The bulb-a-thon has something for everyone...little kindergartners getting their hands dirty digging for worms; third graders negotiating and deciding who gets to dig, who gets to plant, and who gets to cover; eighth graders helping each other with the strong jobs of moving sod with wheelbarrows. I think everyone had fun!

Linda R., parent

5 Steps to Program Success

Register: Identify the student group to lead the InspiringKids initiative and sign up with InspiringKids*:
This group can be a class, grade, student council, after-school program, etc. With the help of an adult facilitator(s), these students will lead the school in every step of the program.
Kids Assess: They complete the Needs Assessment- 2 Parts:
- Part 1: Identify Community and Need and choose a related cause(s) to support: Students work together to identify the need(s) of their community* that they would like to meet. This assessment can be reasonably simple or more comprehensive depending on the age of the children and the time available. When the assessment is complete they will have identified a cause or project that they would like to support (ex. Local food bank or buying books for their school).
- Part 2: Identifying how to meet the need: This step enables kids to think through jobs that they can do as a way to raise money to meet the need(s) that they identified in Step #1. The job(s) will be completed during a Green Jobs Day (afternoon). When this assessment is complete they will have decided how they are going to raise money to meet the need identified in the first part of the assessment.
Kids Do: They plan, get sponsors for and complete a Green Jobs Day:
After completing the second part of the assessment, the team (kids and adults) work together on planning and completing a Green Jobs Day as a way to raise money for the need(s) identified in the first part of the assessment. The kids will get sponsors to complete the green jobs (campus clean up, planting a garden, chores for school gardens, etc.)
We provide suggestions, blueprints and support resources (local environmental groups that may be able to offer support via expertise and/or volunteers to assist during the day).
Kids Share: The money is donated to the Community Organizations that they chose during their assessment:
When the money has been raised and the Green Jobs Day is completed, the money is distributed to the organizations. We offer account management services and will track your impact. Some kids will want to invite the recipient organizations to their schools to accept the money in person and talk about their organizations.
Kids Reflect:
Kids are given the opportunity to think about how they feel about what they did and why they did it. Writing, art, music are all encouraged to give kids opportunities to process the ideas behind philanthropy in their communities by donating their collective time, treasure and talent.

*Please note- There is no cost to registering. By registering we can assign your group a community page and begin to connect your school with the area resources that will assist you in your efforts. In addition you will have easy access to our tools and templates.