Middle School 

Tickets | $135/person

AISNE's Student Conferences are exclusively available to students in AISNE member schools. 

Ticket & Cancellation Policies

• There is a limit of 15 students and 2 chaperones per school. This helps ensure access to the event for as many schools as possible.

• 1 chaperone is required for 1 – 10 students. 2 chaperones are required for 11 – 15 students. 

• Chaperones must be present for the entire conference and must be employees of an AISNE member school.  

• Tickets are non-refundable and may not be transferred from one school to another. Please do not buy more tickets than you anticipate using.

Registration Process

Step 1 

• Purchase the number of tickets (student and chaperone) that you intend to send to the conference. 

• If you do not know which students will attend, use the placeholder name "John Doe" on the Eventbrite registration page.

Step 2

• After event registration closes, AISNE will send you a Google form in which you will name all student attendees, their chosen affinity groups, and other pertinent information. 

Financial Aid

To further equity and inclusion at our student conferences, AISNE may support schools that face financial challenges in attending the Middle School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Conference or the High School Students of Color Conference. 

If you are interested in applying for financial assistance for your students, please email eliza@aisne.org before you complete your school’s registration. Please describe the reason(s) you are requesting financial support. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to supporting your students’ participation in this valuable educational event.

All student attendees will complete a SignUpGenius form, where they will be able to select a workshop to attend from this list. Workshop spaces are limited; sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Chaperones: Print and bring each student's SignUpGenius form responses to the conference to serve as a receipt of the student's selections. 

Adinkra Symbols: Art as the Original Storyteller | (All grades)
Sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones told without a single word. Long before books or screens, art was the ultimate way to share our history and our deepest values. In this session, you’ll discover the meaning behind these incredible symbols and by the end of the session, you’ll create a unique pattern that carries your personal message to the world. When you create, you aren’t just making something interesting—you’re leaving your mark on the world.

Afro-Caribbean Dance Workshop | (All grades)
This engaging Afro-Caribbean dance workshop introduces middle school students to dynamic movement styles rooted in Afro-Caribbean culture and tradition. Participants will learn basic techniques, explore rhythm and storytelling through dance, and celebrate movement as a form of cultural expression. The workshop is open to students of all talent levels and emphasizes joy, inclusivity, and community.

Art and Neurodiversity | (7th & 8th grades)
Your brain is amazing! This interactive workshop will leverage various ways of thinking and learning through the creation of an art piece.

Curls, Coils, and Confidence  | (All grades)
This is more than a workshop—it’s a celebration of your unique texture. Whether you’re a wash-and-go pro or still trying to figure out your frizz, join us for a high-energy, hands-on masterclass. Attendees will learn how to style and take care of their hair in a fun and interactive way! The workshop includes a slideshow about how to choose and apply the right products alongside activities like hair porosity checks and hands-on product application. The goal of Curls, Coils, and Confidence is to educate, so students feel empowered and confident in their hair and, in turn, themselves!

Hair Love | (All grades)
Come to this workshop and learn about hair! This session will explore the diversity of hair textures, styles, and history.

History of Hip Hop: An Interactive Workshop Where We Will Collectively Construct Lyrics | (All grades)
Students will enjoy a brief history of hip hop, analyze and annotate two hip-hop songs, and write lyrics for an original hip-hop song focused on the issues and concerns of the time. This workshop will help students understand how to use hip hop as a tool to find their own voice. The outcomes will be an understanding of the power of hip hop, practice in using analytical skills to analyze at least one hip-hop song, and writing a collective hip-hop song with students, helping them see the power of their voice and ideas.

Humor Writing: The Acceptance Speech, Funny Version of School Announcements, Fake Email from the Principal…Oh, my! | (All Grades)
In this session, we will laugh. But first, we will discuss ways to write stuff that is funny. There are a handful of misconceptions about humor writing, the first being that it must involve waiting around for a funny idea. As you will see here, you don’t necessarily have to find yourself in a funny mood before writing something funny. Prompts may include writing acceptance speeches for silly awards (best gum-chewer in New England, for instance), funny versions of school announcements (school photos will be taken on the roof next Wednesday), and even a fake email from the principal (you get the idea).

Identity Within Art | (7th & 8th grades)
Visual art is a powerful form of expression that communicates identity, culture, and perspective beyond words. In this workshop, students will represent and express their authentic selves through art, guided by an introduction to realistic self-portraiture.

Latinx Connections Across Middle School | (All grades)
This session is an opportunity for students to share about Latinx cultural heritage. Connect with students across various middle schools. Craft and communicate!

Shabbat Friendly | Layered Listening: Having Constructive Conversations When You Just Want to Scream | (All grades)
Many of us have been there. A conversation at lunch starts out fine, but somehow it turns into an argument about facts that quickly turn into opinions. Or the student who seems to make a game out of stepping on your last nerve is your project partner and you begin to dread the next few weeks of class. This doesn't have to happen. During our workshop we will teach you the brain science behind biohacking your brain, in the moment, so that you can get out of your amygdala and into your prefrontal cortex. We'll also give you a technique that will allow you to practice Layered Listening, a way to listen for more than just facts and gather information that can help you redirect the conversation or gracefully end it with the intent of coming back to things at a different time. These tools aren't designed to get everyone to agree, but they are useful in helping you stay in right relationship with people. These tools can help you express yourself even in difficult conversations.

Lil' Stepper's Step Team Workshop | (All grades)
Join us for an interactive workshop full of movement and cultural exploration. Learn the history of step dancing and some moves!

Magical Floor Decoration Artform of India | (5th & 6th grades)
All of us love to decorate the space we inhabit – either for a special occasion or just as part of daily life. Some cultures have special ways to decorate walls while others focus on doorways. India has a rich tradition of decorating floors of homes and this workshop will introduce you to this magical art form. Artists use a variety of media (both colored or just white) to make intricate patterns on the floor that will light up any home. During this session, you will learn a few simple techniques, make some floor art with simple tools, and take home a few great ideas to try out. This workshop is a great fit for anyone who loves doing hands on art, is creative, and has interest in learning something new.

Memoir Remix | (All Grades)
Are you a teen interested in writing stories that draw from your life and experiences? Well, you’re in the right place. In this session we’ll brainstorm some juicy topics, take a look at a number of excerpts from published memoirs, and gain inspiration to write our own. Think: collage essays (*not* college), a letter to your younger self, speculative creative nonfiction, voicemails from your future self, text messages, and more! You will leave with a number of jumpstarts and key craft tips for making your writing—remixed or not—pop off the page. 

Middle School Leadership | (All grades)
The path to becoming a leader starts with finding your style and discovering how to lead with care and authenticity. Learn your leadership style through this interactive workshop.

PACE: Masculinity and Athletics | (All grades)
Love sports? In this workshop, you will start digging into how gender influences athletes, teams, and sports both on and off the field.

Vision Board Adventure | (5th & 6th grades)
The vision board adventure is designed for small groups to reflect, share, and develop personal goals. We will spend our time together in whole group – looking back and reviewing stats, in a small group – telling our stories, and individually- creating a vision board.

Shabbat Friendly | Yoga | (7th & 8th grades)
Kick off your shoes and join us to clear your mind, reduce some stress, blow off some steam and maybe learn to breathe so effectively that you could melt snow around you. You will be guided through a meditation, a vinyasa (flowing) practice, and end with a final resting pose. All are welcome — yes, YOU too. Please wear clothing that allows you to move freely.

Your Origin Story is a Superpower with Noted Author Stefanie Foster Brown | (7th & 8th grades)
Embrace the narrative of your heritage as a source of strength, worthy to be shared with others. Interactive activities and insights from a professional children’s book author will showcase the powerful tools of storytelling. And will inspire you to bravely tap into your authentic voice as one of the most valuable resources you own.

Zine Creation and History | (All grades)
Creating zines allows your creativity to flow according to your own rules! In this interactive workshop you will learn about the history of zines while you create one of your own.

All student attendees will complete a SignUpGenius form, where they will be able to select a workshop to attend from this list. Workshop spaces are limited; sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Chaperones: Print and bring each student's SignUpGenius form responses to the conference to serve as a receipt of the student's selections. 

Art and Neurodiversity | (5th and 6th grades)
Your brain is amazing! This interactive workshop will leverage various ways of thinking and learning through the creation of an art piece.

Curls, Coils, and Confidence | (All grades)
This is more than a workshop—it’s a celebration of your unique texture. Whether you’re a wash-and-go pro or still trying to figure out your frizz, join us for a high-energy, hands-on masterclass. Attendees will learn how to style and take care of their hair in a fun and interactive way! The workshop includes a slideshow about how to choose and apply the right products alongside activities like hair porosity checks and hands-on product application. The goal of Curls, Coils, and Confidence is to educate, so students feel empowered and confident in their hair and, in turn, themselves!

Hair Love | (7th & 8th grades)
Come to this workshop and learn about hair! This session will explore the diversity of hair textures, styles, and history.

Hip Hop Dance Workshop | (All grades)
In this interactive hip hop dance workshop, students will develop coordination, creativity, and confidence while learning age-appropriate hip hop choreography. The session emphasizes self-expression, teamwork, and joy through movement in a welcoming space for all learners. This workshop is designed for students of any talent level and experience. 

How To Create Systemic Change When You Are Too Young To Vote or Drive | (All grades)
It's really hard when you see injustice, want change, and have people tell you that you will be able to do something about it when you are eighteen. It's also not true. In this hands-on workshop, we will help you identify the things you want to give your voice to, and we will help you uncover the steps you can take, right now, to help elevate issues and make change real. We will go into the history of movements that didn't just talk about change; they brought change into their communities. This workshop will go into the social justice efforts of The Black Panthers, The Young Lords, The American Indian Movement, The Young Patriots, The White Panthers, and The Brown Berets. While we will cover what the adults in those movements did politically, we will focus on what the kids did on the ground.

How to Make Friends and Talk to People When You Find Social Cues Mystifying | (All grades)
Social Pragmatics is a big phrase that just means -  How to understand the unsaid things everyone seems to have agreed upon... but they didn't actually SAY anything and NO ONE bothered to ACTUALLY tell you.   In this hands-on workshop we will go into how to notice social cues. We will talk about and practice ways you can figure out what is okay and what is not okay, cross-culturally and in new situations. This is a great workshop if you have trouble figuring out what folks are doing or talking about in everyday life. It's also a great workshop if you want to more easily navigate cross-culturally in other countries or in places where most people don't share your cultural norms.

Humor Writing: The Acceptance Speech, Funny Version of School Announcements, Fake Email from the Principal…Oh, my! | (All grades)
In this session, we will laugh. But first, we will discuss ways to write stuff that is funny. There are a handful of misconceptions about humor writing, the first being that it must involve waiting around for a funny idea. As you will see here, you don’t necessarily have to find yourself in a funny mood before writing something funny. Prompts may include writing acceptance speeches for silly awards (best gum-chewer in New England, for instance), funny versions of school announcements (school photos will be taken on the roof next Wednesday), and even a fake email from the principal (you get the idea).

Identity Within Art | (5th and 6th grades)
Visual art is a powerful form of expression that communicates identity, culture, and perspective beyond words. In this workshop, students will represent and express their authentic selves through art, guided by an introduction to realistic self-portraiture.

Latinx Connections Across Middle School | (All grades)
This session is an opportunity for students to share about Latinx cultural heritage. Connect with students across various middle schools. Craft and communicate! 

Lil' Stepper's Step Team Workshop | (All grades)
Join us for an interactive workshop full of movement and cultural exploration. Learn the history of step dancing and some moves!

Magical Floor Decoration Artform of India | (All grades)
All of us love to decorate the space we inhabit – either for a special occasion or just as part of daily life. Some cultures have special ways to decorate walls while others focus on doorways. India has a rich tradition of decorating floors of homes and this workshop will introduce you to this magical art form. Artists use a variety of media (both colored or just white) to make intricate patterns on the floor that will light up any home. During this session, you will learn a few simple techniques, make some  floor art  with simple tools, and take home a few great ideas to try out. This workshop is a great fit for anyone who loves doing hands-on art, is creative, and has interest in learning something new. 

Memoir Remix | (All grades)
Are you a teen interested in writing stories that draw from your life and experiences? Well, you’re in the right place. In this session we’ll brainstorm some juicy topics, take a look at a number of excerpts from published memoirs, and gain inspiration to write our own. Think: collage essays (*not* college), a letter to your younger self, speculative creative nonfiction, voicemails from your future self, text messages, and more! You will leave with a number of  jumpstarts  and key craft tips for making your writing—remixed or not—pop off the page.  

Middle School Leadership | (All grades)
The path to becoming a leader starts with finding your style and discovering how to lead with care and authenticity. Learn your leadership style through this interactive workshop. 

PACE: Masculinity and Athletics | (All grades)
Love sports? In this workshop you will start digging into how gender influences athletes, teams, and sports both on and off the field.

Taking Action and Making Space | (7th & 8th)
This workshop empowers student leaders to advocate for and exercise agency in creating safe, affirming spaces for peers from marginalized communities, with a focus on building and sustaining a QSA for LGBTQIA students and allies. Participants will explore practical strategies for allyship, inclusive programming, and navigating challenges while centering student voice and lived experience. Together, we will examine how student leadership can foster belonging, safety, and positive school culture for all.

Vision Board Adventure | (7th & 8th grades)
The vision board adventure is designed for small groups to reflect, share, and develop personal goals. We will spend our time together in whole group – looking back and reviewing stats, in a small group – telling our stories, and individually- creating a vision board. 

Shabbat Friendly | Yoga | (All grades)
Kick off your shoes and join us to clear your mind, reduce some stress, blow off some steam and maybe learn to breathe so effectively that you could melt snow around you. You will be guided through a meditation, a vinyasa (flowing) practice, and end with a final resting pose. All are welcome — yes, YOU too. Please wear clothing that allows you to move freely.

Your Origin Story is a Superpower with Noted Author Stefanie Foster Brown | (5th & 6th)
Embrace the narrative of your heritage as a source of strength, worthy to be shared with others. Interactive activities and insights from a professional children’s book author will showcase the powerful tools of storytelling. And will inspire you to bravely tap into your authentic voice as one of the most valuable resources you own. 

Zine Creation and History | (All grades)
Creating zines allows your creativity to flow according to your own rules! In this interactive workshop you will learn about the history of zines while you create one of your own.

Visit the Chaperones & Policies page for information to help in your role. 

After you've purchased tickets to the event, you must complete a Secondary Registration form to name each member of your group who will be attending. 

• Student Registration Form

• Chaperone Registration

Once you have completed the Secondary Registration forms above, you and your students will be able to make workshop selections using this form:

• SignUpGenius Workshop Selection Form

Please print and bring your students' completed SignUpGenius form with you to the conference, to serve as a receipt of their workshop selections.