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The Pay It Forward Conference |
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The Pay It Forward Conference is an annual event on Long Island which brings together schools interested in forming Pay It Forward Clubs. FIRST ANNUAL PAY IT FORWARD CONFERENCE: The first Pay It Forward Conference in April of 2008 was truly an incredible experience for all who attended. There were over 200 students and teachers from 32 middle and high schools, in addition to over 30 non-profit groups. The conference featured amazing speakers from State Bank and Trust in North Dakota who flew all the way to New York in order to help fund the conference and make it happen. Tony Woodell from Heifer International showcased their "passing of the gift" by donating pregnant cows to struggling farmers and teaching them how to utilize the animal, maximizing every possible resource and changing the lives of the recipients forever. The conference also featured an amazing group of 14 year-old girls who came together to form One Is Greater Than None. They truly stole the show, leaving not a dry eye in the house. Through the power of their video (available on our video page) and their inspirational words, the girls from One Is Greater Than None shared a remarkable example of how one can stop what they are doing and make a huge difference in the world. To date, 1>0 has raised over $70,000 rescuing slaves in Ghana. The work of the first PIF Conference was incredible and the concept of Pay It Forward in schools on Long Island certainly grew, but there is much more work to be done. This social network website was created for all of us to come together and share what we have done in our schools and in our daily lives and for us to discover what we can do in the future. Please feel free to begin your own discussions in the forums on whatever topic you please. In the groups section, feel free to start your own group and blog, create, share and post until your heart is content. Let's all use this as a resource to create and connect in order to build the concept of Paying It Forward throughout our area of influence. Let's further use it to bring a Pay It Forward Club to every school. Please invite all of your friends, both in school and out, to help us spread the notion that the world can be a better place and it is our calling to make it so. Peace and pay it forward, Brian Mannix SECOND ANNUAL PAY IT FORWARD CONFERENCE: The 2nd Annual Pay It Forward Conference, sponsored by the Great Neck South Middle School PIF Club, the GNSMS PTA, and Nassau BOCES, promises to be even more captivating than the inaugural conference. Joining forces with Habitat for Humanity, the 2nd PIF Conference will turn the focus on action. Paying it forward to a family on Long Island, middle and high schools alike who attend the program will be given the fundraising tools to help raise money for the worthy cause of building a home. Each school will also be encouraged to set up action teams of PIF clubs to assist in the building of the home or to assist those who are on site. The conference will feature over 30 non-profit organizations from Habitat to Humanity, Heifer International, and the Interfaith Nutrition Network to Island Harvest, Down To Earth and One Is Greater Than None. Students will get hands on experience dealing with a variety of non-profits, teachers will have the opportunity to work with The League, a nation-wide service learning organization that provides online support for lessons plans and much more. If you have any questions, please email me at bmannix@greatneck.k12.ny.us with Pay It Forward in the subject line. Peace and pay it forward, Brian Mannix For more information, please visit: |
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