DMLC Goes Virtual!

Each year, students from over 400 Colleges, Universities, and High Schools gather to attend the Dance Marathon Leadership Conference, or DMLC. DMLC is an annual opportunity for Dance Marathon students to come together to network, share best practices, and realign themselves with what Miracle Network Dance Marathon is all about : The Kids!

This year, for the first time ever, these students gathered virtually for DMLC 2020. This year’s conference was originally planned to be held in Atlanta, GA. But, due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, the decision was made to move the conference to a virtual setting. While these students now find themselves in a season filled with words such as “uncertain” and “unprecedented”, they are more confident than ever in their purpose as the generation that fights for the next.

While a virtual conference comes with some challenges, the Dance Marathon community has seen some great advantages. Moving the conference to a virtual setting eliminated all registration fees for attendees. Because of this, the 2020 DMLC attendance was three times larger than year’s past. All week long, educational workshops and sessions on a variety of subjects were made available for students to watch on their own time, providing more flexibility than ever. Many of these sessions covered topics that are relevant to issues that must be addressed in Dance Marathon programs today, such as virtual fundraising initiatives, and promoting inclusivity within their organizations. Additional to these sessions, students were able to interact with others using an online networking platform. Early Bird Registrations also received a gift box filled with many “swag bag” items that students typically get at DMLC.

Students from all Atlanta Dance Marathons attended the 2020 conference. Emma O’Toole , Executive Director of Georgia Tech For The Kids, shares how valuable the DMLC experience was to her and her team. She states, “DMLC has prepared me and the rest of GTFK to lead with inclusivity, passion, and competence as we strive to make as many miracles as possible! I’m so glad I got a chance to collaborate with other programs and CMN leaders before embarking on this year’s journey. I can’t wait to implement the new ideas and practices into our organization – whether virtual or in person”

We are so excited to see what our Atlanta Dance Marathon Students accomplish for the 2020-2021 school year!