[ubuntu-us-in] K-12 Open Minds - Open Source in Education Conference

[Seth Dudenhofer]

Simón Ruiz wrote:
> I'm glad to hear there's some interest in this year's conference!
>
> Last year, and the year before, it was put on by the Indiana
> Department of Education in a nice hotel in downtown Indy. As such, it
> was a much fancier affair, catered, with an entry fee which was
> expected to be absorbed by one's employer.
>
> This year, I expect we'll get a lot more people showing up who
> wouldn't be able to afford to go if there *were* a fee; whose school
> system maybe wouldn't spring for the fee before, or who don't
> necessarily work for a school system.
>
> Last year we asked for a booth and manned it, though we only had a
> couple of people representing Ubuntu at good times (though I was often
> leaving Seth on his own, as work paid for me to go and I was supposed
> to be attending the talks):
> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/kattekrab/tags/indianaubuntuloco/>
>
> I have not asked for an Ubuntu Indiana booth, yet, this year, but if
> enough people were interested in helping man one so that we can assure
> it's manned without any one person stuck there alone, or all day (both
> of which I subjected poor Seth to last year), I'm sure we could get
> one.
>
> Helping man a booth consists primarily of:
>  * Being physically present at the booth
>  * Representing/marketing Ubuntu to the conference attendees; mostly
> people who work in schools that are interested in learning about Free,
> Libre and Open Source Software
>  * Passing out brochures, stickers, bookmarks, CDs...
>  * Answering any questions people may ask
>
> I have a couple of X-Large Ubuntu Indiana T-shirts I could loan to
> people who were interested in manning the booth (at conferences, I
> tend to wear a white, collared shirt with a smaller logo).
>
> For those that have never manned a booth at a conference like this, it
> can be a lot of fun (particularly if you like talking to people, and
> you like talking about Ubuntu) and it can be pretty boring during slow
> times.
>
> Any takers?
>
> Simón
>
>   
I can say that it wasn't that bad. It was great to see teachers so 
excited to get CD's and stickers. And also excited about Open Source in 
general. Don't think I will be able to attend or help this year, but I 
think its a great way to give back to the community!

Seth