She is a 35-year veteran of the industry and continues to drive a school bus for her employer as well as train 20 other drivers. Rolofson Bus Service provides the transportation for Argenta-Oreana Community Unit School District No. 1 located about 50 miles east of Springfield.
"We're just about in the heart of Illinois," Slemp said.
In addition to round-trip airfare, hotel nights at the Grand Sierra Resort and full conference registration, Slemp will also attend the pre-con seminar "Powerful Tools for Improving School Bus Climate, Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness" presented by Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International.
“First of all I want to see Michael Dorn," Slemp said. "I use his training videos whenever I train. I love his book 'Weakfish.' I love his '...Violator Exposed.'"
Dorn is giving away copies of his book "Weakfish: Bullying Through the Eyes of a Child" and his DVD "Secrets of the Weapons Violator Exposed" at the conclusion of the pre-con.
Slemp said she is also looking forward to sitting in on sessions presented by the likes of Dr. Linda F. Bluth, president of NAPT; Peggy A. Burns, Esq., owner of Education Compliance Group; and Dick Fischer, owner of Trans-Consult. Slemp said she recently attended a driver-trainer course presented by Fischer for the first time and succeeded in getting him to present the workshop to the Illinois School Transportation Association, for which Slemp serves as executive secretary and as a board member.
“We were very excited about that and we hope to do it again next year," she added.
She said she is especially looking forward to obtaining more training on school bus bullying and harassment, and safety and security. Alexandra Robinson, NAPT's president-elect, is providing an overview of the two new training modules for school bus drivers that was released this spring by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools at the U.S. Department of Education. That session is scheduled for Sunday, July 24, at 11 a.m. That same day, Burns officially kicks off the regular conference by moderating the panel session "Federal Civil Rights Laws & Student Bullying/Harassment."
Later on Sunday, Launi Schmutz, transportation director at Washington County (Utah) Public Schools moderates a panel presentation especially for Head Start and special needs transporters on behavioral challenges and intervention strategies on the school bus. And Tuesday morning's keynote speaker, behavioral psychologist Edie Raether, returns on Wednesday to present her take on bullying with "Bullying on Buses: The Challenge – The Crisis – The Community."
So far, Slemp said the Play2Win Game has been an education for her, something she is looking to expand upon this month at the STN EXPO.
“I learned several things just playing the game. I think it’s just great the opportunity," she said, adding, "Anytime you attend these workshops you learn something.”
Slemp also won $100 in spending cash to use during her travels or at the STN EXPO.
A total of 729 players participated in the 2011 Play2Win contest, with 5,460 total correct entries and 1,876 incorrect answers. The game ran from April 1 through June 30.