Here is what the Student Leadership Program looked like at Wootton High School in Rockville, MD.

Remember: What works perfectly for one school may not be right for another. This is just an example of a week-long project. But this can be as simple or complex, as short or as long as you like. We will work with you to customize the program to fit your school’s schedule and your own interests and imagination!

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Preparation

Beginning three months before the event, the Wootton High Student Leaders, with the support of their principal and faculty sponsors, began holding regular meetings to discuss ideas. The students formed committees, with each group responsible for one specific aspect of the program: classroom teaching, guest speakers, media relations, visual displays and post-event action. The students received supporting materials and advice from AmericanPoverty.org and held regular meetings with our staff via Skype.

The Wootton students were given permission to host their event over the course of four days, with one additional day reserved for set-up. As the program week grew closer, the Student Leaders created posters and banners on topics such as poverty, homelessness, hunger, housing, and healthcare. They designed and rehearsed classroom presentations and reached out to community leaders and local media. Here’s how the week unfolded:

Monday

After school, Student Leaders (at Wootton they were members of the student government, but this could be organized by any student organization) met and hung  posters and banners in entrances, hallways and common areas throughout the school.  The students mounted a display of photographs provided by AmericanPoverty.org. and a life-sized replica of a homeless man’s environment.

Tuesday and Wednesday

The Student Leaders called Tuesday “Shock and Awe Day.” When students and faculty arrived they were startled by the visual displays. As they walked down the halls they took in all of the photographs, posters and information. Teachers brought their classes to the photography exhibit. After school, the student leaders added fresh posters and displays, specifically addressing the causes of poverty and the inaccurate myths about people who are poor.

Thursday

Classroom teaching. By prior arrangement, English classes in each grade were taught by Student Leaders, using lesson plans and multimedia developed by the students themselves, with help from their  faculty advisors and the AmericanPoverty.org staff. The lessons included a history of poverty in the United States, surprising statistics about national and local poverty, interactive exercises designed to help students understand the tough choices facing families living on a limited income, and an introductory discussion about ways to address the root causes of poverty.

Friday

In the morning, Bobby Bailey, Creative Director for The Global Poverty Project, gave an inspiring assembly to the entire school. (AmericanPoverty.org can help you coordinate this or students can work together to invite a speaker.) During lunches and free periods, local organizations set up informational tables so that students could talk to the staff, pick up brochures and sign up for volunteer opportunities.

The Result

At Wooton High School, over 400 students signed up to volunteer in literacy programs, homeless shelters and a wide variety of community services. And on Saturday morning, the Student Leaders woke up and realized that they had set in motion a wave that would make a difference in the lives of hundreds (if not thousands) of people, including their friends. To top it off, as a result of their efforts, the Student Leaders were invited to the White House for a discussion with senior domestic policy aides to Vice President Joe Biden.

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A short video of the week’s events at Wootton High school can be seen on the Student Leadership homepage.

Click here to learn about the staff that Students Leaders work with at AmericanPoverty.org

Click here if you are interested in becoming a Student Leader and would like a printed brochure with additional information.

Click here if you’ve already decided you’d like to become a Student Leader at your school. After you fill out the application form, we will contact you! We can answer any questions that you have at that time.