Panhellenic Workshops for HS'ers
 

Not sure if this is the right area to put this topic in, but oh well.

Anyways, so today I went to the Alumnae Panhellenic meeting. We were talking about the upcoming workshops we'll be having. Many of the ladies thought it would be a good idea to do 2 workshops (one before spring break, one after) so that the HS girls would have a better chance of going to one of these workshops.

The only problem is, (from what i understand) we don't get a big turnout for these workshops, especially if there are 2.

We don't really know how to "get the word" out besides putting things in the HS newspapers or such (which would cost us about $30 for them to print our info on a business card size ad)

This past recruitment (well current too since SMU is starting soon) we had around 15 girls sign up through the AP, and we'd like to increase that number (or at least get the word out).

So I was wondering...how do you all get the word out to the area High Schoolers?

epchick, I'm obviously not in an Alumnae Panhellenic, but is there any way to do these workshops as part of a college fair?

In DC, there is a big annual college fair at the convention center which pretty much invites (and attracts) Juniors and Seniors from all the local public, private, and charter schools. Although this doesn't happen here (majority NPHC city), I think it would be very easy to have volunteers man an adjoining Panhellenic room in the convention center with workshops starting every hour on the hour (assuming they are short workshops).

You'd reach a LOT more women than if you had a stand alone event, I assume.

Of course, it all depends on the objective of the event -- is it to share information to casually interested girls, or is it to begin significant relationships between serious girls who already know they will need recs?

(And I say this every time I can, but I wish the NPHC would do this, too)

I attended an all-girls' HS, and we had Daily Bulletins read every morning before homeroom. I recall hearing about Scholarships from the Alumnae Panhellenic Assn. of Hawaii because the women made an appeal to high schools around the island to make announcements about this scholarship. Would it be possible for your APH to do the same? Call high schools in your area to help spread the word?

Senusret's idea about college fairs is good too. I staffed the Panhellenic table one year at the annual Career and College Fair and we got lots of interest that way!

Send an announcement to the guidance counselors at all the local high schools. Leave a flyer to post in their offices. My principal forwards us emails or info that might interest or benefit our students. Contacting local schools can give you quite a bit of exposure.

Actually, that was the idea I had brought up back in November, when this idea of the workshops started but apparently by that time the high schools had already done their college fairs (well actually the last college fair was the week after, but we couldn't get a booth in time).

I will remember this idea for next year so that we can get on the ball & have our own little booth.

Another great idea! That is actually one of the ideas we came up. We are going to try and make sure the schools read them during the announcements.

I'm the youngest member in the APH, so they were looking to me for a lot of information, but I've been out of HS for 5 years, and so I was kinda fresh out of ideas....or the ideas I came up with haven't worked in the past.


So far, we've thought of:
--give the info for HS announcements
--put an ad in the HS newspapers
--put an ad in the city newspaper

I am also gonna go to my alma mater and try to see if my old teachers wouldn't mind me passing out cards & flyers.

Sometimes high schools in the area will not allow us to do hand outs (so we mail postcards to all the senior women who have released their addresses), but they WILL announce a scholarship. So we give several scholarships at a style show/informational luncheon.

could you tell me more about these panhellenic workshops? I'm a prospective rushee and would love to be involved in anything that would help me when I rush in the future! =)

Make it a mother-daughter thing. Mom will make SURE daughter attends, even if mom doesn't.
Another way...talk to your babysitters (assuming you have kids) and ask them to put out the word.
Most newspapers will give a free announcement, maybe in an education briefs-type page.

Oh...I live in California =(

Sorry - posted in the wrong thread!