5 Tips on How to Create a Day of Service in Your School – From Allen HS

Allen High School located in Allen, Texas, strives to engage its students in meaningful service. In fact, one of the pillars of their graduation profile is to be an engaged citizen. School leaders had the desire to engage their student body in service, but with a student enrollment of over 5,400 students, this seemed like a daunting task. However, by working with other school organizations and connecting with local nonprofit organizations, administrators and students worked together to establish Eagle Give Day - Allen High School's day of service. The program's resounding success resulted in increased student engagement and awareness of local nonprofits and needs. 

With nine different ways to serve, students had the ability to serve in an area that interested them, sign up to serve with their friends, or serve with an organization or cause that is new to them.  

Jennifer Clements, Student Leadership and Peer Mentoring Teacher, and JD Walker, Coordinator of Student Leadership and Engagement at Allen High School, reported that over 2,000 of their students participated in Eagle Give Day. Local nonprofits benefited from the students' hard work and many students were introduced to new ways to serve others in their communities!  

Benefits of a Day of Service: 

1. Increased student engagement
2. More connection amongst students
3. Relationship building with local nonprofits
4. Increased awareness for students about local organizations, causes, and community needs 
5. Creating a culture of service
   Learn how to create a culture of service in your school or district!

Whether your students are already serving in the community or you would like to encourage service and engage students in service learning, a day of service provides an opportunity for students to connect with their peers, local organizations and make a difference in their communities. 

We sat down with Clements and Walker to hear more about how they established their day of service, what student outcomes and results they saw, and best practices for creating a day of service. See their on-demand webinar below:  

Top Tips for Creating a Day of Service: 

1. Engage with other organizations at your school
   Collaborate with student groups, involve faculty and staff, and develop projects that involve multiple departments. This can increase participation and foster a sense of community within your school.
2. Involve students in the planning
   Form a planning committee, assign leadership opportunities, and hold regular meetings to hear student feedback and make adjustments as needed.
3. Connect with local nonprofits 
   Establish relationships with your local nonprofits to find out what their needs are and how your students can help!
4. Provide diverse service options
   Include a variety of activities including skill-based activities to allow students to match their skills with projects they are interested in. 
5. Have an easy way for students to sign up
   Utilize the x2VOL platform to make it easy for students to sign up, track hours, and reflect! 

x2VOL made it easy for Allen High School to organize its day of service event. Students were able to sign up for different opportunities and shifts, administrators were able to manage rosters, and students could easily track the hours they served and write a reflection on their service day experience. 

Click below to learn more about x2VOL or get in contact with our team. 

Eagle Give Day at a Glance