WeatherFest & Teacher Workshop Roles and Responsibilities

(Submitted and written by Brenton MacAloney on February 23^rd, 2012)

Roles and Responsibilities of Team Members

The success of the annual WeatherFest event depends highly on the WeatherFest Organizing Committee.  Members of the Committee must fully understand what is expected of them in the year leading up to the event.  This is done by summarizing the roles and responsibilities of each of the Committee members.  Outlined below are the committee member positions and the roles and responsibilities that accompany the position.

WeatherFest Organizing Committee Co-Chairs (2013 – Ron, Teri, Vivian)

• Oversee WeatherFest Organizing Committee member activities
• Serve as good will ambassadors for WeatherFest
• Actively seek corporate sponsorship of WeatherFest
• Actively work with organizations to ensure involvement at WeatherFest
• Member of the AMS-BOPE (Board of Outreach and Popular Education)
• Help BOPE to create sub-committee to review teach applications and have one co-chair serve as part of the review.
  
• Schedule regular meetings, solicit ítems for agenda, and send out participation reminders

AMS Employees on Committee (2013 – Claudia & Jenn)

• Deal with all aspects of facilities
  • Design floor plans and coordinate booth selection
  • Internet access, electric, food, beverage, etc.
  • Sound and lighting
• WeatherFest exhibitor booth registration (via web)
• WeatherFest exhibitor registration (i.e., check in) at event
• Updated content on WeatherFest page on AMS Website
• Purchasing of WeatherFest supplies (i.e. t-shirts, raffle tickets, pencils, passport, maps, etc.)
• Work with chairs to solidify sponsorship via signed contract.
• Determine proper signage and supply at event
• Coordinate stage schedule
• Coordinate opening ceremony
• Send invitations to all past exhibitors (corporate and teachers)
• Solicit organizations and teachers nationally to participate
• Actively work with Teachers Workshop Committee Organizer on logistics (including space and travel for funded teachers) to successfully conduct Teachers Workshop.

Volunteer Organizer 

• Solicit volunteers to work on day of WeatherFest
  • Local AMS Chapter
  • Local Universities
  • National Weather Service
• Ensure all volunteers have assignments the day of WeatherFest (from setup to closing)
• Work with exhibitors to ensure they are fully supported on the day of the event.
• Be a source of information for visitors
• Actively work with Teachers Workshop Committee Leader to ensure enough volunteers are on hand to fully support the Teachers Workshop.

Teachers Workshop Committee Leader 

• Recruit national and local members to serve on Teachers Workshop Committee.
• Organize and lead conference calls with Teachers Workshop Committee member. 
• Participate in monthly WeatherFest calls to report status of organization of the Teachers Workshop
• Lead Teachers Workshop Committee in the organization of all aspects of Teachers Workshop, including
  • Attracting teacher attendees
  • Workshop content
  • Facility and supply requirements
• Actively work with Local WeatherFest Committee Organizer to reach out to state teachers association to promote workshop and WeatherFest
• Actively work with Volunteer Organizer to ensure enough volunteers are on hand to fully support the Teachers Workshop.
• Actively work with the WeatherFest Outreach Organizer in the development of flyers advertising the Teachers Workshop
• Actively work with the Local WeatherFest Committee Organizer on the distribution of flyers advertising the Teachers Workshop to local teachers association.
• Actively work with AMS Employees on logistics to successfully conduct Teachers Workshop.

Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee Liaison

• Serve as go-between with National WeatherFest committee and Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee.
• Participate in monthly National WeatherFest Committee calls to report status of organization and needs of the Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee.
• Participate in monthly Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee calls to report status of organization and needs of the National WeatherFest Committee.

Local Weather Fest Sub-Committee Members

• Recruit local members to serve on Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee.  At a minimum this should include:
  • Local teacher
  • Local NWS representative
  • Local media representative
  • Local student AMS representative
• Publicize WeatherFest locally
• Actively work with AMS Staff to send out press releases on local networks
• Solicit local teachers to submit applications to exhibit
• Actively work with local organizations to ensure participation at WeatherFest
  • Local TV stations and personalities
  • Local science museums
  • Local universities and schools
  • NOAA / NWS facilities
  • Local industry
  • Local Girls, Boys, and Explorer Scout organizations
• Coordinate weather balloon launch with NWS and AMS (when possible)           
• Actively work with Teachers Workshop Committee Leader to reach out to state teachers association to promote workshop and WeatherFest
• Actively work with local committee to coordinate Color Guard presentation and National Anthem as a part of our opening/ribbon cutting.
• Actively recruit local volunteers for to assist with the days events (i.e. assist exhibitors as needed with set-up/ break-down; assist AMS Staff with registration; crowd control)

Committee Scribe 

• Actively work with Committee Co-Chairs to organize and setup monthly committee conference calls
• Call for conference call agenda items
• Take notes on conference calls
• Track actions from conference calls
• Update and distribute national/local committee rosters* *

WeatherFest Outreach Organizer 

• Create fliers for WeatherFest for Local WeatherFest Sub-Committee members to use in the promotion of WeatherFest.
• Ensure fliers are sent out several months in advance (especially to the teacher community).
• Promote participation in WeatherFest
• Request door prizes / giveaways
• Create WeatherFest passport and work and find sponsorship for printing
• Actively work with AMS Employees to create and produce on-site flier (map and exhibitor list)
• Actively work with the Teachers Workshop Committee Leader in the development of flyers advertising the Teachers Workshop