Our chapters always find fun ways to help!

PTPI’s Casablanca, Morocco (Sultans of Peace) Student Chapter cleaned and painted a local school in need of repairs.

Student Chapter Objectives

Students in chapters around the world are engaged in critical thought and action that lead to understanding. By fulfilling former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s dream, you will create a more peaceful future. The objectives of the chapter program include:

• Increase cultural awareness within your community
• Promote Peace through Understanding
• Engage in service and humanitarian activities
• Develop leadership skills
• Build long-lasting peaceful relationships between cultures

Chapters meet regularly and take part in exciting and inspiring community projects and events! Our student efforts range from sending aid items to earthquake victims, raising awareness about genocide, volunteering in orphanages and hosting PTPI cultural celebrations at schools. Each chapter should complete at least 12 meetings or events annually.

Chapter Requirements

While chapters are allowed freedom in choosing their activities, chapter programming should be organized into five main categories and should always aim to promote Peace through Understanding:

1. Cultural/International Education
2. Humanitarian and Service Efforts
3. Fundraising
4. Membership Recruitment
5. Public Relations

Additional requirements include:

• Submit a Team Peace Challenge Quarterly Report and Sister Chapter update (if part of the program) on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
• Submit a Student Chapter Annual Report on June 1
• Submit membership updates and pay dues to PTPI annually on October 1
• Participate in Global Youth Service Day

Cultural/International Education

Students’ understanding of other cultures is enhanced by their experiences in the Student Chapter Program. From communicating with chapter members in other countries through email and Skype to meeting in person at PTPI conferences and homestay experiences, students become acutely aware of the international challenges and rich cultural traditions. Project ideas include:

• Explore another culture by using PTPI’s Cultural Lesson Plans (Provided to all chartered chapters).
• Register for PTPI’s Sister Chapter Program.
• Plan an International Fair in your school or community. Introduce foods, music and cultures from around the world.
• Invite members from international communities in your area to speak at a chapter meeting about life in their native country.
• Participate in PTPI’s School & Classroom Program.
• Offer homestays to guests from other countries through PTPI’s International Visitors Program.
• Host an international film screening. Request a list of suggested international films from PTPI.
• Host a seminar on the importance of cultural understanding and share your findings from your experiences through the PTPI Student Chapter Program.
• Host an international student panel at a school or community function and ask each panel participant to answer questions from the audience about life in their country.
• Many more ideas and information are included in PTPI’s Student Chapter Manual (for Chapter Members only).

Service Efforts

Service is an important part of being in a Student Chapter. How does your chapter choose a service project? First, find out what is meaningful to your chapter members. Next, explore the needs within the local and international community your chapter and then plan your project(s)! Project Ideas include:

• Gather school supplies for Operation International Children. Learn how you can help by downloading an OIC Action Pack here.
• Support PTPI’s Global Landmine Initiative. Learn how you can help by downloading an Action Pack here.
• Help your community with a Neighborhood Clean-up.
• Serve meals at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
• Work together as a chapter to earn the U.S. Congressional Award.
• PTPI is a proud partner of the Congressional Award Leadership Commission. The U.S. Congressional Award is an honor bestowed upon students based upon completion of chosen goals and hourly requirements in the following four areas: Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
• Plan a project for PTPI’s biggest service initiative of the year, Global Youth Service Day. Click here for ideas and to get started.
• Many more ideas and information are included in PTPI’s Student Chapter Manual (for Chapter Members only).

Fundraising

Be as creative as you can with fundraising ideas, taking advantage of all the resources available to your chapter. The ultimate reasons chapters fundraise are to channel funds into chapter activities and to ensure the long-term success of the chapter. Chapters should always have a definite project or schedule of projects in mind for which their funds can be profitably used.

Chapters fundraise to fulfill one of three functions:

1. Support chapter activities (e.g. covering costs such as booth rental at a conference, city permit for a chapter activity, transportation costs during a chapter outing or food costs at a chapter sponsored international fair)
2. Support a cause (e.g. Fundraising for Operation International Children, PTPI’s International Friendship Fund or PTPI’s Global Landmine Initiative) Funding may also be needed to ship school supplies, clothes, shoes etc. to an organization that serves those in need.
3. Support a chapter scholarship fund. (The chapter may choose to offer educational scholarships available to members or scholarships to assist members cover the fees for a PTPI travel program).

Fundraising Project ideas include:

• Organize a bake sale, neighborhood yard sale--etc.
• Plan a chapter fundraising breakfast at your school or community center.
• Host a benefit concert or have a “battle of the bands!”
• Make a cookbook! Assemble favorite recipes from members. Have promotional “sampling” party to raise additional funds.
• Plan a letter writing campaign to local businesses
• Host a BeadforLife Party (US Chapters only at this time)
• Many more ideas and information are included in PTPI’s Student Chapter Manual (for Chapter Members only).

Fundraising for Travel Purposes & Tax-Deductibility (For U.S. Chapters

While some of our Student Chapter members want to fundraise to travel (i.e. with Student Ambassador Programs), this should not be a sole reason to join or start a Student Chapter. PTPI has strict guidelines on fundraising due to IRS regulations. Contributions made directly to a Student Chapter are considered tax-deductible. It is very important to know however, that an individual within the chapter can not fundraise for themselves or any specific individual and have that money be used as a tax-deductible donation.

If the chapter chooses to raise money for students to participate in travel programs such as the Student Ambassador Program, a Chapter Scholarship Fund must be developed. There are specific guidelines that must be followed when offering these programs. This includes:

• A committee being developed to select guidelines for the fund.
• Creating an application for student chapter members to apply for these funds. (PTPI must also be provided with a copy of the scholarship guidelines.)
• Prior to the travel event, members can apply for the scholarship. Donations into this scholarship fund are considered tax-deductible for businesses. –Again, as long as no particular chapter member is designated as the recipient from the start.
• The awardee(s) should be selected after the soliciting or raising of funds is completed.

For students wishing to fundraise for Student Ambassador purposes, please visit www.fundingyoureducation.org for a complete website of ideas of how to fund your student ambassador trip.

Membership Recruitment

If Student Chapters focus on recruiting younger members to carry the chapter forward, they will promote Peace through Understanding for years to come. Chapters should get input from a school principals, guidance counselors, teachers, Student Ambassador delegation leaders, community leaders and fellow chapter members. They might know students who would be interested in joining a PTPI Student Chapter. Chapters should try to increase membership with students from a variety of backgrounds to diversify the chapter.

There is no secret formula to adding members to your chapter. Membership development is always a challenge. Successful recruitment requires work, determination, creativity, and enthusiasm. But, most importantly, it takes a plan!

Although chapter members should always be on the lookout for new members, PTPI recommends that you hold two membership drives:

1. a “fall drive” that occurs at the beginning of your school year.
2. a “spring drive” that occurs at the end of your school year.

Holding drives at both times will ensure that your club remains well above the minimum required membership of 10, and will help you to have a solid base of people that can help with projects and activities.

Ideas include:

• Invite friends to a social gathering (i.e. a membership breakfast).
• Set up a booth in your school during the lunch hour to promote the chapter.
• Organize an informational meeting and make an effort to advertise within your school (provide music, international snacks and fun activities).
• Create flyers to promote the event and advertise in the school newspaper and through school announcements, bulletin boards and Facebook.
• Share the PTPI Student Chapter PowerPoint Presentation (available upon request).
• Plan a fun recruitment event and delegate responsibilities.
• Consider an International Movie Night. Require each member to bring two friends.
• Learn what to say to recruit students to the chapter (create a script so you represent the chapter and PTPI well.
• Share the benefits of joining including:
  1. You will make friends with cool people like yourself. You know, people who care about the world and want to make it a better place.
  2. You can get funding for all of those awesome ideas you have to change the world. PTPI gives (limited) grants to Student Chapters who have great ideas and plans.
  3. You will get to know the needs in your community and tackle these issues with the help of your Student Chapter.
  4. There are scholarship opportunities for PTPI’s most well known event, the Global Youth Forum which attracts 250 students from around the globe annually.
  5. You can learn firsthand through PTPI’s Sister Chapter Program about what it’s like to live in another country by being matched with a PTPI Student Chapter in a different country.
  6. You will earn tons of community service hours.
  7. You will become a better leader and gain knowledge about important world issues with the help of PTPI’s educational materials, training webinars and chapter visits.
  8. You will build your leadership skills by leading a project or serving as a chapter officer.
  9. You will score discounted rates towards awesome PTPI travel programs.
  10. You will be recognized for your accomplishments by PTPI in more ways than you can imagine!
• More ideas and information are included in PTPI’s Student Chapter Manual (for Chapter Members only).