Arrowmen, parents, and visitors,

After five incredible days, the 2018 National Order of the Arrow Conference has finally come to a close. We’ve made new connections, reaffirmed old friendships, and explored how the choices we make every day will ultimately decide our destiny.

Innovation was a major focus of this NOAC, and the conference staff worked hard to plan and deliver new programs and approaches—including in the realm of communications. For the first time, those who couldn’t make it to NOAC in person had the opportunity to log into the website, access training sessions and other content, and participate in the conference experience as remote delegates. This year’s NOAC website also featured an improved schedule, a photo gallery, and a number of other new features to enhance the conference experience.

It’s safe to say that this is the most advanced conference website the Order of the Arrow has ever had, and the reason behind that can be found in the NOAC website staff—Matthew, Tristan, Jacob, Eric, Cam, Adam, and John—seven of the finest Arrowmen I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. They put in countless hours to build the website and keep it updated throughout the conference, oftentimes working straight through lunch or supper to build a necessary component or post an article for the Navigator. A special thanks goes to my adviser, Eric Silva, who was an invaluable resource and support during the eight months it takes to prepare and run a NOAC website. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the year round web team, who also worked hard to support the construction of the NOAC website (and many of whom served on the NOAC web team as well).

To put this in perspective, during the conference we had over 13,800 unique users access the NOAC site, for a total of over 86,600 page views. Nearly a thousand on-site and remote delegates logged into the site to access exclusive content. After the home page, the most commonly viewed pages were NOAC TV, the NOAC Weeklong Menu, Remote Delegates, and the Schedule, respectively. Finally, 70% of website views were on mobile devices, 25% on desktops, and 5% on tablets.

Throughout this week, we’ve explored how the choices we make will decide our destiny. Together, we’ve navigated the maze that led us to NOAC 2018; together, we now look forward to the journey that leads on from the conference.

What will your journey be?

Yours in Service,
Nathan Vick
NOAC 2018 Website Lead

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The National Order of the Arrow Committee is pleased to announce that the 2020 National Order of the Arrow Conference will be held at Michigan State University from August 3-8, 2020, in East Lansing, MI. MSU is home to three past NOACs including 2006, 2012, and the 2015 centennial conference. See you at MSU in 2020!

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By Kyle Hoffmann

Our National Order of the Arrow Conference has come to a close. Each of us walks away from this week with memories we will keep forever, friends we will grow closer with, and a motivation to return to our home lodges to take them to new levels. While it’s impossible to experience everything NOAC has to offer in the time we are here, there were some aspects of the program particularly memorable for all of us.

One impossible-to-miss part of NOAC were the shows. Each of the four shows dazzled us in a different way, but hammered home a common theme of urging our brothers to rededicate themselves to Scouting’s values. From the ceremonial parts of Monday’s show, to Tuesday’s celebration of “keepers of the flame,” to Wednesday’s journey through The Vault, to Friday’s incredible theme show, everyone was entertained.

Training sessions revealed new perspectives on our favorite parts of the Order of the Arrow. Advisers learned how to better connect with youth. Youth learned how to better connect with all different facets of the OA – from ceremonies, to Brotherhood candidates, to one’s lodge executive committee. Arrowmen learned from training that will be brought back home to elevate their lodge’s program.

Now, remember when each region cheered so loud at the opening show it made the house shake? Well, on Thursday the four regions got together again at their respective region gatherings for even more fun. Lodges who won region-wide awards were recognized, as well as the lodges from each region that earned Exemplar status in ceremonies. The time set aside solely for interacting with other Arrowmen from one’s own region certainly made everyone’s time here even more cheerful.

Finally, the Wayfinder Festival gave every lodge the chance to put themselves on display for the rest of the country. Arrowmen were given a direct opportunity to network with those from different lodges and have one last celebration before heading home. All the music, goodies, and fellowship at the festival made it a hallmark of NOAC 2018.

The 2018 National Order of the Arrow Conference has been an incredible event, and we hope to see you at NOAC 2020 to make even more memories!

The post NOAC 2018 Recap appeared first on NOAC 2018.

In the summer of 2019, Arrowmen interested in technology and STEM related fields will have the opportunity to attend the Order of the Arrow’s premier technology experience, the 2019 OA Hackathon. Arrowmen will have opportunities to expand their own technical knowledge through various trainings and activities, as well as make connections with various technology industry employees. Additionally, Arrowmen will be collaborating to create solutions for lodge technology challenges across the nation. Whether you’re a first time Arrowman with an interest in technology or you have years of technology experience, this event will have something for you! If you’re interested in attending, stay tuned for more information to be released this fall.

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