Seven Summertime Tools for Cash-Strapped Schools, Students and Programs
Seven financially friendly summer strategies for the college-connected community and the students they serve during touch economic times.
With federal, state and household budgets all at challenging lows, it is a tough time for schools, community programs, students and their families. But college-going culture isn’t an optional line item; it’s an unwavering commitment for all of you and for all of us here at The CLIC. Here are seven financially friendly summer strategies for the college-connected community during touch economic times.
“Check out” the public library. Many libraries offer free tutoring, test prep programs, computer labs and more for students - which are HUGE now with budget cuts cutting back on summer school and other programs. Some library systems even have dedicated young adult librarians whose specialties include college-bound assistance! Call or stop by your nearest public library - at the very least, the free books, CDs and movie collection will save you cash on entertainment this summer. And at the very best, you may be able to volunteer to tutor or otherwise serve your community over the summer.
Switch to a social media solution to collect college-related data (teachers and advisors). Social media means so much more than chatting and posting videos - and it can be extremely safe! Why pay to print, mail and compile student surveys when you can survey them online for free using “Google Forms” (just Google that term for easy info)? Students are quick to click on surveys, their answers are instantly saved in a spreadsheet - and you can view data reports with one click! To keep personal student information off of the Internet (and comply with district policy), just hand out slips with random numbers on them for students to write their names on. Then they can use that number to identify themselves on the survey. When they give you their name and number, enter them in a raffle for a small gift!
Take your personal pages to a professional level (students). We love Facebook, YouTube and MySpace (we’re on there, too) - but it’s time to clean up your home pages! Take down all pix and videos with bad behavior or risqué clothing, delete posts with foul language and otherwise prepare your home pages for employers and admissions officers to evaluate you. Because they are going to look for you online - believe it!
Create (or update) a digital directory for instant outreach (teachers and advisors). Do you have the email address for every student - and their parents or guardians? What about their cell numbers? Do you know how many students in your school have regular access to a computer at home - or to high-speed Internet? And do you know how your families prefer to be contacted? You might be surprised at how connected your kids and their families are - and how much easier communication could be if you had all of their information gathered and ready for use. And if the numbers are low, you’ve got compelling data for a technology grant (can you say “Stimulus Fund”?). Do we need to mention you can collect all of this data fast and for free using an online survey? Imagine next year’s FAFSA night with one-click to notify families…
Get your digital life in order (students). What are you spending on that monthly phone bill - especially for texts if you don’t have an unlimited plan? Ask to see the bill if you don’t pay it - and cut it in half the next month. Get conscious with those keys! Next, if you have a cell phone calendar or Outlook, Entourage or even a Google calendar on your computer, learn to set alerts - it will pay off with homework and exams whether you’re in secondary school or college. And if you’re headed to college in the fall, sign up for free Skype accounts (for you and your family members) so you can chat for free to anyone at any time. If you have the extra $30-50, spring for a webcam, and you can video call back home for free, too!
Partner with parents and guardians (teachers and advisors). Yes, it can be tough for family members with busy careers to contribute to school efforts. So what can you do in off-hours to help them engage? Can you use the summer months to collect information on the work schedules and professions of school families so you can more easily request volunteers, speakers and chaperones? Can you launch a wiki at a site like Wetpaint where family members can join, post their own information, contribute to college-bound events from their home or office, share their own backgrounds and goals for their kids, and launch discussions for free? Imagine knowing all of the alma maters of every parent or guardian of your students - what would your next college fair look like? If you’d like to learn more about blogs, wikis and other social tools for your school, click the Contact link on any page - we do very popular presentations to get your organization more social media savvy!
Partner with your parents and guardians (students). Sure, sleeping in, mall-hopping and gaming are completely awesome, agreed. But also add a parent or guardian partnership to your summertime plans. Make this summer the first summer you do your chores without being asked (schedule them on your computer or cell phone for practice). Watch how things change around your house - and not just because the trash is finally outside! Once you’ve earned their trust in your responsibility, if you can join a parent or guardian at work one day - or several , GO. Whether you spend the day filing tax paperwork, landscaping a yard, or answering an endlessly ringing phone, don’t do it for money. Do it to understand where the money comes from in your house. Then sit with your family and ask to help draft a family budget for the month. The sooner you learn what the real bills are in your house - and how much work goes into paying them - the better prepared you will be for college years when you have to start managing money on your own.
As always, share your own recommendations and experiences below!
DMA is the CEO of The CLIC, the revolutionary new site where students can powerfully plan for college and institutions can effortlessly recruit students from a single home page in our FREE interactive network. CLIC students can connect to college matches, scholarship searches, college access programs and the nation’s first master calendar of all college-related deadlines and events, with streaming video tips and much more, at www.theclic.net.
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Tags: budget, economy, financial aid, google forms, library, online survey, plan for college, social media, wiki