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H. Vega introduced herself. She is from AoA's Marketing firm, Larson Communications, who works with AoA primarily on digital marketing. The retreat was to work with board members and school leadership on our messaging to be able to speak in our personal voice why we think AoA is special and why people should attend AoA. This training will later be done with staff and PTSA members.

H. Vega had everyone do a warmup exercise re: Who are you? Why are you passionate about supporting AoA? If there is one thing you hope people know about AoA, what would it be?

H. Vega gave a presentation on the importance of effective communication, why it matters, best practices, and using AoA's identity as a framework for telling our own "why AoA" to others in a brief way to engage others in order for them to want to learn more.

H. Vega led the group in an exercise of writing personal reasons for supporting AoA and creating personalized two minute "elevator pitches" and then doing four practice rounds with each other to get the messages more concise and feel comfortable using them. 
 

The group gave feedback and discussed how to make the "elevator pitch" authentic if the school has areas that needs improvement. H. Vega shared that you always have to be truthful in what your saying and acknowledge if there are areas that need improvement, and speak to how they are being addressed.

B. Schaff shared that he was reflecting that this year is the Winter Olympics and we (AoA) are the Olympians, and Olympians struggle and work hard to achieve. Not everyone will win a medal, but every Olympian works hard to improve to see success, and that is why the Academy chose the name the Olympians. Many in the group shared they were unaware that is why AoA chose the name the Olympians.