School Assemblies
In these past two decades of school fundraising, if I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a thousand times: “We want to make a LOT of money without doing ANY work.” Don’t we all?! The reality is that to make any campaign successful there has to be some effort put into it. Sure…there are some companies, campaigns, products that are easier to work with and sell than others, but it never is as easy as just shaking the money tree and watching the cash just come raining down.
When it comes to a successful school fundraiser one of the most important things you can do is to have a proper kickoff. A launch. A kickstart. A way to get everybody on the same page and headed in the same direction.
Think of your fundraiser kickoff assembly as a pep rally. Remember those pep rally days before a big Friday night game with your rival team? There was something powerful about getting everyone in the same room and on the same page for the same mission. Now imagine if, instead of a pep rally, the principal came on the school intercom and said “Hey students… big game tonight. There’s a packet in your classroom with some motivational words. We hope you take a packet today.” It would be quite a different feel, wouldn’t it? Well, it’s the same with a kickoff assembly for your school fundraiser. Here’s the top three reasons why it’s so important to launch your fundraiser properly:
1) A proper kickoff assembly sends the message that “This is important, and we need everyone on the same page.” I say proper because there are a lot of ways to do a kickoff assembly that aren’t that effective. For example…would you ever have your best math teacher share an important math concept over lunchtime in front of 300 kids? Not if you want the kids to pay attention and actually learn the lesson! Yes…I fully understand the importance of not interrupting class time. However, the purpose of the fundraiser is to enhance the experience that kids have at school. If students have fun at school and are engaged in things outside the class, you have a better chance of having them engaged in the class. A “proper” kickoff assembly consists of this:
2) Kickoff assemblies answer the questions that kids will be asking to teachers. My schools that haven’t done an assembly in the past have more questions than those who do an assembly. The teachers don’t have answers, and everyone is easily frustrated because no one knows what is going on or even why they are doing the fundraiser. Running a school wide assembly (or broken up into 2 or 3 assemblies) is an easy way to make sure that the teachers and students all have the same information.
3) Kickoff assemblies are meant to be informative AND fun! There are so many lessons that can be taught in a kickoff assembly. Setting goals, working together as a team, how to talk to adults, delayed gratification, working with money, fulfilling promises, etc. But as I do my school assemblies I am often looking out at the kids and trying to be intentional about making them laugh and smile. Some of these kids come from horrible homes and if I can brighten up their day with a fun kickoff that is more important than them participating in the fundraiser.
Looking for a successful fundraiser kickoff? Look no further than Believe Kids Fundraising. While many companies can simply ship materials, we go above and beyond to provide a dedicated representative who will present to your students and get them excited about your fundraiser. Our team of experts has years of experience in presenting and fundraising, so you can trust us to make your fundraiser a success from start to finish. Don't settle for a mediocre fundraiser kickoff - work with us and get your fundraiser off to a great start!
-Thomas Hixson
Believe Kids Representative