Pumpkin Passes
Want to spread Halloween cheer and raise awareness at the same time? Take a cue from St. Agnes Academy in Houston, TX. The student council held an event called Red Ribbon Week, where they planned a number of projects to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. On the first day of Red Ribbon Week, the council sold pumpkin passes (wristbands with pumpkins on them) for $5 each. Students who purchased a wristband were able to wear a Halloween costume on the last day of the week, and prizes were given out for the best ones. The event raised $3,000 for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).
PB&J-a-thon
Several clubs, including both NHS and student council, from Del Sol Academy in Las Vegas, participated in this tasty event. Student council members brought in supplies depending on their class (freshman–gloves, sophomores–jelly, juniors–peanut butter, seniors–bread) and students worked together to create as many sandwiches as they could until supplies ran out. By the end of the event 4,750 sandwiches were donated to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada!
Seniors at Your Service
Bridge City High School in Bridge City, TX, recognizes the value of being pampered. The senior executive officers and senior class officers from student council volunteered to be auctioned off to the students and faculty of the school. Volunteers were issued passes that released them from their classes five minutes early, and the winning bidders were very creative in their requests. One cheerleader had to wear a T-shirt with her winning bidder’s photo and cheer him on between classes. Another required her senior to play his musical instrument. Others were forced to buy lunch. The event raised almost $700 for a local charity
Cider Mondays
Using a homemade wassail recipe, the Andrews High School student council in Andrews, TX, placed a percolator of hot apple cider in the teachers’ lounge each Monday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with some other tasty snacks. They also placed a nice note of appreciation on the table thanking the faculty and staff for all their hard work. The teachers loved it so much, they ended up begging for it to continue through January and February! TIP: Purchase ceramic mugs for your teachers as a holiday present and set them out for them to pick up when they go to get their cider.
Sole Hope
The National Honor Society chapter at Rich South High School in Richton Park, IL, collected jeans and milk jugs as part of a “shoe party.” Students cut patterns out of the materials and sent them to Uganda to be sewn by tailors and then finished by the shoemakers of Sole Hope—a nonprofit organization that uses preventive methods to combat diseases that enter through the feet—to be given to those in need. They were able to make 105 shoe sets.
Thanksgiving Baskets
The student council at Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg, VA, knows that nearly 43.5 percent of residents are below the poverty line and struggle to afford a full Thanksgiving meal. That’s why they work with local grocery stores to coordinate several food drives to gather items, and then assemble baskets of food for those in need. The council works with the Blacksburg Police Department to distribute the baskets to schools throughout the area where families can pick up their meal. More than 500 baskets were distributed last year!
Stick Together
The King’s Academy National Honor Society in West Palm Beach, FL, used funds to purchase enough sticky note pads for each teacher. At the NHS general meeting, using a few sticky notes from each pad, NHS members wrote inspirational messages to be placed around the school. At the end of the meeting, the different grade levels placed their sticky notes in the cafeteria, office, and on the walls of the senior hallway. The “gently used” sticky pads were distributed to the teachers with a note stating, “Thank you for sticking with us.” At the end of the event, the sticky notes were collected by NHS volunteers and used to decorate the NHS announcement bulletin board.
Sweats for Vets
Every Veterans Day, the Greenville Middle School NJHS chapter in Greenville, NY, collects gently used hoodies and sweatpants, along with winter clothing. The students wash, repair, sort, and package the items to donate to the homeless veterans initiatives in surrounding communities. In addition, donations of new socks and undergarments are accepted. It’s a great way to remind veterans of how much the community appreciates their sacrifice.