The NFCYM allows participants to lodge somewhere other than the hotel assigned to the diocese. Choosing this option requires payment of a $40 per person "Non-Use of Housing Block Fee". This fee is a charge the NFCYM uses to replace lost revenue from commissions and rebates paid on rooms within the negotiated housing block and to attempt to encourage participants to stay within the block. When groups secure housing outside the negotiated block it hurts the NFCYM in two ways. First, in order to secure low group rates on hotels the NFCYM must sign contracts guaranteeing a certain level of occupancy for the hotel. If that expected number is not reached due to too many participants staying elsewhere, the NFCYM must pay attrition fees, which could be tens of thousands of dollars. The second way NFCYM is affected is that individuals who stay outside the negotiated block are not counted as part of revenue collected by the city in relation to the event. The reduced amount of monies attributed to NCYC will then affect the ability of the NFCYM to negotiate a good contract for future events.

Chaperones must be at least 21 years of age, without exception.

NCYC is intended for high school students. This would include teens as young as 13 who are freshmen in high school up to teens as old as 19 who are seniors. Youth 13 or 14 years old but not in high school can not be registered as participants. High school participants 18 or 19 years of age need to fill out the Youth registration forms (Form 8 and Form 13), but must sign the Archdiocesan Permission and Release Form. This is because they are considered youth as far as their participation with NCYC is concerned, but are of legal age and cannot have liability waived for them by their guardian.  Reasonable measure must be made to keep 18 and 19 year olds separate from younger teens in housing accommodations.

NCYC is intended for high school students. School aged children who are not yet in high school may not attend. Parents serving as chaperones who have no alternative but to bring their children not yet of school age do not need to pay the registration fee for them. NFCYM expects them to be responsible and care for/supervise their children at all times. They also must check in with the registration desk on site for identification for their children. Although they do not require official registration, please contact Andrea Parker about any intention to bring young children.

NCYC is intended for high school students. Young adults out of high school but not yet 21 may not serve as chaperones. NFCYM does not object to the participation of high school graduates not yet 21 if they act in a leadership capacity within a parish or diocesan youth ministry program on a regular basis. These young adults must register using all adult forms and be housed as an adult (not rooming with anyone under 18). They should understand their presence is as a role model, not as a participant. 

An optional daily Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 5:30pm in the Convention Center. There will be a closing vigil mass on Saturday evening as part of the primary schedule. Further information on daily masses for Thursday or Saturday are not yet available.
The sacrament of reconciliation will be available on Friday from 12:30pm-6:00pm and Saturday 11:30am-6:00pm in the Convention Center.
The Eucharistic adoration chapel will be open on Friday from 12:30pm-6:00pm and on Saturday from 11:30am-6:00pm in the Convention Center. Exact location has not been determined.

Traditionally, NCYC has some kind of service project for youth to participate in. The service project has not yet been announced. As soon as we have information we will post it on our website and send out an email to alert you.

Barring any unforeseen financial crisis, there will be backpacks available this year. They will help teens carry what they need to the Convention Center (especially since we may not be able to return to the hotel all day) as well as identify our group.