Top Ten Partnership Activities

1. Tutor students in reading or math - Meet regularly with students before, during or after school or on Saturdays to provide individual assistance for students who need it. Also, consider using an online tutoring program for added convenience.

2. Judge a Science or History Fair - A great way to participate with an event that may already be on your school's calendar. Judge the fair or meet with students beforehand to help them prepare their projects.

3. Serve as Principal for a Day - Encourage prominent alumni in your club to serve as Principals for a Day at your partner school on October 30, 2008. Alumni can get to know the partner school by touring classrooms and talking to students during the day. To find out more and sign up go to www.chicagopfad.org.

4. Hold a Beautification Day - Improve your school's learning environment by working alongside students on landscaping, painting or decorating your school.

5. Mentoring or e-mentoring students - Form ongoing personal relationships with students, meeting regularly or communicating online. Mentoring can be one of the most meaningful ways to engage with students at your school.

6. Talking to students about going to college - Increase students' college awareness by speaking as part of a panel, a small group discussion or an assembly. Describe the college application process and the opportunities available to students during and after college.

7. Speaking at career days - Bring alumni to your partner school to speak about their professions and the job seeking process, advising students on how to pursue careers in the fields they are interested in.

8. Hosting a student for job shadowing - Give interested students a chance to experience your workplace and see how the skills they are learning in school will apply to their careers once they graduate.

9. Helping establish and support extracurricular activities and clubs - Use your alumni's skills and interests to start or support an after-school activity such as a book club, robotics club or chess team.

10. Collecting and donating dorm supplies for college-bound seniors - Ease the transition to college life by providing supplies like sheets, phone cards, and reading lights for students from your school who are starting college.

We also encourage alumni groups to consider working with students on "non-traditional" volunteer and student activities and projects, including activities focused on volunteers' and students' specific interests. Some examples include:

1. Assisting a girls high school golf team;

2. Spending a Saturday morning helping the Chicago Humane Society;

3. Teaching a video film seminar where each student makes a short film;

4. Teaching students how to sew or cook;

5. Planning a Back-to-School event or graduation party

The opportunities really are endless so start thinking about what you'd like to do!

Page updated 30 September 2008