2024 Convention – 2024 Convention – Judges Training and Judges & Clerks Required for Convention

Gesneriads Meet in St. Louis

June 30 to July 6, 2024

Judges Training

Judging school sessions will be held on Tuesday afternoon, July 2, and will consist of two afternoon sessions running concurrently and later one combined session. The afternoon sessions will be: a Novice class and Intermediate class (for accredited judges) preparing for their judging exams, and a Workshop, open to all certified Gesneriad Society judges (topic to be announced in the January issue of Appraisal). Anyone interested primarily in growing, but not necessarily in becoming a judge, is welcome to attend the novice, intermediate or combined sessions.

It is important when registering that you clearly indicate which of the three sessions you wish to attend. Note: students registering for the novice class must commit to attending a two-hour introductory session by Zoom to be held approximately two weeks before the convention school as part of the learning experience. Exact date and time of the Zoom session will be determined once students have registered. The late afternoon session will combine all three groups for discussion and practice judging. Novice and Intermediate exams will be conducted on Friday morning for those seeking accreditation as Gesneriad Society judges.

The registration fee for all sessions is $20, payable when you register for convention. Note that no payments for judging schools will be accepted once convention is underway. Subscription renewals for Appraisal must be paid separately, either through The Gesneriad Society website at <http://gesneriadsociety.org/resources/interest-group-publications/> or by check via postal mail sent to Jill Fischer, 339 Lake Drive, Farmville, VA 23901. Novices who meet all requirements to be certified as student judges must subscribe to Appraisal no later than September 30, 2024.

A flower show review, open to all who have participated in judging or clerking the flower show, will be held on Friday, July 5, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Judy Zinni and Paul Susi, Shows & Judging Committee Co-chairs

Judges and Clerks Required for Convention

If you would like to volunteer to judge or clerk at the 2024 Convention flower show, please do so when you register for the convention. The online registration form includes lines for two registrants to volunteer. If you register to volunteer in other capacities please be careful that it doesn’t interfere with Thursday morning judging of the show.

If you forgot to volunteer to judge or clerk when you registered or have changes to make, please contact <Judith.Niemira@gmail.com> or Judy Niemira, 12 Dappled Drive, East Amherst, NY 14051. Please assist me in making our judging and clerking run as smooth as possible. Judges and clerks will gather at breakfast on Thursday morning. If you don’t come for breakfast, please come just to meet your team and for instructions. Judges and clerks will be given their instructions right after breakfast.

Judy Niemira, Judges & Clerks Chair