Current Projects

Here's some project ideas/events that the council can elaborate on and may think of doing:

1. Talent Show
2. Spring Dance
3. Powderpuff game
5. Multicultural Banquet
6. Valentine's Dance
7. Dodgeball Tournament
8. Can the Principal (fill office with cans food drive)
9. Can sculpture contest (food drive)
10. Adopt a elementary (sponsor an elementary kid)
11. Teacher Appreciation (Best teacher of the year)
12. Staff Appreciation

Holiday Oriented Projects

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE

Tree Recycling
By Robert Lenz
Millions of Christmas trees end up in land fills every year. Student leadership programs need money and innovative opportunities to develop their skills. Drake HS School Tree Recycling Program answers these needs.

The day that Christmas tree lots open our program begins with massive publicity at the lots and in our community advertising our services. The message is simple: Bring your tree to Drake High parking lot on the two weekends after New Year's and we will chip your tree and return the mulch to the earth as ground cover for public lands (e.g., schools, parks, street meridians). All we ask is a $5 donation.

We have formed a business partnership with a local tree service company that chips the trees and provides equipment to handle the 1,000 trees we recycle. In addition, there are well defined jobs for 20 students and parents during each shift to process the trees and donations. We are open for service for two shifts: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

When a community member drives into the parking lot he or she is met by a greeter who explains the program and asks for a donation. The money goes to the cashier and the driver of the car is directed by the traffic patrol to the unloading area. Drivers are met by friendly students who unload the tree and send them on their way. The tree handlers give the tree to the chipper and our landfills are less one tree.

We raise between four to six thousand dollars on the project, depending on the weather. Most of all, the students have helped the environment and further developed their leadership skills by running their own student enterprise.
Robert Lenz teaches leadership at Sir Francis Drake HS in Anselmo, Calif. 

DASH COMMITTEE :AIDS AWARENESS IS IN DECEMBER!!!!

AIDS Awareness
For World AIDS Awareness Day in December, the student council at Sunrise MS in Clackamas, OR, sponsored a project with many different aspects. Council members researched the AIDS epidemic, especially as it related to African countries, then created information packets and gave them to Language Arts teachers for distribution with their students. Council members asked the Language Arts teachers to have their students write letters to their representative in Congress to encourage them to support AIDS funding. Morning announcements also featured AIDS awareness information.

"Our goal was two-fold: to increase awareness of the situation and to raise money for African villages," says Jennifer Leonard, student council adviser. "We wanted to raise enough money to purchase one heifer through the Heifer Project International. We ended up purchasing two cows and four goats!"

A highlight of the project and the key fundraising element was a Fun Run in PE classes on World AIDS Awareness Day. Students were asked to bring in at least $1. When students turned in their dollar, they received a raffle ticket (one for each dollar). This raffle ticket was then brought to lunch the following day and students were able to guess the weight of a real, live heifer that was tied to a tree outside the commons. Students with raffle tickets then guessed the weight, and the three closest won prizes: MOOOOvie tickets, Milk Duds, and MOOOOusic gift certificates. Ten random winners also won smaller prizes.

"This was a hit--we had kids who brought $50 and $100 donations of their own money! It was fun, and yet students became aware of a serious situation and we motivated them to help!" says Leonard.

Holiday Light BulbsWrite  student's name on lightbulbs that they string around the hallways of the school for a festive atmosphere.
Breakfast with Santa 
This holiday activity doubles as a fundraiser: Students are invited to breakfast with Santa. In addition to breakfast, they are entertained with a magic show and talent acts. Pictures with Santa are also available for a small fee. 
Snowflake Competition 
To get more people involved in preparations for the Snowflake (Winter) Dance, the student council organizes a snowflake competition. During lunch periods, student council members sit at a table with scissors and paper. Students stop by and cut out a snowflake. The snowflakes are used to decorate the dance settings. Judges rate the snowflakes and prizes are given out to the winners. 
Sock Tree 
The student council  organizes a sock tree during the holiday period. The tree is set up in the lunchroom area for students and staff to decorate with new socks, gloves, hats, and other items. All items are then donated to a homeless shelter.
Snowmen Magnets 
As a gesture of appreciation, student council memberscreate snowmen magnets to present to faculty members. They paint Popsicle sticks white, glue hats on them, draw faces, and affix a magnet to the back. The magnets are delivered to teachers during their planning period.
Holiday Storybook Readings 
StuCo take up a collection of holiday storybooks that they take to a local elementary school. While there they team up with students to read the books.









For more Project ideas visit
http://www.nasc.us/StudentCouncilProjectIdeas.aspx
http://www.hcs-k12.org/userfiles/6/StudentCouncilIdeas.pdf
http://pinterest.com/napita/student-council-project-ideas/

If a committe decides to do a big project, all of StuCo will pitch in to help. The committee in charge, however, will be responsible for hosting it. They must first type up a Project Plan that answers WhoWhatWhenWhereWhyHow and submit it to the principal, who will approve or veto the motion/idea.
Be sure to plan a project with much detail and consideration!

Post below if you have any other great ideas or wish to elaborate on one of the above!