Review below prior to applying:
Application for YMCA Conference On National Affairs (CONA)-Texas Delegation
Dates you must be available: June 29-July 6, 2012. June 29, 2012 we will have a CONA Orientation in Dallas, TX. Texas Delegation will all travel out of DFW Airport. Lodging on June 29, 2012 is on your own.
Location of Conference: YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC
Anticipated cost to attend CONA: $1150.00 (this includes lodging at the conference, meals at conference center, transportation, conference fees, CONA t-shirts, and button down shirt). Cost can decrease if group plane tickets are less than expected.
ELIGIBILITY:
· High school only!
· Student must have attended the 2012 YMCA Y&G Texas State Conference.
· Debating and presentation experience a must.
· Knowledge of national and international issues.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, February 27, 2012 at 11:59 pm. Application will shutdown automatically. This is a competitive process; therefore no late applications will be accepted.
This is an initial application! This does not guarantee that you will be selected to attend CONA. Notifications will be sent by the end of March if you have been selected or not.
This is a competitive application process. Only 25 students will be selected from across the State. Each District will be allocated a percentage of spots based on attendance totals at State.
Please keep in mind that winning elections, awards, or previous attendance,does not “guarantee” a spot in the delegation to CONA.
Any incomplete application will be disqualified.
A committee made up of volunteers, YMCA staff and CONA Alumni will select the students that will be invited to be part of the 2012 Texas Delegation. Committee will select delegates based on ranking, recommendations and feedback from District Directors and Section Leaders. A list of alternates will be selected in case one of the 25 is unable to attend. The list of alternates will be in rank order.
Please note: a very limited number of 9th graders may be considered however preference will be for 10-12thgraders. Only under very special circumstances will the committee consider a first year senior.
A minimum # of spots will be reserved to seniors who have attended CONA in the previous years and who have shown an ability to be competitive.
All new officers are given an additional 5 points on their application, however, because this is a debating competition, not all State Officers are guaranteed a spot on the Texas Delegation. Officers must apply like everyone else.
Students who have attended CONA a number of years may not be able to attend because we are trying to have representation from across the State.
2012 State Conference Award winners receive 5 bonus points to their overall score.
Must also be submitted:
2 RECOMMENDATION FORMS: Send two Texas CONA Recommendation Forms. Forms can be submitted one of two ways: mailed to
Ligia Gutierrez, State Director
YMCA Texas Youth & Government
1621 W. Walnut Hill Lane
Irving, TX 75038
or can be emailed to lgutierrez@ymcadallas.org. Deadline for submission of letters will be February 29, 2012. Application deadline is February 27, 2012.
A Headshot digital picture of yourself needs to be submitted. You must be wearing business attire in this picture. Make sure that it is a good quality picture. Take the picture outside if you do not have good lighting inside. This picture will be used if you are selected as a CONA Texas Delegate for travel identification and promotion. (*File Size Max is 1MB, anything bigger must be reduced*)