We Developed Huge Community Service Project Using Your Curriculum

We began the year with a job interview process laid out for us by SCC’s Sports Business Program. As we began to progress through the material, one of our BHS students, Patrick Day, suffered a stroke of the spinal cord. In an effort to assist his family with rising medical costs, our marketing class students wanted to do something to help. They interviewed for specific team positions (merchandise, promotion, sponsorship, finance, marketing, public relations) and they were required to present ideas during their interview which made them the best candidates for that team. Once the “organization” was complete, the teams set out to create, develop and implement a fundraising event for the BHS student. What started out as an idea to just help out a family became a huge community service project. In addition to obtaining television, radio and newspaper coverage, we wound up teaming with a local church to host the “Play for Patrick” fundraising event. Our goal was to raise $5,000 and we actually raised over $7,400 and counting. Our local college, Virginia Tech, also became involved and ultimately nominated Patrick in Dodge’s grablifegivelife.com online fundraiser. Patrick won the contest, along with $20,000, in just 14 days. After wrapping up the fundraiser, one parent told me he knew that participating in this event was ‘more than what my son would ever be exposed to in college’–and the parent is a college professor! Thanks for giving us a roadmap for organizing a life-changing experience for all those involved!