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September: First Day Fro-Yo
Hackensack High School in Hackensack, NJ, kicks off the year with a student council-hosted frozen yogurt event. Rita’s Italian Ice was the chosen vendor and assisted with serving unlimited frozen yogurt and water ice to all. Tip: Stop long and unruly wait times in their tracks by having multiple serving lines. M H S L
October: Witch for a Day
Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, NJ, organizes a day of activities for Halloween which are designed to raise money for UNICEF. It begins with an activity where student council members are raffled off to be “witch for a day” to do the bidding of the person whose raffle ticket is drawn. Everyone is in costume for the day, and the festivities conclude with a Halloween costume dance. M H S L
November: Feastivus
Robert F. Kennedy Community High School in Flushing, NY, observes Feastivus to spread cultural awareness. Before the Thanksgiving weekend, all students and teachers gathered around to enjoy a good meal by bringing in food that relates to their culture. A donation box was placed for the Little Rock, AR-based Heifer Foundation to feed the hungry. M H S L
December: Feel the Warmth
Kayla Brown at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, WA, started a project where students crocheted fingerless gloves, hats, scarves, and blankets for a local nursing home. Weekly crochet meetings were held beginning in October and the items were delivered to nursing home residents on December 18. “It taught me how a little deed of considering someone else and bringing them joy can brighten the holiday season,” Kayla says. H S L
January: Tree Recycling
Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, CA, has developed a very successful tree-recycling program. It begins with massive publicity at holiday tree lots and in the community to advertise the service. The message is simple: Bring your tree to the Drake High parking lot on the two weekends after New Year’s and the school will chip your tree and return the mulch to the earth as ground cover for public lands (e.g., schools, parks, street medians). All that’s requested is a $5 donation. Tip: Reach out to a local tree service company that could chip the trees and provide equipment for assistance. H S L
February: Kiss for Make-A-Wish
Boys and girls at Pahrump Valley High School in Pahrump, NV, pay $1 to kiss a card in a unique fundraiser organized by the student council. The cards are put on display and students pay 25 cents to vote on the best-looking kiss imprint. The boy and girl who get the most votes are crowned Mr. and Ms. Irresistible at the Valentine’s dance. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. M H S L
March: Shamrock Search
The student council at Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank, CA, hides paper cutouts of shamrocks in various sizes throughout the school. Large, easy-to-find shamrocks are worth one team point and they come with a small prize; medium-sized, harder-to-find shamrocks are worth two spirit points and a medium prize; and small, hard-to-find shamrocks are worth three points and a large prize. Students enjoy finding them throughout the week. M H S L
April: Earth Day Cleanup
On April 22, students from Oconto Falls High School in Oconto Falls, WI, sign up for specific hours throughout the day to help pick up litter around the community of Oconto Falls. M H S L
May: Say YES to the Dress
At McMinnville High School in McMinnville, OR, the “Say YES to the Dress” event takes place around prom. Students, parents, and community members donate slightly used formal dresses to the school dress exchange. Students who might not otherwise be able to afford a formal dress, or students who donate a dress in exchange for a dress that is new to them, are given tickets to the event. Students enjoy a boutique-like atmosphere while selecting the dresses they’d like, and leftover dresses are donated to charity.Boys can participate by donating ties or other
formal accessories. H S L
June: Celebrating Summer
For Washington Township High School in Valparaiso, IN, an end-of-year celebration was just the ticket after a week of studying and testing. The student council worked with the cafeteria to arrange for hamburgers and hot dogs to be served on paper plates during lunch on the last full day of school. Most students took their food outside and sat on blankets. Lunchtime events included games that involved water and eggs, as well as a “get gross” game that was particularly messy. The cafeteria saved all its leftover food for the last few days of school and dumped it in some large dish tubs. Marbles were added. Students had to use their toes to find the marbles. Other, cleaner events included hula lessons, a limbo contest, and a tropical shirt contest. M H S L
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