Events and Keynotes

A detailed schedule of events, keynotes, and what to expect at the 2022 BOOST Conference. 

*Please note this schedule is subject to change

TUESDAY, APRIL 26

PRE-CONFERENCE ACADEMIES

Framework for Understanding Poverty
9:00AM - 4:00PM
$250 per person - includes lunch and all materials

Presenter: Dr. Ruby K. Payne, Founder, aha! Process, Highlands, TX 

Explore class differences and 10 actions you can implement in your classroom or program to improve the success of low-SES students. This workshop is based on Dr. Ruby K. Payne’s book A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies.

Educators who participate in this training will:

• Use concrete instructional strategies to help students from poverty
• Understand hidden rules of economic class and effects on behaviors and mindsets
• Develop stronger relationships with students to impact behavior
• Reduce discipline referrals

Visit our Pre-Conference Academies page for details.

BOOST Conference Orientation

BOOST Conference Orientation will take place LIVE every hour.
9:00AM, 10:00AM, 11:00AM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM, 4:00PM
BOOST Conference Attendee Promising Practices: How to Navigate the Conference and Make the Most of Your Professional Development Experience

Are you new to BOOST? Have you attend BOOST in the past but need a refresher? Stay up-to-date on attendee promising practices during our on-site orientation to help you maximize your time and learning before the conference, during the conference, and how to stay connected post-conference. Topics covered: 

- Preparing for the conference
- How to get involved and play a leadership role at BOOST 
- Tips on Networking 
- Navigating the Exhibit Hall 
- Determining the best learning opportunities for your professional development needs 
- How to use the conference app to maximize your conference experience and much, much more! 

BOOST Swim Club

1:00PM - 5:00PM PDT

Not attending a Pre-conference Academy? No problem. Hang out in our virtual Swim Club and catch some good vibes and gear up for the conference. Chill out to the grooves during this pre-conference networking mixer! Sunscreen not included.  

BOOST Golf Outing

Check-in: 1:00PM PDT
Tee Time: 1:30PM PDT

This event hosted by Bill Fennessy.
Cost: $TBA

Indian Canyons Golf Resort has been the jewel of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley since 1961. Once a private club named Canyon Country Club, this 36-hole facility was a favorite haunt of Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and Jackie Gleason. Former U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Ronald Reagan also walked these fairways. The course is set on 550 acres on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. The BOOST golf event will take place at the South Course. 

The "golf package" includes 18-hole South Course greens fee, cart fee, discounted club rentals, and a token for range use prior to play, for just $TBA per player. Players are required to bring their own balls. Arrange transportation on your own, or carpool with other players. We encourage you to secure designated transportation (Uber/Lyft/Taxi) if you plan to drink. The deadline to register is TBA.

Registration TBA

BOOST LIVE PODCAST LOUNGE

2:00PM - 8:00PM

BOOST Live Podcast Lounge provides an intimate setting where attendees are a part of a live podcast audience. Podcasters will interview thought leaders, facilitate Q&A sessions, and expert panels all in front of a live audience! Be a part of the conversation, learning, and podcast community, live at BOOST.  

Click here to see the BOOST LIVE PODCAST SCHEDULE

Pop-Up Networking Socials

5:00PM - 6:00PM
Meet in the Renaissance Hotel Lobby

Looking for plans while at the BOOST Conference? Want to meet and network with new, awesome, and like-minded BOOSTers? Join our Pop-up Networking Socials for just that purpose! Space is limited, please click the links below to register for a BOOST Pop-Up Networking Social. *Please note that you must be registered to attend the 2022 BOOST Conference with your account paid in full in order to register for Pop-Up Networking Socials.

WELCOME RECEPTION and HAT CONTEST

5:30PM - 6:30PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool and Rocks Lounge    

The BOOST Welcome Reception is truly a day to celebrate in Palm Springs with colleagues from all over the globe. Join us for our early evening reunion and welcome reception poolside. Connect with colleagues and make new friends while the sun sets against the San Jacinto mountains. A perfect way to start the conference!

BOOST is continuing our creative and fun tradition at our Annual Opening Reception so get ready to celebrate in style. Show up at the opening poolside reception on Tuesday evening and show off. Don’t forget to bring a hat! Glamorous headpieces, outrageous-themed headwear, fancy floral arrangements, sports-themed caps, or boost your company/agency flair! Be entered into 1 of 3 different Hat Contest categories: Most Glamorous, Best Theme, and Most Creative during the Welcome Reception.

Mask and Hat Contest Judging will take place between 5:30-5:50PM PDT
Mask and Hat Contest Winners will be announced at 6:00PM PDT
Must be present the entire time during judging and announcements to win.

LIVE DJ SET FEATURING DJ WALT WHITE 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

Breakfast & NETWORKING with Exhibitors

7:30AM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Mingle with our exhibitors and enjoy a healthy breakfast in the Exhibit Hall. It's a great way to start your day!

BOOST Conference Orientation

7:30AM 

BOOST Conference Attendee Promising Practices: How to Navigate the Conference and Make the Most of Your Professional Development Experience

Are you new to BOOST? Have you attend BOOST in the past but need a refresher? Stay up-to-date on attendee promising practices during our on-site orientation to help you maximize your time and learning before the conference, during the conference, and how to stay connected post-conference. Topics covered: 

- Preparing for the conference
- How to get involved and play a leadership role at BOOST 
- Tips on Networking 
- Navigating the Exhibit Hall 
- Determining the best learning opportunities for your professional development needs 
- How to use the conference app to maximize your conference experience and much, much more! 

BOOST Blood Drive

8:00AM - 1:00PM
Palm Springs Convention Center 

Join us at BOOST and donate blood this year for a worthy cause! We are partnering with LifeStream to bring their donor truck to Palm Springs with one valued mission that we support - to help save lives by connecting donors and patients through the gift of blood. 

LifeStream is a non-profit 501(c)(3) blood center founded in 1951 as the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In 2008, the organization’s name was changed to better reflect the breadth of services offered and its expanding geographical service area. Today, LifeStream provides blood products and services to more than 80 Southern California hospitals and medical facilities in six counties. To fulfill patient need, LifeStream must collect 600 blood donations daily.

Sign up here to donate blood - COMING SOON
Blood Drive COVID-19 Guidelines: FAQ's and Information provided by LifeStream

Conference Opening & General Session

8:45AM - 9:45AM
Palm Springs Convention Center 

BOOST BREAK WITH EXHIBITORS & MEET THE AUTHORS

9:45AM - 10:15AM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for networking and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule.  

Lunch & GENERAL SESSION

12:30PM - 1:30PM
Palm Springs Convention Center

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, MD, MPH, FAAP
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is an award-winning physician, researcher, and advocate dedicated to changing the way our society responds to one of the most serious, expensive, and widespread public health crises of our time: childhood trauma.  She was appointed as California’s first-ever Surgeon General by Governor Gavin Newsom in January 2019.  Her career has been dedicated to serving vulnerable communities and combating the root causes of health disparities.  She is the Founder of the Center for Youth Wellness, an organization leading the effort to advance pediatric medicine, raise public awareness, and transform the way society responds to children exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.  Dr. Burke Harris’ TED Talk, “How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across the Lifetime” has been viewed more than 6 million times. Her book “The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity” was called “indispensable” by The New York Times.  She is the recipient of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Heinz Award for the Human Condition. Click here to learn more about Dr. Nadine Burke Harris.

Do you have a question for Dr. Nadine Burke Harris that you would like addressed during her keynote at the BOOST Conference? The BOOST Leadership Team will be choosing relevant and thoughtful submissions to guide Dr. Burke Harris' keynote address on Wednesday, April 28. Submit your question here by April 1, 2022.

BOOST Break with Exhibitors & Meet the Authors

1:30PM - 2:00PM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for snacks, networking, and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule. 

BOOST Live Networking Reception

4:45PM - 6:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Whether you're relaxing after a long day or ready for a night out, take the time to connect with your team and meet new colleagues at our poolside BOOST Live Networking Reception. Light snacks and cash bar available.

DUCK DUCK BOOST RELAY RACE

6:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Oh yes, it’s a new twist on the classic Duck Race! Get your ducks in a row and cheer on our duck racers in the Duck Duck BOOST Relay Race in the pool! Who will be the lucky duck?! 

There are two ways to participate:

1. Duck Duck BOOST racing team fundraiser

Duck Duck BOOST is a fundraiser for the BOOST Conference Scholarship Fund. This fund was developed in order to provide financial assistance for a lucky duck to attend next year's conference. We are looking for 4 teams of 3 people to hop in the pool and splash to the finish. Duck Duck BOOST team members get extra exposure for their organizations and compete for a year’s worth of bragging rights. Each Duck Duck BOOST team will receive (1) social media recognition, including logos from each team member’s organization as well as promotion in (1) Conference Newsletter.

This event costs $300 per team and is held immediately following the BOOST Live Reception at the Renaissance pool. Get your team together and enter the race, we can't wait to watch you win! 

Coming soon - Register your Duck Duck BOOST racing team here

2. Bid on your favorite Duck Duck BOOST racing team for our 50/50 raffle

Duck Duck BOOST is also 50/50 fundraiser. Attendees can bid on their favorite duck racing team - 50% of the collected funds go towards the scholarship fund and 50% goes to the winning ticket holder. $5 BUCKS PER DUCK (cash only)! The race starts at 6PM at the Renaissance Hotel pool, go early to enter the raffle.

Questions about Duck Duck BOOST? Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

BOOST Homecoming Party

7:00PM - 10:00PM
Rocks Lounge Terrace, Renaissance Hotel

Join our annual Homecoming celebration to welcome former BOOST attendees and newcomers alike! Are you ready to get your glow on?! Wear your favorite fluorescent/neon or white outfit to Homecoming and shine all night long! DJ Walt White will be lighting up the dance floor with mega hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today. 

Still feel like dancing? Wireless headphones will be available to rent so you can keep your groove going a little bit longer! The music will be silent to everyone except those with headphones. Dance on! Take photos at the Peachjar photo booth and post your selfies on Instagram to win our social media contest! Don't forget to use hashtag #boostconference and #BOOSTselfie to win.

7:00PM - Bring your VIP ticket and redeem for a free beer (while supplies last)
*VIP tickets can be obtained at our Homecoming sponsor booths in the exhibit hall.  
7:00PM-10:00PM - Homecoming Dance Party
9:30PM - Headphone distribution for Silent Disco ($5 for headphones, cash only and your license as collateral)
10:00PM - Silent Disco- The After Party
11:30PM-11:59PM-Return Headphones 

             

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

TOUR DE BOOST WALK/SCAVENGER HUNT

6:45AM - 8:30AM
Palm Spring Convention Center, East Lawn

Join fellow BOOSTers on a fun Tour de BOOST walk and scavenger hunt around Palm Springs. This 3-mile hunt through scenic Palm Springs will lead you to some of Hollywood's most famous stars' Palm Springs getaways. Enjoy a beautiful Palm Springs morning, get some exercise, and best of all, connect with other BOOSTers as you figure out which Hollywood stars' homes you are going to visit!

All Tour de BOOST participants will meet in front of the Palm Springs Convention Center on the East Lawn. Please be prepared to complete paperwork and form your Tour de BOOST team at 6:45AM. Teams will receive their clues and start the race promptly at 7:00AM. Late arrivals cannot be accommodated. Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes. One smartphone and Twitter account will be needed per team to complete the scavenger hunt. If you don't have your own, bring a friend! Complimentary bottled water and snacks will be provided.

All Tour de BOOST participants must pre-register for this event. To sign up, access your online BOOST registration account, select Tour de BOOST, and make your payment. To sign up at the conference, visit the BOOST Collaborative Booth (0101 & 0105) in the Exhibit Hall. $20 Tour de BOOST fees are non-refundable and all proceeds benefit our 2022 Giveback Organization.

Proceeds to benefit: FIND Food Bank

MORNING RECESS

7:00AM - 8:30AM
Palm Springs Convention Center, East Lawn

Get up! Wake up! Rejuvenate! Bring your friends and meet new friends at our Morning Recess session. Maximize your morning and set the tone for the day.

BREAKFAST WITH EXHIBITORS

8:00AM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Mingle with our exhibitors and enjoy a healthy breakfast in the Exhibit Hall. It’s a great way to start your day!

Opening & General Session

8:45AM - 9:45AM
Palm Springs Convention Center

Dr. Bettina Love
Dr. Love is one of the field’s most esteemed educational researchers in the area of Hip Hop education. Her research focuses on the ways in which urban youth negotiate Hip Hop music and culture to form social, cultural, and political identities to create new and sustaining ways of thinking about urban education and intersectional social justice. Her work is also concerned with how teachers and schools working with parents and communities can build communal, civically engaged schools rooted in intersectional social justice for the goal of equitable classrooms. Click here to learn more

Do you have a question for Dr. Bettina Love that you would like addressed during her keynote at the BOOST Conference? The BOOST Leadership Team will be choosing relevant and thoughtful submissions to guide Dr. Love's keynote address. Submit your question here by April 1, 2022.

EVALUATION CABANA HOSTED BY AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH

9:00AM - 3:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

For the fifth year in a row, AIR is hosting an Evaluation Cabana where you can meet one-on-one with one of AIR’s evaluation experts to discuss program evaluation and assessment. If you have ever wondered if your program is too new to evaluate or if an outside evaluator is needed, be sure to sign up.

Register for a complimentary 40-minute time slot in our poolside cabana at no additional cost (must be a registered conference attendee). Space is limited to six participants. Registration will open soon.

Some example questions are:

- Is my program too new to evaluate? How do I know where to start?
- Should I use grades and test scores to evaluate my program?
- How many participants do I need to have data to show an impact?
- Does an outside evaluator need to conduct my evaluation?
- How do I assess social and emotional skills?

Don't let these questions limit you!

As we know, quality programming and evaluation is the result of intentional planning, sharing, and reflection. Come see us in the cabana to learn more about developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving your afterschool program. 

NETWORKING LUNCH & MEET THE AUTHORS

12:00PM - 1:00PM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Lunch will be served in the exhibit hall. Grab your lunch and take this opportunity to mix and mingle with exhibitors and participate in our Meet the Authors series throughout the exhibit hall.

BOOST BREAK WITH EXHIBITORS & MEET THE AUTHORS

2:30PM - 3:30PM
Palm Springs Convention Center Exhibit Hall

Join your colleagues in the Exhibit Hall for snacks, networking, and lots of awesome raffle prizes! Mingle with Exhibitors and have the opportunity to learn about the latest resources, curriculum, and services to enhance your program. See your conference program for the Meet the Authors schedule. 

Enjoy an hour of exclusive promotions and discounts from selected vendors in our Exhibit Hall. Shop 'Til You BOOST! 

VILLAGEFEST STREET FAIR

6:00PM - 10:00PM
Downtown Palm Springs

Locals and tourists happily mingle at the Palm Springs VillageFest held year-round every Thursday evening on Palm Canyon Drive. An open-air street fair with more than 200 booths offering live music, fresh fruit stands, artists, craftsman, unique foods, and street entertainers to charm the crowd is a must for conference-goers. Admission is free and within walking distance from all of the BOOST conference hotels!

The Palm Springs Art Museum offers free public admission every Thursday evening from 4:00PM - 8:00PM during VillageFest! The Art Museum currently has 28 galleries, five art storage vaults, two sculpture gardens, four classrooms/resource centers, a 90-seat lecture hall, the 433-seat Annenberg Theater, a Museum Store, and a Café in an architecturally significant building designed by architect E. Stewart Williams at the base of Mount San Jacinto. An adjacent Administration building contains offices and a 12,000-volume Library.

www.psmuseum.org

THINK RED INSPIRE & PAINT

6:00PM - 7:30PM
Date Terrace at the Renaissance Hotel

Please join us for a fun event of painting while raising funds to benefit organizations that serve the San Diego HIV & AIDS community. This fun event will be guided by a professional artist and drag queen (Xrystal), Nathan Mohle from San Diego, CA.

To sign up, access your online BOOST registration account, select Think Red Inspire & Paint, and make your payment. 100% of the proceeds go to the San Diego non-profit Think Red Project.

TICKETS- $25

Ticket includes:

• • 2 hours of professional painting instruction
  • Use of acrylic paints, paintbrushes, canvas, and easel
  • Canvas painting project to paint and take home 

Drink specials will be available for BOOST attendees participating in this special event.
Think Red Project & Red Dress Party San Diego / www.reddresspartysd.com 

POOLSIDE DIVE-IN MOVIE (FREE EVENT!)

8:00PM - 10:00PM
Renaissance Hotel Pool

Gather poolside in a chaise lounge or on a raft in the pool and watch the film on the big screen! Drink and appetizer specials will be available. Rafts and BOOST beach towels will be available for purchase at the BOOST Booth in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday & Thursday only.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music, and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers, and music lovers to this day.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29

BREAKFEST

7:30AM
Rocks Lounge Terrace & Poolside 

It's a new twist on breakfast! Meet us poolside for a breakfast festival experience with breakfast foods, poolside yoga with a live DJ, live screenprinting, and more! Coffee and breakfast items will be available for purchase. This is the perfect opportunity to say your farewells and connect before heading to morning workshops, closing & raffle.

Closing & Raffle

11:15AM - 12:00PM 
Renaissance Hotel

Don't miss our fun and energetic conference closing with thousands of dollars worth of raffle prizes! All attendees will automatically be registered in the closing raffle upon entrance to the virtual closing for a chance to win!

EXTRA CREDIT

12:00PM-5:00PM

You have attended workshops, networking events, met with exhibitors - now what? Take this opportunity to intentionally connect with your colleagues and begin your action planning and next steps. We have complimentary meeting space for you and your team to retreat and begin the process to focus on ideas and setting goals for the end-of-year, summer, and upcoming school year.

BOOST GOLF OUTING AT TAHQUITZ CREEK GOLF RESORT 

Check-in: 1:00PM PDT
Tee Time: 1:30PM PDT

This event hosted by Bill Fennessy. 
Cost: $TBA

Registration TBA

Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort is one of the premier public golf resorts in Palm Springs, CA. Play golf within minutes from Palm Springs International Airport, downtown nightlife, and hotels in Palm Springs. Tahquitz Canyon, nestled in the San Jacinto mountain range, will provide the framework for incredible vistas while tales of the banished shaman, Tahquitz, will keep your imagination running wild. Golf Digest recently rated Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort as “One of the Best Places to Play” for golf resorts.

The "golf package" includes 18-hole green fees, golf cart, range balls, 2 drinks, and a 15% shop discount for just $TBA per player. Arrange transportation on your own, or carpool with other players. We encourage you to secure designated transportation (Uber/Lyft/Taxi) if you plan to drink. The deadline to register is TBA. 

Please note: Name badges are required to attend all BOOST Conference events including all meals and all workshops.