Demand Raleigh County School's To Stop Charging Students To Participate in School Activities

  • by: Karen S
  • recipient: Raleigh County Board of Education

It is known that our economy in WV has been on a decline for the last several years. Raleigh County residents are hanging on to a thread when it comes to job availability and financial issues. Not all have been affected but a large percentage has. We are asking our schools to be sympathetic to what has happened to our residents and to our state. As we have been sympathetic to our schools budget cuts. No child should feel left out of any school activities due to non payment. Fundraisers, raffles, and bake sales are all examples of ways our schools can raise funds. We are standing up for the children who are less fortunate than others. We are standing up for the parents who are in financial crisis. It is now common that children do not get to attend field trips due to financial issues at home. It is now common that a child can not participate in something as simple as wearing a hat on hat day. Schools are allowing children to be punished for parents inability to pay, instead of fundraising. Have you ever imagined being a 1St grade child not understanding why you couldn't wear a hat from home, like all the other kids. Could you imagine the embarrassment and feeling of being left out over something so simple. Hat day, pajama day, career day, show and tell, ect.. Was never charged in the past and should not be allowed now. We come to you in the hope that punishing our children and not teaching equality for lack of a parents inability to pay will end now. I will also attach a list of ways for schools to raise money that will eliminate our children feeling left out and not being treated as equal.

1. Bake sale: Parents, students and staff can contribute baked goods for a one-day sale. Children and/or parents can be invited in to buy these treats.

2. Raffle: Sell tickets for the chance to win a particular prize – this could be a basket of goods, a 50/50 draw for cash, or another prize donated by the community or school.

3. Gift card sales: Working with a known provider, sell gift cards for local retailers and a portion of the proceeds will go back to your fundraising efforts.

4. Quiz night: Divide participants into teams (or ask them to sign up as teams). Prepare a list of questions based on a particular theme and have a volunteer “Quiz master” who can ask the questions. Sell tickets to participate and offer a prize for the winning team.

5. Bingo: Organize a bingo night and participants can pay to play with an opportunity for the winners to get small prizes.

6. Popcorn sales: Rent a popcorn machine and offer a special treat at a school game or concert.


7. Halloween bake sale: Host a themed bake sale. Consider focusing on healthy treats.

8. Chocolate sales: In preparation for Valentine’s Day, set up a themed chocolate sale that guarantees delivery by February 14th!

9. Flea market: Promote a school-wide flea market where families can bring in items they want to sell from home, such as old books or toys. Consider having specific tables for each type of item to keep it organized with proceeds going to the school or charity.

10. Craft sale: Encourage children and their parents to get creative and create crafts that the public can purchase. Consider having each classroom come up with an idea that they can contribute.

11. Fun run: Organize a Fun Run or Fun Walk that the students can participate in. Encourage them to raise pledges from their families or ask for a specific donation amount (i.e. $1). Make it a fun event with music, snacks, and high energy.


12. Car wash: Generate awareness around the community about a car wash hosted in the school parking lot. Offer to wash cars of parents and people driving through the neighborhood for a donation.

13. Coupon book sale: Working with a well-known provider, sell books of coupons for local restaurants, stores and vendors, so that part of the proceeds are donated back to the school.

14. Holiday wreaths: Help to bring some holiday spirit to students and their families by selling festive holiday wreaths in November. Wreaths could be fresh or artificial.

15. Dance-a-thon: Invite students and families to partake in a dance-a-thon. They could collect pledges based on how long they stay on the dance floor! Ensure you have a good playlist of upbeat songs, and consider selling snacks and refreshments for additional cost.

16. Talent show: Showcase the talent of your students and faculty by hosting a talent show. Encourage individual or team participation, and sell tickets for family and friends to watch.

17. Gift basket bidding/auction: Gather donated items from local businesses and create gift baskets that students and parents can bid on. Example: a “Movie” themed basket with cinema tickets, specialty popcorn and candy.

18. Silent auction: Gather donated items or create vouchers for services offered and host a silent auction in the school gym. Participants can walk around for a limited amount of time and put their name and offer price down on items they are interested in.

19. Cake walk: Have volunteers bake delicious cakes for the event. Place the cakes in a big circle with a number on each one. Players walk around the circle to music. When the music stops, the organizer draws a number at random. The person standing in front of that number gets to keep the cake.

20. Haunted house: Host a Halloween-themed event. Sell tickets for students and parents to walk through the haunted house. Gather volunteers to play spooky characters!

21. Teacher charity game: Generate excitement among the students about attending a special sports game that has teams made up of their teachers! Sell tickets to watch the game, and consider having a concession stand. It could be a serious game or something comical.

22. Recycling round up: Encourage students and staff to bring in their recyclable goods from home for a charity drive. Provide a specific place in the school where they can be collected.

23. School supply lists: Certain office/school supply stores will give back a portion of proceeds to your school or classroom. Check out your local retailers for a program like this, and provide this information to parents in the summer or at the start of the school year.

24. Gift-wrapping station: Around major holidays, advertise a gift-wrapping station where parents and students can bring their unwrapped gifts and have them wrapped for a low cost.

25. Read-a-Thon: Read as a class or encourage individual reading during a specific period of time. Ask for donations based on how much you read! There are also organized programs that you can follow as a class with specific activities, books lists, and donation forms.

26. Food drive: Collect non-perishable goods for a specific local community charity.

27. Multicultural fair: Showcase the many delicious foods and unique talents of your students by hosting an event where students are encouraged to share their cultural traditions with one another.

28. Game day: Plan an afternoon of board games and indoor activities that students and teachers can sign up for in advance, and participate in a number of games around the school. Offer small prizes for winners.

29. Recipe book: Have students contribute family recipes and create one school-wide recipe book. Sell the book to parents and community members.

30. Charity ball: Host an evening event for students and the community to attend and contribute part of the proceeds going to a local charity. Have volunteers ask for décor and refreshment donations from local businesses, and develop a specific theme for the evening.

31. Online crowdfunding: Test out an online crowdfunding platform to get donations for your cause. Think of creative incentives that you can give to people who donate, with bigger incentives for larger donations.

32. Movie Night: Partner with a movie theater that will offer discounted tickets or donate a portion of each ticket sale.

33. Scavenger Hunt: Have participants sign up in twosomes for a fee to participate. The teams will compete in an around-town scavenger hunt. Give out prizes for first, second and third place teams.

34. Parents Night Out: Plan an evening where parents can drop off their little ones for a couple hours. Coordinate some games or a movie for the kids and charge a babysitting fee per child.

35. Rubber Duck Race: Number and sell rubber ducks to participate in a “race.” Drop the lovable ducks down a river or in the middle of the pool with a designated “finish line.” Hand out prizes to the winning ducks.

36. Spa Night: Organize for various spa professionals to give a day or evening of pampering! Seek nail technicians, make up artists, and hair stylists to donate or discount their services to benefit your school.

37. Live Online Auction. Ask parents and local stores for a item to donate. Hold a live auction on Facebook or another site.

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