Both you and your charges work hard in the classroom. You spend every day working with those young minds, and you watch them grow throughout the year. By the time they are finished with school, they are ready for a break – and so are you.
Holding school fundraisers can be a great way to get needed funds. Be sure to check with your administration for the rules of fundraisers and adhere to them all – you want to do it right!
Kiss the Donkey. Or the Snake. Or the Pig. The point of the fundraiser is to give children an incentive to bring in as much money as possible for your goal, and when they reach a certain milestone, they get an award. Kids (especially younger ones) love to see those in positions of authority do something a bit icky or gross. That’s why pie-in-the-face awards are popular…but kissing the donkey is probably the biggest reward of all.
Fun Day Outside. Your imagination is the only limit to this fun day. The fundraiser could be set up in the form of tickets, where each ticket costs a certain amount. There can also be sales of homemade items, class t-shirts, or anything else that might be of interest to the community. Be sure to make it very clear on all your posters and flyers what the event is raising money for, and make it fun!
Class Performance. Your class might choose to put on a performance and request a small donation for the music department from the guests. You might be surprised at how many people will pull out their checkbooks when they see those happy, earnest faces on the stage! The arts are one of the places where alloted money seems to fall to the wayside, and parents might be the key to bringing those funds back up.
Sports Event or Public Performance. There are many performers, sports teams, and celebrities more than willing to step up to the plate and raise money for your school. Most people assume those “in the spotlight” are too busy for that – but the truth is, they are just waiting to be approached. Will your state NFL team come to your school and sign autographs? Will your favorite singer come and host an event to raise money for the new gymnasium? It never hurts to ask!
Whatever fundraiser you choose, make sure it’s one the kids will enjoy, and get the community involved, too. You can even create a fundraiser where half of the money goes to the school and the other half to charity, and make sure the kids are present when they see that big check awarded to the charity. It’s a good way to show them they have done an excellent job!
