So This Happened…

Last week, several members of AMI traveled to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for the 2011 NAI Region 6 Annual Workshop.  One of them returned with significantly less hair.

AMI newsletter editor John Miller (pictured center, with the shiny head) is also the Regional Director for Region 6.  Like any good leader, John knows how to motivate his region: by giving them plenty of opportunities to abuse him.

John volunteered to shave his head if Region 6 could raise enough money to send one member to the NAI’s National Interpreters Workshop in St. Paul.  His followers came through in a big way, raising $350 and then descending on him like a mob of vindictive barbers.

Thanks to AMI members and their Region 6 brethren (and sistren), Tara Humphreys of Texas will be able to attend NAI 2011 in November.  Good job, guys!

AMI T-Shirt Design Contest

The 2011 Workshop Committee is now taking submissions for a new and creative AMI T-shirt design.  If selected, your design will grace a new set of T-shirts at the 2011 conference. 

Don’t fancy yourself a graphic designer?  Don’t worry about it!  The idea’s the thing.  We can work with the printers to tweak it into shape.  So go ahead and draft a design and send it to Jamie Hubert.

You can see my submission off to the left.  Think you can do better?  Yeah, me too.  So get started!  As new submissions roll in, we’ll post them here and on the AMI Facebook page.

Your AMI Awards Committee

Greetings AMI members from your new awards committee: Connie Grisier, Central region; Steve Jacobsen, Kansas City; Kevin McCarty, St. Louis; Janet Price, southeast; Lee Wilbeck, northeast; Chanda Williams, southwest; and Cyndi Cogbill, chair. 

George Kastler, former chair, left the awards in good standing and we appreciate his years of service to AMI.  Your committee decided to continue the direction that George started.   Also, with a little tweaking, you will be able to align these awards with NAI National and Region 6 categories.  Check out the revised categories below. 

Outstanding Professional Interpreter (an individual with more than five years of experience that demonstrates a mastery of interpretation, management, mentoring…)

Outstanding New Interpreter (a part-time, full-time, or seasonal individual with less than five years in the interpretation profession that demonstrates an outstanding potential, skills, and commitment to the field of interpretation)

Outstanding Interpretive Volunteer (an unpaid individual conducting outstanding front-line interpretation or the support of an interpretive organization)

Outstanding Media (any interpretive media: article, poster, video, display, brochure… that is outstanding in its message and effort for an emotional and intellectual connection to a resource)

Outstanding Interpretive Effort  (an individual, group, organization, company… for an effort  such as an special event, outreach program, day camp… or support, financial or otherwise, of a site or program, that is outstanding in interpretation or the support of interpretation).

Nomination forms, criteria, and scoring information will come out in the next newsletter, but this is your heads-up so you may start thinking about all the super people in AMI that deserve your nomination!

Eureka Moments

The 2010 AMI conference may be over, but the 2011 NAI Region VI conference is just around the corner.  The conference will be held February 28 – March 3 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  The 2011 theme is “Eureka Moments”. 

The organizers have this to say:

Interpreters understand the “Eureka Moment” perhaps better than any other professionals on the planet. As practitioners of a craft that melds science and art, we appreciate the moment of understanding, of a-ha!, of wow-I-get it! We work toward helping our audiences experience these moments, and we frequently experience them ourselves as we study our cultural and natural resources, develop engaging programs, write dynamic publications, and design exciting exhibits.

 At this workshop, as we share ideas with colleagues, learn tips and tricks from friends old and new, and take time for retreat from our regular day-to-day work,  we’ll all be in prime conditions to spark new ideas, get excited anew, and fall in love with this profession all over again. Eureka!

Registration is open now.  Visit the NAI Region VI homepage for more details.

Register Now for AMI 2010!

Registration is now open for the 2010 Association of Missouri Interpreters Conference at Crowder State Park in Trenton, Missouri.  The conference theme this year is “Back to Basics.”   The conference will focus on hands-on workshops, service projects, and skill-building programs that will appeal to interpreters of all levels.

Sessions on several topics will be presented during the conference, including Leave No Trace, Being Creative on a Budget, and Wild Edibles.  Among the field studies offered will be a historical tour of the city of St. Joseph, clean-up and sampling at Locust Creek in Pershing State Park, and more.  This year’s keynote speaker will be Wren Smith, Interpretive Programs Manager for Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest south of Louisville, Kentucky.

Lodging for the conference will be at the Crowder State Park Group Camp.  Lodging costs will be included with registration.

Registration forms are available here as a Microsoft Word Document or Adobe PDF file.

The complete conference agenda is also available (Adobe PDF file).

For more information, visit our conference page or contact Conference Planning Chair Adam Brandsgaard, (660) 646-6122.

Gratuitous…

Long-time AMI newsletter editor & herp enthusiast John Miller has a new book out.  The Missouri Department of Conservation blog describes it thusly:

Show-Me Herps, by John Miller, is a colorful guide to 50 of Missouri’s amphibians and reptiles. “Herps” is an abbreviated word from the Greek herpeto, meaning “animals that creep.” Show-Me Herps includes descriptions and colorful illustrations of 18 amphibians and 32 reptiles. Besides the description, habitat and food preferences of each species, the guide lists “cool facts” about each creature that are sure to capture the imagination of young and old alike. Did you know that the alligator snapping turtle is North America’s largest freshwater turtle species, with a record weight of 316 pounds? Do you know why the western slender glass lizard is not a snake, even though it has no legs? It’s in there!

You can read AMI member Jo Schaper’s review of the book here, and pick up your own copy online at the MDC Nature Shop.

2011 Elections

It is almost time for the Association of Missouri Interpreters’ elections! 

The AMI offices for Vice President and Treasurer are up for election.  This is your opportunity whether you are new to AMI or have been a long-standing member, a student, volunteer, or full-time interpreter.   

 Why should you run for an AMI office?

  • The organization cannot run without membership participation.
  • You will have the opportunity to shape the future of AMI. 
  • You can develop or improve your leadership skills.
  • You can share your experience and knowledge.
  •  It will look great on your resume.

 If you are interested in running for either office please contact Elections Chair Cyndi Cogbill by e-mail or by phone at the Joplin MDC office, (417) 629-3423.  You will also need to send a “headshot” photograph and your “campaign” write-up before August 1. 

 Office Duties (taken from the AMI by-laws):

Section 2. The officers, the immediate Past-President, and members at large (appointed members) shall constitute the Executive Committee.

 AMI Vice President (2 year term – 2011 & 2012):

Section 4. The Vice-president shall assume the duties of the President in the latter’s absence.

 AMI Treasurer (2 year term – 2011 & 2012):

Section 6. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all funds (received and dispersed) of the Association and its Executive Committee in a suitable book or electronic media.  They shall also submit reports at the annual business meeting.  They shall assist the workshop chair with registrations for the annual Association workshop.

The New Forum

It took me a while, but I’ve finally added a forum to the website. This will replace the old message board, with a couple of advantages. First, you can log in and post using your mointerp.net username and password, and second, there won’t be any irritating ads mucking up the place.

Unfortunately, I can’t move all the posts and users over from the old board. I’m going to leave it up and running for a while, in case anyone needs to refer back to something. Here’s the link:

http://mointerp.websitetoolbox.com/

The new forum works pretty much like the old one, but if you have trouble, don’t hesitate to let me know. Enjoy!

Welcome…

 … to the new Association of Missouri Interpreters website.  As you can see, things have changed a little bit.  Everything is still here– but now all the news, articles, etc. will be posted here to the front page, blog-style.  I’ve set up separate pages (look up top) to cover conference news, membership, and so forth. 

The best thing about the new format is that it only takes a browser to post updates, so this no longer has to be a solo act.  I can, for instance, create a user account for the conference committee that allows them to update the conference page on their own.  I’ll also be recruiting contributors to blog on the front page, so we’ll always have fresh content here (if you’re interesting in doing this, let me know). 

If there is anything else you’d like to see the website do, leave a comment for me below.  I’m looking forward to everyone’s suggestions and (hopefully) participation.  Thanks!