How to Start a High School Alumni Organization

Meeting up with alumni from your high school can be a great way to stay connected to your past. Starting an alumni organization for your old high school may be something you wish to consider. Not only is it a way to stay in touch with old friends, but it can also be a great way to network with others and provide valuable services to your community.

Instructions

1. Find several other people who believe in your cause to start an alumni organization for your high school. Maybe you have some old friends who would be willing to help. It's much easier to have a small group that feels as passionately about your project as you do.

2. Form a concrete plan about the ideas and goals you have for the group. Think about what types of activities you'd like to plan and what the main focus of the group will be. Do you want to hold only social and networking events? Or branch out and have group volunteering events and committees to mentor current students at your old high school? An active alumni organization is a potential opportunity to do a lot of good for individuals and the local community. It's a perfect chance to represent your alma mater in a positive light.

3. Contact your old high school, and set up a meeting with the proper officials. Call the office and make your intentions known, and the receptionist should be able to point you to the best person to help you with your endeavor.

4. Write up a plan to present at the meeting. When school officials see something formal, in writing, it helps them to see that your intentions are serious. The better the plan, the more likely they are to provide you with the assistance you need.

5. Meet with the representative from your school and present them with the written plan. Go over the plan with them. It would also be an added bonus if you could get the individuals who want to assist you to come to the meeting as well. There's power in numbers.

6. Obtain the names and addresses of all alumni. Your school will be the best source for this information. Ask if the school has held reunions or homecoming events in the past and who was in charge. Chances are, they would have contact information and be willing to share. Another great option for locating former classmates is to search on Facebook. More and more people are signing up for this popular social networking site every day. When someone creates a profile, it allows them to list the high school they attended. Others can then choose to search for those who attended their high school.

7. Announce the formation of the alumni organization. Consider placing an advertisement in your local paper, making sure to include your contact information so that interested individuals may reach you. If you don't have the initial funding to build a custom website, start up a group on Facebook. This is free. You can also send out invitations through Facebook groups, making them a great way to keep in touch. There In whatever fashion you choose to announce the group, make sure to state your objectives for the group, and ask for volunteers to assist. Reunion.com is another great site to check out.

8. Create an email list. Email lists are a great way to send out messages to a large number of people regarding the group.

9. Form a board for your organization. Once you have a number of volunteers who are committed to help, forming a board with various positions will help to delegate the responsibilities. Besides positions such as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, you may wish to have a scholarship director, community service director, social director or other positions depending upon group objectives. At first, some people may have to serve in dual positions if interest is not strong enough at first.

10. Hold your first board meeting to plan your first few events. Discuss the goals with the group. Make sure to give everyone a chance to speak and state their opinions. When a new group is starting, it may take awhile for everyone to work together smoothly, but with a bit of patience and understanding working in harmony can be achieved.

11. Hold your first event. Try not to be disappointed if the turnout isn't what you may have wished for. As with any new group, it takes time to build up interest. Eventually with some persistence, time and dedication your alumni organization will be going strong.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider making your first event something social in nature. This will give people a chance to talk and network. One idea might be to plan a reception at your old high school, followed by attending a football or basketball game.

References

• University of Maryland Alumni Association: Starting an Alumni Club

Resources

• Facebook
• Reunion.com