Although NOAC 2015 is over two years away, planning has already begun because this Conference will also be the celebration of 100 years of the Order of the Arrow. This NOAC is going to be the biggest in the history of the Order, with plans for 10,000 Arrowmen attending.
To prepare your lodge for this event, the planning process on the lodge level should begin now as well. As a first step, the lodge should consider appointing a Youth Contingent Leader and a Contingent Adviser. Starting the planning process two years in advance may seem like a long time but having the right people creating and refining a plan to get your lodge to Michigan State for NOAC 2015, well in advance of the event, can maximize attendance from your lodge. Planning and executing this large long term goal can be an excellent chance to develop the organizational and leadership skills that can make outstanding future leaders, both youth and adult.
With initial leadership identified, your lodge should start formulating a goal of how many Arrowmen your lodge is going to bring to NOAC 2015. As this conference celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Order of the Arrow, this goal should reflect not only the importance of the event, but a desire to make this event the best ever. How many more Arrowmen can your lodge bring over previous conference attendance? Can your lodge double its participation? Once this goal has been established, the Youth Contingent Leader and Contingent Adviser will have a defined objective on which they can focus their planning and efforts. In addition, the Order of the Arrow will assign your lodge a Centennial Guide, an experienced and enthusiastic Arrowman to help provide your lodge additional guidance and support on achieving your goal.
The appointed Centennial Contingent Leadership can then build a team of youth chairmen and advisers to handle all the facets of making NOAC 2015 a huge success, including promotion, recruitment, fund raising, transportation, and specific event participation (such as ceremony evaluation). Having the details organized in advance has contributed to the success of many lodge contingents, maximizing the fun and allowing Arrowmen to experience all there is to see and do at NOAC.
All adults that attend the Conference should do so as advisers, that is, they should be recruited and attend knowing that they will each have specific roles in ensuring the success of the contingent in support of the youth leaders. Delegation of duties across a team of advisers ensures available guidance to make sure that all the youth who attend have sufficient support and are able to maximize their NOAC experience.
NOAC 2015 is going to the biggest and best NOAC ever! By starting the planning process now in establishing your Centennial Contingent leadership and by setting your lodge attendance goal, your lodge will be on the path to Michigan State August 3-8, 2015!