Like Taylor Swift’s famous quote from her Folklore album, “August slipped away into a moment in time.” It has flown by and filled with so many unique and historical moments. The preparation and lead-up in the beginning days of the month felt so exciting and nerve-racking. So much hard work that 99/79 were putting into all of the expertise areas, democracy explorations, and separates experiences. (All now available on the program bank.) Arriving in Omaha, Nebraska a few days early was filled with lots of grind time, painting poster boards, and bonding. The first global delegates arrived Monday night from Turkey, and soon after more arrived during the night. I enjoyed having time to get to know the global delegates and bond before all of the US and Canada teens arrived Wednesday afternoon.

That night, we hosted the Centennial Kickoff with all of the community presents, Omaha teens, members from the Board of Directors, and families in the Omaha JCC. The Kickoff event was filled with an amazing opening by our very own Mid-America Region Omaha presidents, followed by some opening words by Matt Grossman and Craig Weiss. TJ and I were officially installed and we gave the Inaugural Address to the movement where we highlighted our top priorities for the year, the power in our voices as leaders, and what the Centennial year of our movement is going to look like. With the installation of 99/79 and the dedication of a new structure being added to the Omaha JCC, the Centennial Kickoff event was a huge win.

The rest of August Execs was filled with the most amazing sessions and experiences. At the International Business Meeting, the executive body passed legislation on creating health cards for immersives, Usage of Paper and recycling at IC, and ISF funds for Hawaii and Uganda. One of the most impactful parts of the conference was having the ability to take a tour through Central High School. The original school that the 14 boys of Omaha attended when they started AZA. A special night filled with a big tour and leading conversations about the importance of our history. BBG and AZA split across the football field screaming cheers at the top of our lungs. Bringing back the spirit and traditions of the past 100 years in the place where it all started. Some of my favorite moments had to be the Centennial Kickoff and Movement Launch. The International Board gave a full-on Apple presentation about the Centennial lineup for the year including a fashion show, commercial breaks, and the presentation of the 80th and 100th Red and Blue Books. During Movement Launch, the communities grinded out all of their goals for the ILN, summer, and fundraising. It was a great transition into a beautiful teen-led Shabbat experience by our very own Executive Body. We offered four different separates experiences of all different types. (All will be available to use on the toolbox!) Bringing in AZA and BBG Bootcamp had to be the best part of the conference. Learning cheers, diving into the red and blue books, and having an opportunity to be immersed in so much history of our movement leading into a spirit circle battle between AZA and BBG. Overall, the conference was just so impactful and historic. Such great energy from the Executive Body, the board, and all of the staff to bring in an amazing Centennial Year.

I am now in preparation for my first community visit! The time after August Execs has been spent planning, goal setting, and preparing for the year of travel ahead! Stay tuned on @BBGNsiah to see where I will end up first! Thanks for reading, and talk soon!