas of poverty and disease. See
how we have increased learning in challenging circumstances in Eyrie Academy in Simat Village and 8 partner
schools in Kenya
Its Your Story to Tell
Themes: Culture & Climate
Presenter: Bonnie Blackman
Use your yearbook to tell your story and share your values and mission with your community as your celebrate who you are.
Everyone Matters: Epic Student and Staffulty Recognition Ideas!
Content Area: Staffulty Recognition, Student Recognition, Culture & Climate
Presenter: Chris Reeder
Are you looking for new, fun, creative ways to recognize your students and Staffulty? This is the session for you! You will hear dozens of high-impact yet practical and affordable ideas that you can take back to you school to immediately start building a stronger culture where EVERYONE MATTERS!
Jostens Renaissance Leadership Curriculum and The Harbor
Content Areas: Character Development
Presenter: Christina Onuskanich
Learn more about the Leadership Curriculum and how to begin to implement the curriculum at the middle school and/or high school level. Also, learn more about how to incorporate The Harbor videos as well as a Legacy vs. Likes book study with your students
My Pep Talk Turned into a Pep Rally
Content Area: Student Engagement, Culture & Climate, Rallies
Presenters: Conner Mattingly and Ginger Stovall
I LOVE pep rallies and that’s my peppin’ problem! Learn about all of the different types of rallies we do at HCHS. First day rally, Renaissance rallies, Athletic rallies, Spirit Week rallies, hallway rallies, teacher rallies, morning rallies, night rallies, and more! We’ll cover games, recognitions, and everything in between.
Be Your Best Self for Educators
Content Areas: Character Development, Staffulty Morale
Presenter: Carole Hegwood
Be Your Best Self is a program designed to help students lead successful and productive lives while making a positive and lasting impact on the world around them. We will cover the 5 elements of BYBS: Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious and Be Responsible. Educators will be given tips on ways to implement this program in their schools.
New to Renaissance
Presenters: Champions and Ren Team
Is this your first Jostens Renaissance event? Buckle up, because you’re in for quite a ride! Get a quick look at how this conference will kick-start your school culture efforts with both inspiration and ideas
How to Run Effective Meetings
Content Areas: Staffulty
Presenter: Dwight Carter
Meetings are a part of our work. Leaders will learn about and discuss six steps to plan purposeful meetings, increase engagement, and make progress toward established goals.
Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity
Content Areas: Relationships
Presenters: Dwight Carter
How do you create the conditions for each person to feel a sense of belonging? Come learn specific strategies to ensure each student is seen, heard, validated, and treated fairly because of who they are, not just what they do.
Educational Equity: A Journey
Content Areas: Culture and Climate
Presenters: Dwight Carter
Come join us for this one-of-a-kind session to take a hard look at what’s really going on in our school culture. Learn how “The Frame” can be used as a practical model to do the work necessary to confront the issue of students who have been marginalized, left out or forgotten. How we see and what we believe about others directly impacts the Results we are getting in our schools!
Better is Better Than Best
Content Areas: Culture and Climate
Presenter: Eric Burlingham
We may not be the best, but our goal is to constantly improve our events and programs. We’ll cover lots of classic Renaissance events and some new ones with this lens: what adjustments have we made to improve what we do? Sometimes it’s about getting creative and sometimes it’s about just reflecting. With over 10 years of Renaissance experience we’ve got some ideas to share.
Recognition and Motivation: A New Approach
Content Areas: Character Development
Presenter: Fox Creek High School Students
At Fox Creek High School, we like to find new ways of recognizing all students and keeping them motivated and
their spirits up! We love to make our students feel connected and we try to recognize them for their
achievements. We are so excited to share our ideas with you!
Planting and Growing Your Renaissance Leaders: Tips for Administrators For Starting Your Renaissance Program
Content Areas: Culture and Climate
Presenter: Eric Lillis
Establishing and continuing a successful Renaissance program begins with selecting the right leaders and team members and then providing them with the necessary tools and support that they need to build and maintain a strong Renaissance Program. We’ll share tips from both perspectives – from an administrator and a strong Renaissance leader – on how to make this happen.
30,000 Foot View of Jostens Renaissance
Content Areas: Culture and Climate
Presenter: Eric Lillis and Dr. Michelle CarneyRay-Yoder
Two veteran administrators discuss how to implement the Jostens Renaissance framework at the district level.
We Are Wild About Jostens Renaissance in Elementary School!
Content Areas: Culture and Climate, Elementary
Presenter: Gracee Liggett
Come see and hear how Evans Elementary School built their Renaissance program – from creating our theme to branding our building and celebrating our students. We will share our glows and grows during this first year along with our future goals. Walk away with lots of ideas to get started or make your elementary program even stronger!
Spirit Week on Steroids!
Content Area: Student Engagement, Renaissance Culture & Climate, Look
Presenters: Conner Mattingly and Ginger Stovall
It doesn’t matter if you have 200, 1200, or 3000 students or if you’re in elementary, middle, or high school. It
doesn’t matter if the event is homecoming, a big rivalry game, the week before testing, or you just need a morale
boost in general. Whether you’re a student or a Staffulty member, in 30 minutes YOU will max out with 30+ ideas
to put your Spirit Week on STEROIDS!
Old Ways Don’t Open New Doors
Content Areas: SEL, Ren Culture & Culture, Staff
Presenters: Jeff Baines
This session will look at ways to “think outside the box” in the areas of building climate and culture from an administrators perspective. Within this breakout, participants will be challenged to reflect on current practices and work within the area of school wide climate and culture, along with the opportunity to develop new strategies and strengthen their character game. A must-see session for admin!
How to Grow a Committed Culture
Content Areas: Academic Achievement
Presenters: Joe Grossi
Commitment To Graduate (C2G®) is a quick “go to” Renaissance initiative that can be implemented this coming school year to keep kids engaged and focused on the goal. We’ll share activities and examples from schools in Southern Arizona that are connecting students and improving graduation rates with C2G.
Receive. Relate. Reach
Content Areas: Culture & Climate, Relationships
Presenters: Jennifer Brooks and Alicia Riggleman
Interested in hosting a Jostens Renaissance Regional Conference? Join us to learn how to connect with other like minded individuals within your region. We will help you get started as a host and share strategies for recruiting, welcoming, and engaging your student and Staffulty change makers.
Back to the C.O.R.E
Content Areas: Academic Achievement
Presenters: Jennifer Brooks and Alicia Riggleman
The climate and culture of a school is largely influenced by attitudes and actions. Join us as we discuss strategies to celebrate the Staffulty of your school, boost morale, and increase your teacher retention rate
Reimagining What Rural Education Can Look Like
Content Areas: Academic Achievement
Presenter: John Bush
Don’t let our name fool you! Even though “agricultural” is in our name and it’s a core component of our school, we are a comprehensive high school. Come to our session and learn about our Conception-to-Consumption Initiative, Middle College, AP Program, and STEM Education. We’ll share how we prepare our students for technical and university pathways, regardless of our rural location!
You Can Establish the Renaissance Culture in Nine Months – We Did!
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenter: John Tritz
Mica Mountain High School is a new high school, and we took the traditions we established at our previous high school to jump start Renaissance culture on our new campus. Learn how we did it in just nine months using tried and true traditions
Using Social Media to Build Your Community
Content Areas: Relationships, Culture & Climate
Presenters: Katie Zoellmer
Social media is a tool that can assist in building a sense of community in the digital world. In this session you will
learn how to use social media to promote positive school culture and as well as get tips to increase engagement
on your platform.
The WolfPack Way: The Lucille Umbarger School’s Renaissance Program
Content Areas: Elementary, Culture & Climate
Presenters: Kevin “KJ” Johnson
The Lucille Umbarger School has used Renaissance philosophies and ideas for the last 2 years to positively impact the lives of our K-8 community. We are here to share how we have arrived at this amazing place!
FUNdraising with PRIDE
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Lauren Garner
In this session we will provide tips and tricks for FUNdraising that raises funds as well as contributing to the climate and culture of your school, staff morale and involvement, and builds relationships within your school community. Come learn about our Staffulty homecoming court that brought in over 6k in FUNds and more!
Get the Point!
Content Areas: Academic Achievement
Presenters: Leigh Hanna
Come see how we recognize our students through our schoolwide card system and how we use that information to encourage student success. We will also discuss ideas for how to use the data gathered from utilizing the card system for further student recognition and building a positive climate in your school.
Now Showing: Renaissance
Content Areas: Relationships
Presenters: Musselman High School Students
This student-led session will highlight favorite traditions and activities implemented for over 1,700 students at Musselman High School. We have a plethora of ideas to share from basic, intermediate, and advanced tiers. Come learn how to recognize your students, increase participation in school activities, and fund projects
Broadcast Your Culture
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Nate Fish
Learn how to become a storyteller for the cultural growth at your school using digital tools. Testimonies, tools, resources, and ideas will be shared
How to Raise Funds for the 6 R’s
Content Areas: Fundraising
Presenter: Rhett Ladner
In this session, we will explore creative and effective ideas to raise funds for programs aimed at promoting the 6 R’s of Renaissance. We will go beyond the dreaded cookie dough and discuss innovative fundraising strategies that can engage and inspire the community to support education initiatives and bring positive change to our society.
How to Renaissance
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Rhett Ladner
Join us for an engaging presentation that will guide you through the process of Renaissance. You will walk away with concrete plans in hand and a renewed sense of purpose for creating a positive school culture that promotes academic excellence and positive behavior.
How to Celebrate and Show Love to Your Seniors!
Content Areas: Academic Achievement
Presenters: Samantha Grimes
Every high school needs to attend this breakout session! We will discuss Senior Spotlight, College Acceptance Wall, meeting ACT benchmarks, etc. Our favorite is Senior Decision Week. This is a weeklong celebration on the seniors’ last week of school. We recognize all seniors for what they will be doing after high school, and finish the week with Honorary Diplomas and Senior Walk.
Fundraising 101
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Samantha Grimes
It takes money to run a successful Renaissance program, and in this session, we will show you quick and easy ways to raise money for your program. We will focus on how to earn thousands of dollars by doing a fun Color Run (5K). Our Color Runs average $4,000-$6,500!
How to Execute a Renaissance Rally
Content Areas: Rallies
Presenters: Samantha Grimes
Whether you are thinking about having a short Renaissance rally or are ready to take your rally to the next level, you don’t want to miss this session. Greenbrier High School has some of the best Renaissance rallies in the country. We have produced ten rallies, and some have lasted for more than 2 1/2 hours! We will show you our themes, game ideas, unique types of recognition, and much more. You will learn what we have done well and what we learned to do better!
Using Storytelling to Boost Recognition
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Scott Geesey
Recognition isn’t just about telling someone you noticed them doing something good; it’s about giving them a moment in the spotlight, and also conveying your values to your school community. Your yearbook and newspaper staff are your allies in recognizing as many students as possible, and we’ll discuss how to make it easy for them to celebrate students and Staffulty effectively, as well as using social media and other methods.
Building Relationships, Rewards, and Recognition in the Classroom
Content Areas: Relationships
Presenter: Sherry Blosser
Learn more easy, practical, low cost ideas for middle and high school classrooms to improve relationships between teachers and students, recognize student achievement, and reward students for meeting and exceeding classroom expectations.
The Best School: In Progress
Content Areas: Culture & Climate
Presenters: Shanna Mills
Graves County High School Staffulty and students share how their leadership class has evolved and grown since implementing Jostens Renaissance. Topics will include strategies for community engagement, sport marketing, school culture, student recognition, and staff support.
Helping People Feel Connected
Content Areas: Student Engagement
Presenters: Temecula Valley High School Students
We will showcase the activities that our ASB puts on that help the student body feel connected. In a school of
3,000, we celebrate a variety of cultural holidays and provide opportunities to meet others and recognize both
academic accomplishments and character. With so many students, our goal is to provide many opportunities to
meet each other
It’s All Elementary
Content Areas: Elementary, Culture & Climate
Presenters: Tina Dietrich
Jostens Renaissance is a perfect fit for your elementary school! Come let us tell you how we got started, what we do to keep it going, and how we keep our program fresh and exciting. Don’t shy away when you see “elementary.” We have ideas for everyone!
Schoolwide Event to Support a Cause
Content Areas: Relationships
Presenters: Tommy Long
In this breakout session, the members of the Annville-Cleona School District will show how they partner with Four Diamonds and Penn State Thon to create a Mini-Thon event that helps raise money for childhood cancer. Mini-Thon has become a part of the culture of Annville-Cleona, which includes events and activities that bring the students, Staffulty, and the community together throughout the year.
Renaissance Anthem
Click for the Renaissance Anthem in MP3 format – To download: When on the song page, right click and select ‘Save as…’
Click to download the lyrics to the Renaissance Anthem