GUEST COLUMN: 4 Ways To Pay for Your Trips to the Theater

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4 Ways To Pay for Your Trips to the Theater 

by Devin Caldwell

Are you looking for ways to fundraise for your school, so your students or children can attend certain events? Going to the theater is always a popular event for students of all ages, but it can be costly, even with special student discounts. This can make it difficult for all students to attend and get the full benefit out of it.

Here are some unique and helpful ways that other schools have done fundraising while ensuring the children were able to go on meaningful field trips at the same time. 

1. Have a Plant Sale

Plant sales are popular with many schools, and this can be done any time of year, even if you live in an area that has cold weather. Mum sales are always popular in the fall, while you could utilize Christmas wreath sales in the months of November or December. Spring plant sales are also a great way to earn money toward the end of the school year.

You don't have to have a lot of plants; focus on picking a couple, and make sure you advertise to everyone who attends the school, and the general public as well. 

2.  Set Up a Dress Up Day and Charge For It

Even if your current school doesn't have a uniform, having a special day that allows the children to dress up out of the ordinary can be fun while earning money at the same time. You could select a Disney dress up day, and allow every child to come to school dressed as a Disney character while charging a couple of dollars per child. 

Depending on how many students attend the school, this could quickly add up. if you do it a few times a year, you could bring in even more money. 

3.  Host a Meal for the School and Community 

Another great way to fundraise for your school and make the general community aware of it is to have a community meal, such as a pancake dinner, and charge for it. This could be held around holidays, such as Mardi Gras, allowing community members a chance to get out, see the school, and help the students through their contributions.

Make sure you are charging enough so that you can recoup the cost of supplies while still turning a profit. This might involve crunching some numbers, but it is worth it in the end. 

4. Work Fundraisers During the Holidays 

The holidays are a great time to plan a fundraiser for your school. You could set up a breakfast with Santa, allowing families the chance to come to the school, eat a meal, and visit with Santa, all for a set donation. Or, you could put together a special party for Halloween, or a similar type of event. It really depends on your school, what holidays they are willing to work with, and what everyone thinks would be best.

You might even find it helpful to explore online fundraising ideas for schools to get a better idea of what would work for your location. Make sure to get feedback from the students, since this can make a positive difference, and even help them to get more involved in fundraising efforts.

There are a variety of different ways that you can help your school raise money for trips to the theater, or any type of trip they are wanting to take, but have trouble with the cost. I

It's worthwhile to consider a plant sale, and see if selling plants once or twice a year provides the income boost the school needs. Having a dress up dance once (or multiple times during the year) is another great option to bring in funds. If you would like to get the general public involved, having a special meal, or even planning holiday fun is a useful way to increase fundraising, and you might notice a lot of positive changes in the process.