The 2025 Student Summit
The Student Summit will take place on Thursday, January 9!
- Location: Willamalane Adult Activities Center: 215 W C St, Springfield, OR 97477
All participating students can register for the student summit by completing this form:
2025 Student Summit Registration Form.
- All forms must be completed by Monday, January 6, 2025.
- What is the Student Summit?
The student summit is a one day free event where your students will Students will participate in mock interviews with community members from an industry sector that matches each student’s IEP Post-Secondary Employment Goal. After each mock interview, students will have an opportunity to participate in an informational interview with the community member to gather more information about their job/career/industry.
- How is the Student Summit Connected to My Student’s IEP?
The Student Summit can be listed as a Transition Service on your student’s IEP (please remember that Synergy uses the term “Coordinated Activity” instead of Transition Service). The Student Summit also is an Informal Transition Assessment for your student’s IEP. Students will capture their reflections after their mock interview/informational interview with the community member. Students will identify new Preferences and Interests (or maybe confirm Preferences and Interests they already had). These Preferences and Interests can be used to write their Post-Secondary Employment Goal.
- Students will be participating in mock interviews and informational interviews. What is the difference?
A mock interview is a practice job interview. The community member will ask the student questions as if the student is applying to a job in their organization. Each student will get to participate in 2 mock interviews as well as observe another student being interviewed!
An informational interview is an opportunity for the student to ask the community member about their job, field, or job duties. Student can ask the community member about what it is like to work in that field, how the community member found work, or any other questions they can think of!
- The schedule lists “Small Group Activities.” What will be happening during the “Small Group Activities?”
The small group activities are meant to prepare students for their mock interviews and information interviews. The first activity will prepare students for their mock interview. Students will practice eye contact/handshakes, answering interview questions, and other confidence building activities. The second activity will prepare students for their informational interview, students will discuss what they already know about their Post-Secondary Employment Goal and brainstorm questions they can ask community members.
Both activities are designed to be inclusive, interactive and fun; our goal is to make this day an enjoyable experience (not stressful).
- Who is the target audience for the Student Summit?
I am not sure my students will be successful at this event…
The short answer: The Student Summit Is Appropriate for All Students Who Have A Transition Page On Their IEP.
Students are entitled to accommodations and/or modifications to all activities at the student summit. The Student Summit is not a “one size fits all” event, we can adjust any activity to meet your Student’s needs. If you believe your student needs an accommodation/modification, please contact Josh Barbour: josh.barbour@lblesd.k12.or.us.
- My Student’s Post-Secondary Employment Goal is to be a YouTuber, is this event appropriate?
My student does not have a Post-Secondary Employment Goal, what do I do?
Students will participate in mock interviews/information interviews with a community member that works in the industry sector of the vocation of the student’s Post-Secondary Goal. It may not be an exact match… for example, if the student has a post secondary goal of becoming a Barisita, that student may participate in an interview with a community member that works in a restaurant or service industry… We are still securing community members to participate in this event, some community members will be virtual (interviews will take place on zoom), others will be in person. Please email josh.barbour@lblesd.k12.or.us
if you have questions about what industry sectors will be represented.
Yes, we will have a community member who is a trained voice actor participating in the event. We will also have a community member who makes his living creating/editing/producing videos (and lives in Eugene), he also has a youtube channel. We do not have a videogame tester, however we have secured a community member from the technology sector that engages in software testing.
Students may use alternative formats for completing the form (answers will be accepted in audio, video or written format). If a student chooses to use an audio or video format, they will not fill out the form. Email all audio and videos to Josh Barbour: josh.barbour@lblesd.k12.or.us.
- Do my students need to bring lunch/food
No! Great news! Big Town Hero will be catering this event. All participants will receive a free lunch! Students can share any food allergies/dietary restrictions when they complete the google registration form.
Your School District Responsibilities:
- Provide transportation (vehicle, driver, fuel and time costs) needed to send your secondary age students to the Student Summit in Springfield.
- Provide transportation to and from the Willamalane Recreation Center
- Provide the adult assistance needed to support your students.
- Support your students in completing the Student Summit Registration Form:
- 2024 Student Summit Registration Form.
- Design follow up activities in your program based on what your students learned about themselves at the Student Summit.