The first fundraiser
Once you’ve made your initial roster for the trip, gather your team together to plan a fundraiser. Do this even if your students come from wealthy families. Fundraisers are important for developing group dynamics. Here are some sample fundraising activities:
- Bagging groceries at a local store
- Holding a car wash (weather permitting, of course!)
- Selling candy, cheese, or gift cards
- Running a silent auction
- Holding a charity dinner (e.g., a spaghetti dinner)
- Hosting a casino night or some other type of fundraising party
Have the students brainstorm activities in groups and then present these to the other groups. Choose the activity with the most potential to make money and to be fun. Let the students know that this is a part of the ongoing recruitment process and see how they interact. At the end of the first fundraiser, have a debriefing. Did the students uphold their end of the positive contract? How did everyone feel? Did people act like team players? How did they react if someone wasn’t speaking the target language during dedicated times? Address any problems early on. You may be tempted to keep students who need handholding on your team, but your hands will be too full during the trip to hold someone else’s!