Each ELA Honor Society should plan a series of activities to undertake during the school year. These activities should bring together as many student members as possible to work with other people within their school or local community to promote the English Language Arts.
During each semester, Chapter Leaders and other student members should create a report about what activities they have undertaken and should submit this, along with photos or videos, to the Chapter Showcase program. Excellent examples of chapter activities will be published on the ELA Honor Society website and those chapters will receive $50 to support their upcoming activities and a certificate to display in their school.
All submissions to the Chapter Showcase will be considered for the Chapter Showcase Award. The winner of this award will receive a trophy and an official certificate to display in their school.
Community Projects
While based on academic accomplishment in English, membership in the ELA Honor Society encourages both leadership and social responsibility. ELA recommends that chapters strive to support their school and local communities.
The following categories should guide chapters in developing a plan of how they can be of service to their schools and communities. Remember, the more the chapter is willing to serve, the stronger it will be, and the more willing others will be to contribute to and to participate in its activities.
Academic Focus
These projects will establish or maintain a project focused on supporting the academic development of a target audience within their school or local community.
Community Engagement
The purpose of this category is for ELA Honor Society chapters to focus their work on promoting life-long learning and the celebration of reading, writing, film, and the arts in their local community.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This category allows ELA Honor Society chapters to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in various forms within their school or local community. This category could include activities suggested in the Chapter Planning calendar.
Collaborative Projects
The purpose of this category is for ELA Honor Society chapters to work with other chapters on collaborative projects impacting their school or local community.
Chapter Member Activities
Chapter activities do not have to be limited solely to community projects and can include activities designed to bring ELA Honor Society student members together to interact and learn. These could take place both within and outside the school.
Activities within school could include organizing a book club, holding a special lunch, developing a series of team-building activities, inviting a guest speaker (author), creating bulletin boards about specific events, or putting on a play.
Activities that take place outside the school could include attending a play or a reading; going to the cinema; and visiting a book festival or local literary landmark. Arranging visits to local universities or libraries may also be of interest. The opportunities are endless.
All activities that take place outside the school must be authorized by school authorities.
Chapter Fundraising
Fundraising is inevitable for almost all student organizations. Without money, chapter activities are often limited. However, it is necessary to be sensitive to the community and to make sure that school authorities are aware of the ways in which the fundraising will contribute to the chapter and its programs and activities. Chapter Advisors should be deeply involved in any fundraising efforts.
In general, when raising money, chapters should set specific, realistic goals and develop a clear plan for achieving those goals. Set target dates by which money is needed, make a list of possible sources, and assign individual chapter members particular tasks. Make certain the entire burden of raising money is not left with one chapter member; financial support for the chapter should be the responsibility of all its members.
Funding Sources
Dues
Chapters may opt to set reasonable local dues for members on an annual basis. Local dues are not to be confused with membership fees or chapter annual fees. It is important to be sensitive to the resources of all student members when determining the amount to be charged.
School Organizations/English Department Budget
Ask Chapter Advisors about the possible availability of funds from the school. Since the chapter is usually sponsored by the English Department, the chair and/or administration may be persuaded to include an allowance for the chapter in the budget.
Business Sponsors for Specific Events
Local bookstores may agree to a percentage of book sales for an evening, or restaurants may help to sell food. A computer company might want to support a workshop. Many businesses will support events if they can be mentioned in the program. Such sponsorships should be worked out very carefully with the school administration before any contacts are made and before any funding is received. But such partnerships, especially for a well-conceived and appropriate event, can be beneficial for the chapter, the school, and the sponsoring business.
Student Fundraising
Students can also generate their own funds by undertaking a range of activities. All activities should be approved by Chapter Advisors and school authorities before being undertaken.
Successful student fundraising activities include:
- Holding a new or used book sale.
- Selling food. This activity can include anything from the traditional bake sale to selling cookies with Valentine poems attached. Be creative; see what local restaurants, bakeries and/or coffee shops are willing to do to help.
- Organizing a car wash.
- Selling arts and crafts or items such as bookmarks.
- Selling flowers for special occasions, such as mums for homecoming or roses for Valentine’s Day.
- Designing and selling literary T-shirts. Famous lines from literature and the creative use of language make great T-shirts.
