This year, volunteers must work at least 6 hours to get a free weekend convention badge. Panels each count for ONE hour of that time, regardless of how long they last. Please visit the Volunteers page for full information about how to get a volunteer badge.
Being a panelist is a fun way to contribute to Kawa Kon 2009! We ask that panelists have at least some convention-going experience so that they understand how a panel works.
How do I become a panelist?
You simply fill out this form. You will also want to download this list of panel ideas so that you can choose panels to put on your form. If you and your friends want to lead a panel on a topic not listed on the idea list, put the name of the panel on your form and a short description on the back. Have all of your friends who want to be on that panel list its name on their forms. If you are under 18, you must have at least one other person on the panel with you. You may have no more than four people on one panel.
You can structure your panel in a variety of ways. Our convention is small, so a popular format is the roundtable discussion, in which you are the moderator of a full-audience discussion. You can also lead a workshop panel, in which you teach your audience how to make or do something. It can be hands-on or just a demonstration. Another popular format is a PowerPoint presentation (or presentation using posters, props, or just talking). PowerPoint or pictures can be a fun way to keep your audience interested in the discussion or to lead the discussion in a particular direction.
The sky's the limit with how you can structure your panel, but you must provide all materials yourself. We will provide projectors and screens if you ask for them (and if they are available, because there is a limited number).
