Registration

Our planning committee is already working hard to put together a wonderful conference. This four-day schedule will offer educational programs and posters, time to explore the island, excellent cuisine, and a relaxing atmosphere to return to your program energized.

Registration has now closed!

Refund requests sent by February 25, 2022 will be granted in full less a $25.00 processing fee. No refunds will be granted after Feb. 25.

Biennial Schedule of Events

Biennial 2022 Program

Conference Hotel Map

Opening Speaker: Jones Hooks

Jones Hooks has more than 40 years of experience in managing multifaceted organizations. Originally from Metter, Georgia, Hooks’ Georgia roots run deep. After completing undergraduate work at the University of Georgia in 1975, Hooks earned his MBA at The George Washington University. After completion of his graduate work, Hooks assumed a full-time position on Capitol Hill with Congressman Ronald “Bo” Ginn (D-GA deceased). His background includes working extensively in the public and private sectors, on local, state, national and international levels including Kings Bay Naval Base, Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, Albany Georgia Chamber of Commerce, KPMG in Atlanta, and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance.

Since June 2008, Hooks has served as Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA). The JIA has over 300 employees and an operating budget of $30 million. The Authority is responsible for the stewardship of Jekyll Island, a barrier island off Georgia’s coast. The JIA is also responsible for providing services, programs and amenities that maximize benefits to island visitors and residents.

Hooks served as President of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) in 1995. In 2020 he was named an Honorary Life Member of GEDA. He is also an Honorary Life Member of the Georgia State Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. Hooks currently serves on the Brunswick- Glynn County Development Authority Board and is a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, St. Simons Island. Married for 45 years, Jones and Stephanie Hooks have two married sons and five grandchildren.

Keynote Speaker: Stedman Graham

Stedman Graham is a business advisor, chairman and CEO of S. Graham and Associates, a management and marketing consulting firm. He is the author of 12 books, including two New York Times bestsellers and one Wall Street Journal bestseller.

As a businessman, educator, and speaker, Graham lectures and conducts training programs for corporations and educational organizations worldwide on the topic of Identity Leadership, based on the philosophy that one cannot lead anyone else until you first lead yourself. He has delivered Identity Leadership programs in The Netherlands, Germany, China, Canada, the UK, Bermuda, and South Africa. His proven Nine-Step Success Process® drives his powerful message. This success process is based on the principle that it doesn’t matter how the world defines you, it only matters how you define yourself. Graham is honored as a distinguished visiting professor at colleges and universities throughout the country. He is a former adjunct professor at the Northwestern Kellogg School of Business where he taught the course, “The Dynamics of Leadership.”

As a proud native of Whitesboro, New Jersey, Graham has demonstrated an enduring dedication to youth and community. His New York Times bestseller, Teens Can Make it Happen has become a program utilized in numerous middle and high schools in the US and abroad. With a dedication to community development, Graham is the founder of the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro and the Concerned Citizens of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina. He is also the Co-founder of the Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS) and a member of Horatio Alger.

Stedman Graham has served in the United States Army and played professional basketball in the European League. Graham holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Hardin-Simmons University and a Masters’s Degree in Education from Ball State University and has been awarded three honorary doctorates. Graham serves on several boards and has received numerous awards.

Capnote Speaker: Diane Davies

Diane Davies was hired by UGA Extension in 1979 to launch the Georgia 4-H Environmental Education program to serve youth while increasing revenue at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. Despite limited funds and time, Davies developed relationships with local schools and youth groups to personally deliver curriculum to more than 2,000 participants in the first year.

More than 1.2 million participants have enjoyed the program — using the outdoors as a classroom without walls to engage K-12 students in experiences that highlight the science, natural resources and natural history of local ecosystems — since its inception. This innovative and award-winning program began with a $300 budget, a six-month timeframe and Davies’ determination.

After years of success, Davies was able to hire additional staff and expand the program to the other Georgia 4-H centers: Camp Jekyll (formerly Jekyll Island 4-H Center) and 4-H Tidelands Center on Jekyll Island, Burton 4-H Center (formerly Tybee Island 4-H Center) on Tybee Island, Wahsega 4-H Center in Dahlonega and Fortson 4-H Center in Hampton. By the mid-1990s, more than 40,000 youth from all over the state were participating in the program each year.

After the program was well established, Davies focused on soliciting donations and resources to develop additional educational spaces, including the Rock Eagle 4-H Center Museum of Natural History, Wildlife Ecology Building and Woodruff Aquatic buildings.

In 2013, the Georgia 4-H Environmental Education program celebrated its 1 millionth participant.

Davies remained directly involved in programming until her retirement in 2002, continuing to support the program through philanthropic contributions and service in advisory groups and committees. Davies received the Georgia 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Georgia 4-H Gala.

Educational Sessions

Presentation proposals are closed.  Sessions are currently being peer-reviewed, and presenters notified no later than January 10, 2022. Presenters selected should be available for the duration of the conference and are responsible for their own expenses including conference registration, travel, lodging, equipment, handouts, and materials.

Our hope is to offer a variety of strong, peer-reviewed sessions selected for the benefit of conference attendees.  We plan to post a list of session topics in early 2022; check back soon for more information!

Conference Location and Hotel Reservations

Jekyll Island Club Hotel
371 Riverview Drive
Jekyll Island, GA 31527
(912) 635-2600

Jekyll Island was purchased in 1886 by a group of wealthy families as a private retreat, which Munsey’s Magazine called, “the richest, the most exclusive, the most inaccessible club in the world.” By 1900, The Jekyll Island Club membership included the Rockefellers, Morgans, Cranes, and Goulds and represented over one-sixth of the world’s wealth. During this time Jekyll Island was the home to many historic events, including the drafting of the modern-day Financial Reserve and the nation’s first transcontinental phone. Although the Jekyll Island Club flourished throughout the 1930s, world events took their toll. The Great Depression changed people’s priorities, and half of the Club’s membership dropped away. The Club closed in 1942 and Jekyll Island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947 for $675,000. The Island opened to the public as a State Park in 1948. After a decade of neglect and abandonment, two friends, one a lawyer, the other an architect, climbed through an unlocked window and fell in love with the deteriorating Clubhouse of the Jekyll Island Club. Together, they planned to preserve and renovate The Club to its original splendor and re-open it as a hotel; the Jekyll Island Club held a grand re-opening in 1987.

Rooms are available at the rate of $189.00/night, suites at $289/night, and ocean suites at $399/night until Sunday, February 27, 2022 or until all rooms are booked. To make your reservation, visit the Jekyll Island Club Resort group reservation webpage at the link below to book directly at the conference rate. If you experience any difficulties or have questions please contact the reservations department directly at 1-800-535-9547 or reservations@jekyllclub.com with group name Georgia 4-H.

Jekyll Island Club Reservations

For those needing air travel, local options include Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). Full details regarding ground transportation from each are available here:
○ https://www.flyjacksonville.com/content2015.aspx?id=13
○ https://savannahairport.com/airport/ground-transportation/

Biennial Excursions

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

All tours will depart after a late morning tour of Camp Jekyll. Please note, some tours have a minimum/maximum number of participants.  You will select your excursion when you complete your online conference registration.

Bike Tour/Sea Turtle Center/Guided Beach Walk

Start the afternoon with a guided walk on the beach, then hop on a bike for a ride to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a guided behind the scenes tour of this magnificent facility.  Finish your afternoon with an ice cream or treat at the Jekyll Island Sweet Shoppe!

https://gstc.jekyllisland.com/

Cost $30

Participants for Tour Minimum 5/Maximum 25

Dolphin/Eco Tour

See dolphin frolicking in their natural habitat as you explore the marshes, the sound and tidal rivers. Comfortable, shaded tour boats offer plenty of move-about room to get a great view of these delightful creatures. We’ll even throw the net over to see what we can catch!  The captain and crew share an entertaining overview of our coastal environment, captivating young and old alike on this wonderful water excursion — see you on board!

https://captainphillip.com/

Cost $30 No minimum/maximum

Golf

If you can spend hours and hours in pursuit of that little white ball… admit it, you’re a golf addict. But remember, confession is good for the backswing! So just accept your weakness and enjoy the game on beautiful Jekyll Island. You’ll enjoy 18 holes of golf, clubs and yes, a golf cart!

https://www.jekyllisland.com/activities-category/golf-club/

Cost $69 No minimum/maximum

Horseback Riding

Mount your steed and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Jekyll Island. Enjoy an unforgettable ride along the hauntingly beautiful Driftwood Beach. Explore the maritime forest as you meander down enchanting island trails gracefully shaded by a magnificent canopy of live oaks. Delight in the wind swept dunes and the tidal salt marsh.  Get a unique perspective of the beauty of the island on the unforgettable trip!

https://www.threeoaksfarm.org/

Cost $60

Participants for Tour Minimum 5/Maximum 14

Kayaking at Tidelands Nature Center

The 3-hour guided kayak tours offer you a crab’s-eye view of Jekyll’s tidal creeks. As you paddle you might see herons, egrets, and wood storks feeding along the banks, diving pelicans and terns, and fiddler crabs by the thousands. Dolphins are frequently sighted, as well as the occasional manatee. The guides are experienced naturalists who will share the secrets of the ecology of this fascinating environment.

https://georgia4h.org/4-h-centers/4-h-tidelands-nature-center/

Cost $35

Participants for Tour Minimum 5/Maximum 14

St. Simons History & Shopping Tour

Enjoy a road trip to beautiful St. Simons Island for sight-seeing and shopping.  Stops will include: Christ’s Church, Fort Frederica, the Lighthouse and the Pier as well as plenty of time in the shopping district.

https://www.coastalgeorgiahistory.org/visit/st-simons-lighthouse-museum/

Participants for Tour Minimum 5/Maximum 14

Cost $20

Jekyll Island has a legacy of entertaining its guests. With ten miles of sun-drenched beaches, four award-winning golf courses, and Georgia’s only rehabilitation center for endangered sea turtles, there’s something for every kind of explorer. The restaurants on Jekyll Island range from casual, family-friendly to elegant fine dining. And there’s no better way to experience our hospitality and unique culture than by gathering around the table. From low-country fare overlooking the water to award-winning brunch served in the ballroom, you’ll find plenty of choices to satisfy your cravings for an inspiring culinary experience on Jekyll Island.

Dining Options: https://www.jekyllisland.com/dining/

Jekyll Island Club Resort On Site Dining: https://www.jekyllclub.com/jekyll-island-restaurants/

Things to do on Jekyll Island: https://www.jekyllisland.com/activities/

Map of Jekyll Historic District