How to Obtain Community Support

We encourage you to obtain the support of your community for your school's Laws of Life contest. There are a number of ways community groups and businesses can be of assistance:

• Serving as judges
• Donating prizes (e.g., cash, gift certificates, savings bonds) for your students
• Providing publicity for your program
• Hosting or helping to fund an awards event
• Serving on a Laws of Life planning committee
• Publishing your students' essays in the media or as an anthology
• Recognizing your student essay writers
• Hosting readings of your students' essays

Here are some ideas for potential sources of community support. We have already heard from coordinators who have successfully solicited support this year from some of these groups.

• Your school's parent-teacher organization
• Civic organizations such as the Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Women's League, Jaycees (see attached or use local telephone directory)
• Local newspapers, which may provide funding or publicity, interview students or publish essays
• Local merchants
• A local individual who might be able to underwrite your program
• Employers who might lend their employees to serve as judges
• Local radio stations, who may interview students and have them read their essays on the air
• Your local chamber of commerce
• Local law firms
• Local universities (particularly for assistance with judging)
• Fast food and pizza restaurants, for sponsorship or to provide food for your awards event
• Retail stores (e.g., bookstores), which might donate gift certificates
• A local printer, who might underwrite your program or donate printing services to publish your school's essays

The sky is the limit! You may come up with other ideas for involving your community. Best of luck, and let us know if we can help.

Local Clubs of Civic Organizations

• Jaycees: www.usjaycees.org/chapter_links.htm
• Kiwanis: www.kiwanis.org/about_kiwanisF.html
• Lions Clubs: www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/resources_club.shtml
• National Exchange Clubs: www.ctdistrictexchange.com
• Rotary Clubs: www.rotary.org/services/clubs/index.html

In his communication Mr. Lang introduced the concept of Laws of Life and indicated that the District 7980 has enthusiastically endorsed the program. He indicated that schools may be contacting individual Rotary clubs for their support, specifically to consider giving prize money for winners of school contests and/or inviting the winning essayists to present their essays to clubs. If one of the above Rotary clubs is located in your school's town, we suggest that you contact the club and solicit its support. 

2008-2009 Program:

• Informational Fact Sheet
• Important Dates
• School Registration Form (70 KB)
• SEE Laws of Life Program Handbook (417 KB)

General Information:

• SEE Laws of Life Program Handbook (417 KB)
• Benefits of the Laws of Life Program
• Writing Prompts (86 KB)
• Suggested Lesson Outline (71 KB)
• Judge's Scoring Form (221 KB)
• Student Entry Form (108 KB)
• Comments from Schools, Youth, Families
• How to Obtain Community Support
• How to Write a Press Release
• Sample Essays
• John Templeton Foundation
• Laws of Life Program Main Page
• Supplemental Templeton Foundation Contest Manual (1,200 KB)
• Supplemental Templeton Foundation Teacher's Guide (684 KB)

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