Project Graduation:Empowering Communities
In 2005, Phi Theta Kappa chapter members were key in changing lives and changing communities. Project Graduation served as a civic engagement springboard to help effect change through the collection of books and food items. Chapters collected over 177,000 food items and over 90,000 books in 2005. However, despite the tremendous impact members continue to make through Project Graduation, hunger and low literacy rates remain in the forefront as two of the most pressing societal problems facing the United States and many other countries today.
Studies by the National Center for Education Statistics have shown that literacy rates have a substantial impact on job markets in a community. Your chapter's success in Project Graduation translates to a better community and a better life for others. 2006 has the potential to be a record-breaking year as we empower the community through Project Graduation. What are the keys to success?
Start Early
One of the first and most important
steps to experiencing success in Project
Graduation is to submit the online Enrollment
Form at www.projectgraduation.org
well in advance of your event. When you
enroll, you will receive a planning packet
containing a planning guide and posters
to help you organize and publicize your
Project Graduation event. Another advantage
of starting early is having more time to
determine which local organizations will
receive your chapter's donations. This is
helpful when publicizing your event, since
including the name of the organization
that you are assisting gives validity to your
program and may encourage more people
to donate.
An important part of the planning process is knowing where you want to go, or in the case of Project Graduation, how much you want to collect. As you begin planning your program, set a goal for the amount that you want to reach. This will help maintain your chapter's excitement for Project Graduation throughout the year and will also give your chapter members a great sense of accomplishment when you reach your goal.
Use Your Resources
There are numerous online Project
Graduation resources available to your
chapter at www.projectgraduation.org.
Reports from previous years indicate that
chapters who use these resources typically
have a more successful Project Graduation
event. The downloadable posters, PowerPoint
presentation and media resources can aid
your chapter in informing your campus and
community about Project Graduation.
Follow Up
No Project Graduation event is complete
until you submit the online Success Form.
Each year, donations collected and distributed
by all participating chapters are counted to
measure the impact of the Project Graduation
initiative. Your completed Success Form
ensures that your chapter's contributions
are included in these numbers. In addition,
each chapter submitting the Success Form
is recognized with a Project Graduation
certificate and a congratulatory letter, mailed
to your college president.
Empower Your Community
Project Graduation is a dynamic program
because it is an easy way to empower
members of your community to get involved
in making your community a better place.
Even more importantly, the items donated to
community relief agencies help empower
individuals to make themselves better.
Enroll in Project Graduation and begin empowering your community, one can of food and one book at a time.
For additional information about how your chapter can participate in Project Graduation, contact Chapter Programs Coordinator Garon Tate at 601.984.3555.
