By

Lori Hastert,   Monroe Intermediate School

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Topics:

Community Involvement, Student Leadership, Teamwork,  Other

This year the Monroe Fuel Up to Play 60 group reached out to our service people stationed overseas. Our group wrote letters to businesses, started a school-wide competition, and invited our school district to gather food and other items to send in care packages to our service people. We wanted to send them a bit of home, a big thank you, and things to help them fuel up.

How did you accomplish your goals?

We met after school to plan. We sent letters to businesses, schools in our district, and each family in our building. We began a school-wide competition to challenge each core to collect as many care package items as possible. Our advisor volunteered to pick up items from all businesses. We worked with local organizations to box and mail the packages.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

It is a challenge to orchestrate a big service program. It was difficult to get lots of people involved. We asked the radio station to announce the program and put it on our marquee. Notes were sent to each school. Our advisor offered to pick up items from businesses and schools. Our principals allowed us to make this event a competition to boost the number of items collected. The winning core will have smoothies made from our FUTP 60 smoothie machine and some other physical activity incentive.

How did students and adults work together as a team?

Students and FUTP 60 student leadership team met after school to determine the best way to spear head this event. Our advisor collected addresses. Our team typed letters, addressed envelopes, and promoted this. Our advisor contacted schools and a community liaison to get the ball rolling. Our principals agreed to the building competition with winner incentive. Our team will help deliver the items to the local military organizations and will help box the items to prepare for mailing.