The 2002 Carnival will be held at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel on Saturday, July 20 from noon to 3:00 p.m. (the NASFAA Conference runs from July 21 to 24). The DMCI Committee promises an afternoon of festivity and celebration for approximately 150 Louisiana youngsters. Some of the activities will include career activity centers, games, and a pizza party. Motivational speaker John Beard will encourage the students to reach for their dreams.

If you are interested in volunteering your time at the Carnival, or if you would like to experience first-hand the Carnival fun and excitement, please join the DMCI Committee at the Carnival.

Each child attending the Carnival receives a t-shirt bearing the name of an institution of higher education. This helps the children become aware of the vast number of educational opportunities available to them. The DMCI Committee asks NASFAA's Institutional Members to donate one or more extra-large sized school t-shirts. Please send the shirts to Sharon Ferguson at NASFAA, 1129 20th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036-3453.

To extend the Carnival's message of encouragement throughout the year, NASFAA Members are encouraged to participate in the Mentor/Pen-Pal Program. The Program matches each student who attended the Carnival events with a NASFAA Member volunteer. Mentors will establish relationships with their designated Pen-Pals Carnival students by sending them a few letters or cards each year to encourage them to strive for their goals. Although all NASFAA Members are invited to become Mentors, SWASFAA members in particular may wish to give this special consideration since this year's Carnival is being held in your region. The Mentor/Pen-Pal time commitment is minimal, and the reward of helping a young student to reach their goals can be great!