Individual Development Programming
Areas covered in Individual Development
- Jaycee Jeopardy - history of the Jaycee movement - competition involves a written test
- First Timers - first time to a convention? This is the best way to meet and greet new people!
- Return the Favor - A first timer from the last convention helps a first timer now meet as many people as possible!
- Springboard and Degrees - The Degrees of Jaycees - Highest level is 10th Degree - Become a well-rounded Jaycee!
The 2004 Individual Development
Vice President for the Alabama Jaycees
is Sarah Pilgreen , from the Birmingham Jaycees.
Jaycee Jeopardy is a program to entice members to learn about the Jaycee movement history and about current happenings in the Jaycees. It's a great program to use for recruiting because the member learns a great deal of information about the Jaycees and can informative when recruiting new members!
Jaycee Jeopardy is also an Alabama Jaycees competition area. The competition is held on Saturday morning of convention and usually lasts no longer than an hour. It is a written exam asking questions from the book "A Legacy of Leadership" which encompasses a great deal of Jaycee history. Some "state" information is usually asked on the test, as well. The winner of the Jaycee Jeopardy competition is honored with a plaque! Jaycee Jeopardy is also a US Jaycees competition. The Alabama Jaycees send the mid-year winner to the Ten Outstanding Young Americans program in January and the year-end winner to the Annual Meeting of the US Jaycees in June!
First Timers is a program for those brand new Jaycees to meet many people from all over the state. This is also an Alabama Jaycees competition area. There is a meeting on Friday night of convention where the First Timers meet their fellow First Timers and several guest speakers discuss areas of our state organization. This is an informal presentation of the first glance at the Alabama Jaycees for new members. The First Timers meeting lasts about an hour and then they are left to meet and greet as many people as they can that night. They are given a sign-in sheet where each person they meet can sign their name.
The First Timers usually start off with "Hi, my name is _____ and I'm from the _______ Jaycees. Would you sign my sheet?" Then the person they are meeting will sign their name and maybe direct them to someone else to meet. The First Timers sheets are to be turned in on Saturday morning to the Program Manager to be judged. There is also a section on the sheet that has fill-in-the-blanks for the Jaycee Creed. The Jaycee Creed is such a big part of the organization that every member should know it by heart. This provides an opportunity for first timers (new Jaycees) to learn the Jaycee Creed.
The First Timers Reception is sponsored by the JCI Senate. This reception is held before the dinner program at convention. Dress is semi-formal to formal and hours'devoures are served. The winner from First Timers is honored with a certificate!
Return the Favor is a program that the Alabama Jaycees promote to keep people coming to conventions. The person participating in "Return the Favor" is a first timer from the most recently past state convention. This person adopts a First Timer for the current convention and helps them meet people and complete their sheets. This is also an Alabama Jaycees competition and the winner is honored with a certificate!
Springboard and Degrees are two programs that help develop a well-rounded Jaycee. Springboard is a program for a new member. Within 30 days of joining, this new member must be enrolled in the Springboard program. There are steps that this Jaycee must take in their first 90 days as a member in order to complete the program. They will then be a 3rd Degree Jaycee. Degrees of Jaycees promotes well-rounded persons representing the Jaycee organization. There are ten degrees and you don't have to start with Springboard. You can start at Degree One. There are steps in each degree that must be completed within one Jaycee year and when the program is complete, you will be 10th Degree Jaycee. You can then purchase a gem-studded pin that is a sign of your Jaycee committment. Steps in each program may include reporting on a city council meeting, chairing a project, recruiting members, presenting programs at membership meetings, and many more! Contact PM for more info!
See also Professional Development
Check out the US Jaycees website: www.usjaycees.org .
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