And staying sane while doing so!
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Connect the students learning to the real
world
Provide opportunities for career exploration
and leadership skill building
Recognize student achievement in the Career
and Tech fields
Allow students to see the relevance of their
learning
Get students excited about your program and
helps to recruit more students for your
program
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If you act enthusiastic, you will be
enthusiastic!
Students want to be a part of something fun,
entertaining and helpful to them.
Other teachers will want to help you if you
“appear” organized. Know what you need
them to do and ask for help!
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Set goals
Select officers
Plan your own program of work – Sample
Plan travel & Purchase orders
Look at the state and national websites to
familiarize yourself with the theme,
registration guidelines, and expectations
Get excited!
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President
Officer Application
Sample
Secretary
VP Competition
VP Publicity
VP Fundraising
VP Community Service
Choose your officers rather than voting
because you will work with them the most
Hold them accountable & meet monthly
Make them feel appreciated
Try to get them to sign up for your class if
possible
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Class presentations by you & by your officers
to other classes (Do by middle of September)
Set your dues & create a membership form
Publicize – Bulletin boards, announcements,
stickers, etc
Create an awesome club t-shirt that others
want either by you or the students
(Customink.com)
Make it personal – send invitations to former
students, provide discounts for recruiting
certain # of members
Membership
Application
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Meet with your club monthly
Host before and/or afterschool
meetings/socials
Make it as student led as possible –
remember it is their club!
Find Guest Speakers early – parents of
students, your own network of friends,
partners in education, share with other clubs,
colleges (Art Institute, Medix), just call
around area businesses
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Ask questions before you choose a guest
speaker – they must be able to speak to teens
and be interactive & entertaining
Other ideas – brainstorm with your officers
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Stress Management
Community Service
Job Interviewing
Dressing for Success & Image
Applying for college
Alumni Day (Get permission!)
Make them as interactive as possible
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Have officers dress professionally and/or
wear blazers for competition
Greet members @ door
Provide agenda
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Introduction
Icebreaker
Meeting topic
Door prizes
Food
Keep it simple
Take pictures!
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Huge opportunity for students – This is their
sport.
Explore and ask questions
Region, State, International levels
Implement a local competition to ensure
commitment
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Prepare students early – begin in October
incorporating it into your class.
Give your other teachers lesson ideas to help
you prepare them for competition
Start small to learn how it works and build
from there
Ask students you think would be interested
and take it seriously to sign up
Volunteer at the competitions to learn more
Keep materials organized for the next year
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Start early! Even on 1st day – getting to know the club
Use test questions as warm-up questions in class
that go with the unit that you are working on.
Have a day in class to use as a quiz bowl where
students work in teams and take sample tests.
Winners get a prize.
Use the role plays or other performance based events
in your class with the unit that you are working on.
Have former members return to class and discuss
with current members what competition is like and
how to prepare.
Request donations from local businesses/partners
(tax free!)
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Have students pay deposits for EVERYTHING
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Provide packets to each competitor
◦ Include a memo outlining all event information
including dress code, event location, times of
departure, meal information, event times,
expectations, consequences of poor behavior,
costs, etc)
◦ Include all forms – field trip permission forms,
conduct assurance, grade verification sheets, etc)
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Keep a field trip notebook to take with you on
trips to stay organized
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Give students your phone number and have
them stay with a buddy and check in with you
periodically
Do room checks
If anything happens, find the state advisor
and then your administrators
If you have a field trip notebook, all of the
information you need will be in that notebook
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Plan at least 2 projects per year
Brainstorm with your officers for ideas
Work with other clubs together for bigger
impact
Provide opportunities to serve, not just
donate money or items
Write press releases for the newspaper and
submit them to be published.
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Ideas for projects
◦ Each club usually has a fall & spring idea that
includes collecting money for a variety of causes
including breast cancer, MDA, Diabetes Foundation,
etc.
◦ Collect items for care packages to send to armed
forces
◦ Homeless Shelter of Douglas County
◦ Sheltering Arms
◦ Veteran’s Day – honor those in your school
◦ Teacher Appreciation
◦ School Beautification projects
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Brainstorm with your officers
Sell candy but have them turn in dollars or
checks (no coins!)
Create projects in class where students create
a product to sell to others in the school to
raise money (with prior permission!)
Ideas – Catalog fundraisers, t-shirts, products
at games, homecoming buttons,
football/basketball game ideas
Otis Spunkmeyer & Smoothie machines
(depending on administration)
Get creative
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If allowed, students love field trips!
Opportunity to see places and encourage
membership in your club
Ideas
◦ Local businesses where students can see your
subjects in real life
◦ Colleges/Universities
◦ Federal Reserve, CNN Center, World of Coke, Chickfil-a Corporate Headquarters, any place that you
can prove to be co-curricular and valuable to the
students
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Be passionate about it because it is what helps
students achieve the most & brings them back to
your program
Start slow and increase goals each year
Learn from others
Ask questions
Don’t get discouraged, just learn from the issue
and move on
Have a notebook to keep organized
◦ Membership
◦ Officers – include your officer info, POW, etc
◦ Field Trip Notebook –check request forms, sub forms,
printed emails from state advisors, field trip forms, etc
to take with you on your trips