Back to School with Roots & Shoots
It's back-to-school time, and for many school-based groups, that means back-to-Roots & Shoots time. Back to doing projects, back to submitting Project Reports, back to making the world a better place!
Are you ready to take action? Take a look at the tips below from Roots & Shoots staff members and groups leaders to get your Roots & Shoots school year off to a good start.
If you're not a member, become one.
You've been meaning to start a Roots & Shoots group--now's the perfect time! Sign up today to bring Roots & Shoots to your school community. Visit the "Educators" section of our website to get a handle on what Roots & Shoots can do for your school. Or, if you're a young person looking to start Roots & Shoots at your school check out the "Kids & Teens" section.
Get kids excited.
Roots & Shoots is about empowering young people to take action on issues they care about. It's not about forcing kids to do boring projects that they have no interest in. Get your kids excited about what they're doing by engaging them in the planning, helping them understand their own impact and sharing your own excitement. Enthusiasm is contagious!
Helpful planning tools include:
Community Survey
Project Planning Guidelines
Create your login.
Maybe you deleted the email with your Roots & Shoots website login information. Maybe you forgot your password. Whatever the case, if you're a registered member and you're not logging in, you're not taking full advantage of all the benefits of your Roots & Shoots membership, including:
The interactive Project Database
Helpful Resource Center
Free Roots & Shoots Curriculum
Lively Discussion Boards
Create a login now!
Gather your group members.
Having an informal first meeting can help your group members get to know one another and re-focus after a summer off. If your group works better with structure, you can create an agenda and take meeting minutes. You can also turn to the "Group Meetings" chapter of the Roots & Shoots Handbook for information about first meetings.
Don't forget to advertise your meetings so everyone knows when they are!
Find project ideas.
Is your brain fried from too much beach time? Ease back into Roots & Shoots action by browsing through "10 easy things you can do to." Energize your group members (and yourself) by doing a search in the Project Database to see what other Roots & Shoots groups have done.
Keep an eye out for the new Roots & Shoots Youth Campaign, coming this fall!
Talk to administrators.
You're probably aware that things happen more quickly when administrators are on board with your plan. Schedule a meeting, give a presentation or have a casual chat. Make sure the people in charge know how much you care and what good can come of starting a Roots & Shoots group. If you're a student, find an advisor (usually a teacher or adult staff member) to help you figure out the system.
Plan some lessons.
If you're working with Roots & Shoots in a classroom, there are a variety of age-appropriate Activity Guides available in the Resource Center for group leaders, premium individuals and group members.
Keep an eye out for the new Roots & Shoots Service Learning Curriculum coming out this fall! Learn more about the curriculum by attending the 2010 Roots & Shoots North America Training Summit.
Create a calendar.
You've got a tons of ideas, and so do your group members. How are you going to accomplish it all in just one year? A calendar might help. Mark down your group meetings, project deadlines and goal targets. Be sure the pencil in the Roots & Shoots International Day of Peace on September 19! Refer to the Roots & Shoots Events Calendar to make sure you're not missing out on any upcoming events.
Helpful planning tools include:
Timeline-making Guide
Submit your projects.
Submitting Project Reports to the online Project Database helps other Roots & Shoots members around the world come up with projects to do in their own communities.
Here are some tips for submitting successful projects!
Don't forget only projects in the Project Database can be featured as Projects of the Week, in the Roots & Shoots International Newsletter or qualify to earn the Certificate of Recognition signed by Dr. Jane.
The Roots & Shoots team wishes all of our educators and students a wonderful school year!
**All resources an be found in the Getting Started section of the Resource Center.
