Welcome to Daytime Programming at the 2016 Young Jains of America (YJA) Convention! This convention will connect nearly 700 young Jains from around the world! Daytime sessions will feature engaging and inspirational speakers about Jainism and the importance of its values to youth. In addition, YJA will be bringing back the Jain Academic Bowl (JAB) and introduce JIA: Jains in Action, an interactive program allowing participants to turn their ideas into reality. Get excited for some diverse and powerful sessions about Jain education, interfaith, lifestyle, college/careers, social impact, and much more as we set out to become Agents of Change!

Convention Keynote Speaker

Houston Kraft

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, leadership consultant, and kindness advocate. He has spoken to nearly half a million students, staff, and parents across the country through nearly 400 events sharing his message of compassion, character, leadership, and love. Houston doesn't just inspire people to change for a day. His goal is to inspire a lifestyle - one rooted in character, compassion, and a consistent desire to choose to love people around us (even when that choice is scary, inconvenient, or hard).

He is the creator of the Choose Love Movement and CharacterStrong - an app and curriculum that focuses on habit development for your heart. When he isn’t speaking, he is traveling the world with his wife, Harley, or playing a fierce game of laser tag. Learn more and get excited to meet this Agent of Change in July!

Daytime Sessions (HS/College)

Below are the exciting Daytime sessions we have planned for you – hover over the icons to see more! JNF attendees can find their sessions on the JNF Page.

Saturday

#YouDecide
College
7 Steps to Change the World
HS
Applying the Jain Karma Philosophy to Your Daily Life
HS/College
Basics of Jainism: The Three Jewels
HS/College
Being Smart with Social Media
HS/College
Being a Good Jain
HS/College
Biomedical Ethics: What's Right?
College
Coexisting in an Interfaith Society
College
College & Career Panel
HS/College
Comparative World Religions: An Umbrella of Truth
College/JNF
Devotion in Classical Dance
HS/College
Eat Your Greens to Fit in Your Jeans
HS/College/JNF
Empathy is Exercise
HS
Gender Norms in Jainism
HS
JAB Semifinal: Micchami Dukkadam vs. Not Your Average Navkar
HS/College
JAB Semifinal: Vardhaman Lions vs. Once Upon a Kal
HS/College
JAINA Initiatives and Youths
HS/College
Jain-American Cooking Class
College
Jainism for Future Presidents
HS/College
Jainism in the Modern Era
HS/College
Jainism vs. Modern Ethics
HS/College
Jainism: The Science of Life
College/JNF
Jains in Action (JIA)
College/JNF
Leadership from Below: On Becoming a Change Agent
College
Living Meditation: Find Your Inner Peace
HS
Looking at Karma, Rebirth, Non-violence and Nirvana across Religions
HS/College
Millenials: Making a Difference
HS/College
Modern Medicine versus Jainism
HS
Packing Light: Aparigraha in Daily Life
HS/College
Peace Through Commerce
College/JNF
Saving a Life: Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health
HS/College
Spirituality In Movies
HS/College
The Holocaust, Slavery and YOU! Jainism and Ahimsa in the 21st Century
HS/College/JNF
The Importance of the Jain Agams
HS/College
The Jain Networker: Corporate & Business
College
The Meaning of Navkar Mantra
HS/College
Transforming Culture With StoryTelling
College/JNF
Veganism? Yeah, Right!
HS
Virtues: A Bridge to Happiness
HS/College
What Can Anekantavada Do For You?
HS
What Harvard Couldn't Teach Me: Lessons Learned from my Sister
College/JNF
Writing an Irresistible Resume: Hosted by Young Jain Professionals
HS/College/JNF
Yoga Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away
College/JNF

Sunday

A New and IMPROVed Soul
HS
Anekantvaad and How it Improves Human Interactions
HS/College
Being More - Panel
College/JNF
Changing the Conversation: Ahimsa, Self-Compassion, and Mental Health
HS/College (16-21)
Cooking Towards the Vegan Direction
HS/College
Dharma as a Blueprint
HS/College
Empathic Listening: Becoming a True Agent of Change
HS
Faith and Love
HS/College
Free Your Mind
HS
God and Temple: Soul & Body
College
Heaven and Hell: A Journey through Space
HS
How Are You an Agent of Change: Essay Contest Winners
HS/College/JNF
How Has YJA Impacted Me?
HS/College
How Jain Are You: JWOL
HS/College
How to be True Jainz
HS/College
Jain Art and Architecture
HS/College
JainU: Jainism in University
HS/College
Jainism on Your College Campus
College
Jains in the Finance Industry
College
Let's Talk About Sects
HS
LinkedIn: 0 to 100 Real Quick
College
Paapasthanaks - How Can We Avoid Them?
HS/College
Party Like a Jain
College/JNF
Promise and Perils of Social Media
HS
Q&A with the Samanijis
HS/College/JNF
Realign Your Life: Peer Pressure in Jainism
HS/College
Relationship Panel
College/JNF
Seize the Moment
HS
Society vs. Spirituality Workshop
College/JNF
Starting Your Own Business: Eyes Wide Open
College/JNF
Superstars and Tirthankars
HS
Sustainability of Jainism
HS/College
The Best is Yet to Come
HS
The Harmony of Religious Diversity
HS/College
The Hidden Value of Time
College
The Modern Yogic: A New Science
HS
The Roller Coaster Ride of Entrepreneurship
College/JNF
Walking the Path to Change: Making Vegan Shoes
College/JNF
Wellness for Life
HS
Women in the Workplace
College

Please note that daytime programming sessions are subject to change.

Daytime Programming Team

Your 2016 Daytime Programming Team consists of Chintav Shah (NJ), Kayuri Shah (DC), and Mahima Shah (NJ).

Working with them are Anjali Doshi (IL) and your convention Co-Chairs Akash Shah (CA) and Puja Savla (CA).