FAQ

What are the important dates we need to know?

• Sunday, April 2: Early Bird Registration opens ($399)
• Sunday, April 2: Scholarship applications open (apply here)
• Sunday, April 23: Early Bird Registration ends at 11:59pm (price will increase to $450)
• Sunday, April 23: Scholarship applications due by 11:59pm
• Friday, May 12: Registration closes at 11:59pm. No refunds will be given after this date. No late registrations will be accepted.  (See full cancellation/refund policy below)
• Sunday, May 21: CampDoc medical/dietary information due online
• Friday, May 26- Monday, May 29: L'dor V'dor Regional Convention

What is the scholarship process?

1. By Sunday, April 23 at 11:59pm: Complete the scholarship application (apply here) *Scholarship applications only open for new registrations*
   • Late applications will not be accepted for any reason.
   • This is needs based financial assistance and scholarship forms without AGI (adjusted gross income) will not be considered
   • Note that we do not typically award more than 50% of the convention cost.
2. On Wednesday , April 26: Each family will be contacted via email with scholarship allocation information and next steps.
3. By Friday, April 28: Accept/deny your scholarship award- directions will be provided via email on how to accept/deny. If you do not accept/deny your scholarship award by this time, your scholarship will be released.
4. Between April 2 and May 12 at 11:59pm: Register for convention.
   • IMPORTANT: By applying for scholarship you are NOT guaranteed a spot at convention. You must register as detailed above using the same email address you use for the scholarship application. When you register for convention the website will automatically deduct your scholarship award from the total cost.  If convention fills and you are placed on the waitlist your scholarship will be put on hold until if/when space becomes available.
   • Your scholarship will be deducted based on the cost of convention at the time you register. This is different than in the past, so PLEASE be sure to register before Early Bird ends on April 23rd to maximize your scholarship opportunity.
   • All convention fees must be paid by the final registration deadline unless the family has had a conversation with the Regional Director.

Can I register after the registration deadline? No. Registration closes at 11:59pm on Friday, May 12. If a teen wishes to register after this date he/she should not expect to be able to attend convention. We do our best to accommodate but it can’t always work. Once registration closes, we send our numbers to camps for food and rooming, and it can be difficult to make changes.  

What is the cancellation/refund policy?  The deadline to cancel with a full program refund is May 12th at 11:59pm. Until that date, full refunds will be granted for cancellations in writing (e-mail is acceptable), for any reason. After the registration deadline, partial refunds may be available based on convention expenses already paid (hotel, transportation, etc.). Within ten days of convention we’ve already confirmed final counts with our vendors, and no refunds will be given. “No shows” will not receive a refund.

Are there an unlimited number of convention spots? No. Our space at the camp is limited based on program and rooming space. We have a limited number of spots and will move to a waitlist once we have reached our maximum. We encourage all participants to register as early as possible.

CONVENTION BACKGROUND 

Who is convention for? L'Dor V'Dor is for every Jewish teen involved with BBYO and any teen interested in becoming more involved in BBYO. Chapter leaders, chapter members, new members, eighth graders, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are all invited. No leadership role or prior program participation is required to participate. Teens must be registered members of BBYO to attend convention.

Why should I attend convention? BBYO conventions are one of the things that teens look most forward to during the school year. Conventions are planned and led by teens, and they are an opportunity for our region to come together as a community. Conventions provide teens with meaningful Jewish experiences and friendships that they will remember for years to come.

Where will I be? Will I be leaving the Camp? Teens will be staying at URJ Camp Kalsman and will remain on-site for the duration of L'Dor V'Dor. Teens should not leave the camp under any circumstances

unless parents have been in communication with the Regional staff. 

What does programming look like? We like to keep some things a surprise! Here are some program highlights:

• Friday
  • Shabbat Experiences
  • AZA/BBG Separates
  • Senior Lives
• Saturday
  • Shabbat Experiences
  • Shabboptions
  • Togethers Event
  • Havdallah and Song Session
  • Speakup Event with StandWithUs
  • Special Surprise
• Sunday
  • Grade Programming
  • Standup
  • Banquet
  • Dance
  • Spirit Session
• Monday
  • Regional Board Elections

ON-SITE LOGISTICS

COVID GUIDANCE FOR L'DOR V'DOR CONVENTION- please read all the way through as our BBYO policies have changed since Fall Convention

What are your COVID procedures? BBYO follows the CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination and as a result, highly recommends each participant be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 including the most recent booster available. Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself and those around you from becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. BBYO is following the guidance of many public health institutions, scientists, and medical professionals who have led the battle against the coronavirus and are recommending that people be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination is no longer mandatory, but encouraged, to attend a BBYO overnight as with previous conventions.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision that all participants attending L'dor V'dor Convention must provide evidence of a negative Covid test. Teens’ negative COVID test proof will be checked by staff members at the bus stop, or at the convention check in table. We will only accept tests taken between May 23th-26th. 

PCR tests or rapid antigen at home tests are both acceptable for this convention. If you are submitting an over-the-counter or take-home test that does not come with a lab report, please take a picture of yourself holding your test results with the teens name and date. We must be able to see their face and their test results in the picture.

If for any reason you are unable to do this please contact EGR Regional Director, Justyn Jacobs, at [email protected] immediately. 

We recommend going to a Covid testing location that provides fast turnaround times. Here are some recommended options: 

• Check out local Covid-19 Testing Websites-
  • Seattle: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing.aspx#sites
  • Portland: https://www.ohsu.edu/health/covid-testing-portland-expo-center
  • Eugene: https://lanecounty.org/government/county_departments
• CVS – Multiple area locations offer rapid testing
• At Home Rapid Tests are sold at many drug stores
• Any other location convenient to you, we recommend asking how long the results will take to ensure you get them in time for Friday.

Additional Covid Procedures:

• Masks
  • Participants are asked to pack enough masks to wear for the entire weekend incase we are faced with a situation that we will need to wear one. Staff will have extra masks and hand sanitizer available as needed, but not enough masks to provide for everyone.

How do I get to convention?

• Seattle: Bus transportation to convention is provided and timing is subject to change. Bus pick-up will be at 1:30pm on Friday, please plan to arrive by 1:00pm. Drop-off is generally around 4:00pm on Monday, pending return traffic. Bus timing and locations will be sent after registration.
• Portland: Bus transportation to convention is provided and timing is subject to change. Bus pick-up will be at 11:30am on Friday, please plan to arrive by 11:00am. Drop-off is generally around 6:30pm on Monday, pending return traffic. Bus timing and locations will be sent after registration.
• Eugene, Corvallis, Bend, and Ashland: Bus transportation to convention is provided from Eugene and timing is subject to change. Bus pick-up will be at 9:15am on Friday, please plan to arrive by 9:00am. Drop-off is generally around 8:30pm on Monday, pending return traffic. Bus timing and locations will be sent after registration.
• Boise families will be sent information regarding transportation after registration.
• Please direct any travel questions to Justyn at  [email protected].
• Teens may NOT drive themselves to/from convention. There are no exceptions to this policy. If a teen drives to convention, they will not be allowed to participate in the program.
• What if I have to come late or leave early? No problem! If you have other commitments throughout the event that you’re unable to miss- don't worry! We will work with you so can attend. Late arrivals and early departures are typically no problem as long as we know in advance. Teens may not drive themselves to/from convention. Prorated convention costs are not available. Please email Justyn by May 19th at 11:59pm if you have late arrival or early departure needs.
• *Please Note: We understand that travel during a portion of Shavuot may not meet the needs of every family in our region.  If you are interested in Shavuot friendly travel arrangements, please contact Regional Director Justyn Jacobs at [email protected].*

How does rooming work? Teens are roomed randomly in rooms. We do our best to room teens with 1 other teen from their chapter although odd numbers and late registrations may cause this to not be possible. We also do our best to room teens with teens that are within 1-2 school years of one another. While we do not allow for room requests or room changes, any serious rooming issues should be brought to the staff’s attention immediately upon registration.

BBYO as an organization seeks to provide an inclusive rooming community and recognizes that our teens have a variety of gender identities, not limited to only male and female. Offering gender inclusive rooming creates a BBYO community where all teens are welcome and safe.

Based on teen feedback we have chosen, in addition to having gender inclusive AZA and BBG cabins, to provide an option for teens to room in a non-binary and non-gendered BBYO cabin! Non-binary is defines as an umbrella term for gender identities that are not solely male or female‍, or ‌identities that are outside the gender binary; while non-gendered is defined as not relating to people of one particular gender.  If a teen identifies as non binary or gender non conforming, in addition to gender-inclusive rooming, they will have an additional option to stay in our BBYO cabin.

Upon registering you will be asked about teens preference for rooming. They may choose between a BBG, AZA, or BBYO cabin to room in. Please note that all teens who would like to be placed in a BBYO must have parent, or guardian, consent to be placed in that cabin. A follow up email will be sent to confirm consent.

What are the meals like? What if I have a dietary restriction? All BBYO meals are Kosher Style with vegetarian and vegan options. We ask for allergy information and food needs on the online medical form and we appreciate you sharing information as soon as possible so that we can accommodate specific food needs and limitations. All BBYO conventions are peanut nut-free.

What is BBYO's supervision policy? BBYO has a minimum supervision ratio of 15 teens to every adult. All of BBYO’s professional staff have had background checks and are trained to work with your teens and keep them safe. The staff and advisors help to supervise teens before, during, and after programming. Teen safety is our #1 priority.

What is BBYO’s discipline policy? As a reminder, when you registered for membership you signed BBYO’s Code of Conduct, which outlines our policies for substance abuse, property damage, and behavior guidelines with the full understanding of our behavioral expectations as a member of BBYO. Rules and guidelines will be made clear to all participants upon their arrival at convention opening. Should one of our teens choose to act outside of our Code of Conduct, the incident will be addressed by the appropriate staff members. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any violation of the Code of Conduct and any discipline matter that comes to the attention of staff. If you are (or your teen is) dismissed from L'dor V'dor for disciplinary reasons or Code of Conduct violations, BBYO staff will arrange for travel home immediately, at your family’s expense and without a refund.