For North American students, late August to early September means winding down summer and getting back to school. In Central America, however, the school year started in January or February. And in India? They’re already in their second or third month by now. Comparing other cultures is a great learning experience and what better way to get on the ground insight than with an Explorica educational tour. Plan for your next trip now by starting with some back-to-school fundraisers. Here are a few ways to refill your class travel funds.
Custom Decorated Book Bags
The beginning of a new school year means stocking up on school supplies. And one basic must-have is the book bag. Besides matching their outfits, students can match their school spirit, favorite class or club. Here’s how to set up your sales:
- Buy washable canvas totes large enough for carrying books, lunch or just gym clothes.
- Stock up on a variety of fabric paints, brushes and mixing containers (or just use paper cups.)
- Then get a group of students to design away! Make it an annual tradition. Plan for easy, bold imagery. Stencil the mascot. Paint icons according to school subjects—like equation signs for math and molecules for science. Or handwrite a bunch of poetry lines to represent English class. You can even do special designs for members of a sports team or club—like cheerleading bags or the tennis team.
- 4. Once you get a healthy number of bags complete, auction them off on your school’s Facebook page, hold a back-to-school raffle or sell them for a “designer” fee at the school’s bookstore.
Photography Fundraiser
Okay, so every year, there’s always the student yearbook photo. But with digital photography being so easy, wouldn’t students love a look that’s not a canned head-and-shoulders portrait? What you can offer:
- Work with a local independent photographer or partner with a national photography chain to set up a deal where your supporters receive an 8 x 10” print for $10 and your group gets that payment plus performance bonuses.
- Make sure you get photo commitments up front. Try to get at least 200 people on board to really make it worth your while.
- Find a location big enough for costume changes, change of backdrops and a waiting room.
- Pre-sell the event with flyers or an online invite with reserved session blocks.
- On shoot day, focus on the fun! Direct the photographer to shoot out of the ordinary poses and candid moments. Have subjects bring props like hats, sports stuff (like a baseball bat or soccer ball) or anything that represents their personality. (Well, maybe not “anything.”)
- Earn more by upselling extras like photo printed T-shirts, coffee mugs and calendars. It’s a little more organization time, but with quick and easy online photo companies, you can turn a buck with little effort in a short time.
- Extend this idea by getting an amateur photographer to capture candids at the homecoming game (both the field and stands) or the next big dance. Post the sets and take advance orders before buying prints from an online photo site. Mark up the print fee by a buck or two and you’ve got yourself a snappy fundraiser.
Dance Contests
Start with homecoming, since the first dance of the school year is always guaranteed a full turnout. Tap into the school spirit by adding in some fun contests to make the dance occasion even more lively and entertaining. Then, play them again at the winter, sweetheart and graduation dances… Some ideas to start:
- Stage a last-man dancing contest. Entrants pay a fee to compete and the last one dancing through the night wins a gift card to a popular retailer (like Abercrombie & Fitch) and bragging rights for the season!
- Sell a dance with a teacher. (And not just any dance, only the ones that you wouldn’t want to be caught doing!) Get good-humored teachers to practice their break dance, country line dance or slam dance moves. Set up a spin-the-wheel type board where students buy a spin to see a teacher tackle the moves.
Custom decorated school supplies, quirky photo ops and silly dance contests are just a few ways to start off the new school year’s fundraising. With a little extra planning and the help of some entrepreneurial students, you can turn the ordinary fundraiser into an event in and of itself. And if we’ve inspired any other ideas or you have a twist on the above, let us know in the comments!