I remember when kids needed extra money for extra activities and they would have car washes, bake sales, etc.

Now the High schools have a form letter that they basically force all the student athletes to forward to all of their contacts. It's basically just asking (begging) for money because they need this and that. I don't know but it kinda rubs me the wrong way because it's basically a bad example to show kids that if you want something just ask and someone else will pay for it. Also this is public high schools that I am talking about so my tax dollars are already helping them pay for uniforms, new balls, etc.

I talked to the parents of the child we got this from and they don't really like it either. However I will donate since the kid is an incredible young man. If it wasn't for him I would say no way.

The school also keeps tabs on who's bringing in how much money. I suppose that's why this will be happening more and more though.

Am I just getting old or do you think this is basically a form of begging?

I don't like it either. But there is not much I like about public schools these days.

Before the health food kick, BoyScouts would sell doughnuts. Now, I'm just glad no one is hawking 'empowered water" or hummus...
Thanks to the "drought" there are no teenagers doing carwashes... environmentally unsound.
Even the mega overpriced candy bars the band used to sell were tasty...
It is sad... Just send $$ we aren't going to spend OUR Saturday, out trying to EARN something...

I guess there is nothing wrong with asking for a donation, but I think it would be better to sell something or do some work for it.

The Scout troops in our neighborhood grouped together and sold bark mulch every year. Then, the boys delivered it. It was work, but worth it, and raised quite a bit of money. The people got something they actually wanted, the boys learned the value of work and how to run a project, and earned the money.

There's also the issue of danger to kids and liability for the school from traditional door to door sales and the like. My nephew's football team started a "gofundme" style campaign, but they are also doing car washes and some other things.

I pay taxes for that school shit. If they can't get it from that, they don't get it.

When I was a Scout, we sold Scout Jamboree tickets. When I was a church youth, we held spaghetti dinners and car washes, and slave auctions where we would auction off our labor to someone for a Saturday. When I was a HS senior, we sold Christmas candles to raise money for our senior trip.
There is something these kids could do to earn this money, rather than beg. The begging is an easy way out and the kids are learning nothing from it.
The only way I can see to change it is for a parent to volunteer their time to organize the fundraising activity. The coaches/teachers are obviously too busy, or just don't want to take on another project.

I was always surprised at the lack of creativity of these fundraisers.

Why not have a contracting firm set up and do various forms of manual-type labor? Clean up yards, mow grass, shovel snow, etc. Have the boosters set up a small LLC and run some of the "business" side of things, the athletes do the rest.

I worked every weekend when I was a senior in high school, and would have started sooner if I could have found a job (not easy if you're under 18, especially in Las Vegas where I grew up). It was one of the best experiences I had because it taught me more about responsibility and interacting with others than I ever learned in the classroom.

Having a job to support your hobby (sports) seems like a very adult thing to do.

We have something similar around here. Instead of a car wash or other event requiring a modicum of efforts on their part, different high school groups hang around the front of the Publix's grocery store with a bucket in hand, and basically panhandle money from people trying to grocery shop. I have not and will not contribute a single penny to such activities. Although I'd never let them touch my truck, I have contributed to groups I've known doing car washes because the kids are at least making an effort to work for it.

This is what comes from teaching children about entitlement, and why they're due the money.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:
Why not have a contracting firm set up and do various forms of manual-type labor? Clean up yards, mow grass, shovel snow, etc. Have the boosters set up a small LLC and run some of the "business" side of things, the athletes do the rest.

Simple answer...because they have no earthly idea what work is or how its accomplished.

We had a July 4th beach event at our church. A local company donated a load of sand to use. Afterward, I asked five of the high school/college aged boys to help me and another adult male member shovel the sand onto a trailer. Only one of the kids knew how to use a shovel and was helpful. I told all the rest to get lost, they were worthless. (And yes, I got chastised by my wife for being mean to them.) The current generation as a whole is utterly and completely worthless.

Having coached HS Hockey for many years I am well aware that most schools have cut back most if not all financial support for athletics, clubs, and activities (Band, Orchestra, cheer, etc) resulting in a Pay-to-Play situation. Some sports are more expensive than others.

Although public support for HS athletics is great, I'm not a fan of begging for a hand out. There area lot of creative ways to do fundraisers that benefit the community or those donating in some small way. Just asking for money seems like it misses a learning opportunity.

The form letter would not have been sent out if it had been my son.

I would have donated money myself but I would not (and did not) support this type of begging by the school. He was allowed to take part in the fundraisers that offered some form of return for donations but not these types.

Our local Publix was letting a kids group carry out groceries for tips to raise money for a trip. There are options out there besides begging.

It's not just the fundraisers. Now it seems every class has a fee associated with it. This year I have one daughter in high school, and another in junior high. The combined fees for both was over $450.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
We have something similar around here. Instead of a car wash or other event requiring a modicum of efforts on their part, different high school groups hang around the front of the Publix's grocery store with a bucket in hand, and basically panhandle money from people trying to grocery shop. I have not and will not contribute a single penny to such activities. Although I'd never let them touch my truck, I have contributed to groups I've known doing car washes because the kids are at least making an effort to work for it.

This is what comes from teaching children about entitlement, and why they're due the money.

quote:

Originally posted by caneau:
Why not have a contracting firm set up and do various forms of manual-type labor? Clean up yards, mow grass, shovel snow, etc. Have the boosters set up a small LLC and run some of the "business" side of things, the athletes do the rest.

Simple answer...because they have no earthly idea what work is or how its accomplished.

We had a July 4th beach event at our church. A local company donated a load of sand to use. Afterward, I asked five of the high school/college aged boys to help me and another adult male member shovel the sand onto a trailer. Only one of the kids knew how to use a shovel and was helpful. I told all the rest to get lost, they were worthless. (And yes, I got chastised by my wife for being mean to them.) The current generation as a whole is utterly and completely worthless.

And it's entirely the fault of the previous generations. It's really sad how many parents born in the 50s and 60s were/are disconnected from how to raise kids. Or they think that taking them to soccer or dance practice, or getting involved in their social disputes means they're "involved".

It's also really sad when nobody steps in and helps out someone who doesn't know. Historically, there was a certain community aspect to raising kids. Even if a parents was absent in some regard, someone else in the community would pick up the slack and teach them how to use a shovel. Seems that's gone now too.

I will not give any additional money to my kids school....period!

A few years ago I was producing a photo shoot and needed a very specific tennis court location with just the right space and exposure. After scouting the etire area I found the perfect place next to my kids school (not the schools tennis courts but the cities).

I called the city, did all the permit paperwork and issued my COI's and all was well, or so I thought. About a week before the shoot I got a call from the city telling me there was an issue and the school was having a hissy because, even though they had their own courts they used these instead as they were better. Fine, I called the school and spoke to the athletic director. I explained what was going on and after offering a nice "donation" to his athletic dept he agreed to allow us on...perfect!

48 hours pre shoot said athletic director calls me and tells me that someone at district had a fit and we were out of luck. I explained that this was a big shoot, involved lots of moving parts and this would create a massive issue on my end. He apologized and more or less adm ited it was a personal pissing contest between him and the district and had nothing to do with me or the shoot but some asshole higher up that had his own agenda.

I called said asshole and offered to bump up the donation significantly as they had us over a barrel and was told that "no amount of money will make this work.

The city film office was embarrassed so not only did they get me onto a much better facility but they refused any money so that part was good.

The icing on the cake was, an I couldn't have asked for better timing, on the shoot day i was sitting in the moho/production office and I got an email (as a parent) from gthe school almost begging for money...I replied to that email with this story and why they were not allowed to ask me for a dime, ever! I also CC'd half the district and a few media outlets.

One of the local Christian schools raffled off a rifle.

The method described by the OP is just training them how to be panhandlers IMO. Something for nothing.

I am so disgusted with what has become of public "education" in this country that I will not send to a school any money I do not have to. I am likewise disgusted with the amount of time and attention given sports in this county. So school sports would be a doubly-disgusted-whammy. Not a chance in hell they'd get a dime from me, in the first place, but asking for something for nothing?!?!

I don't give money to panhandlers, whether it's a person on the side of the road holding a sign, high school students or organized groups blocking intersections holding buckets. Nope. Move on - if you want to have a raffle or sell something or do something like a car wash, I am likely to help you out. Panhandling? Not a chance.

I don't recall doing many school related fundraisers. We may have sold magazine subscriptions at some point. I was a member of DECA (marketing), and they owned the only in-school "convenience store". The members worked it as part of their marketing class, and the proceeds went to the club.

Outside of school we sold all sorts of stuff. I remember the Tom-Wat Showcases, jumper cables (that we assembled), pizza (that we assembled), and candy bars (which I tended to purchase and eat myself).

I started my business career at around the age of 5 selling rocks to my neighbors. I would source these rocks out of their very own flower beds, so it was a fairly low overhead operation.

I don't think the spirit is completely dead with the modern high-schooler, but it is certainly not as common as it once was.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
Having coached HS Hockey for many years I am well aware that most schools have cut back most if not all financial support for athletics, clubs, and activities (Band, Orchestra, cheer, etc) resulting in a Pay-to-Play situation. Some sports are more expensive than others.

Why is it, in past generations, there was budget for such items? Now, with property taxes higher than ever, it seems that schools struggle to fund just the basics?

Is it that a lot more is spent nowadays on school administration? Around here it seems we have several layers of people making $150K a year, and I have no idea what they do. Or is it that schools spend a lot more today on special needs? Perhaps the breakdown of the nuclear family, and the increase of children who come from broken homes? I clearly don't know the answer.

I do know that as I travel around the country, I see signs at schools that advertise free meals, including breakfast and lunch, at schools, including during the summer months. Perhaps priorities are different now than there were. Perhaps since we're struggling with an obesity epidemic, we should eliminate the free lunches and increase athletic funding.

I'm not donating if they aren't willing to do some kind of work. It's a common sight to see local little league teams begging for money at intersections. I never give to someone not willing to work for it, that includes to kids. I just bought some more overpriced popcorn from a co worker for his Boy Scout grandson. I'll also help out little league teams with gun raffles to help them raise money. I will not give unless they are willing to do some kind of work for it.