Battle of the Bells is a great fundraiser to hold during the holiday season. It is a “favorite teacher” contest, whereby students vote for their favorite teachers by purchasing jingle bell necklaces from the FGE chapter for their favorite teachers. During the contest period, teachers should wear their jingle bell necklaces each day. The teacher with the most jingle bells at the end of the contest period wins a prize.
Step-by-step guide:
Obtain approval from your principal to hold the fundraiser.
Set the dates for the contest (1 to 2 week duration).
Decide on the prize for “Favorite Teacher,” such as a gift certificate to a local mall (perfect for holiday season).
Purchase large jingle bells and yarn from a craft store such as Hobby Lobby or online craft supplier such as Oriental Trading. Use these to make jingle bell necklaces.
Or, if you prefer, purchase ready-made jingle bell necklaces from an online store such as Amazon.
Advertise the contest to the student body.
As necklaces are purchased, make a note of which teacher the necklace was purchased for. These are “votes.”
FGE chapter may want to monitor the votes and update the student body daily as to who is “winning” to encourage greater participation. Your chapter may also want to monitor votes to see that each teacher receives at least a few votes.
At the end of the contest period, count the votes and award the winning teacher his or her prize.
Not only is this an effective fundraiser, but it also promotes the field of teaching and expresses appreciation to the teachers at your school!