Managing a CTSO

1. Managing a CTSO And staying sane while doing so!

2. What is the purpose of a CTSO? • Connect the students learning to the real world • Provide opportunities for career exploration and leadership skill building • Recognize student achievement in the Career and Tech fields • Allow students to see the relevance of their learning • Get students excited about your program and helps to recruit more students for your program

3. Attitude • If you act enthusiastic, you will be enthusiastic! • Students want to be a part of something fun, entertaining and helpful to them. • Other teachers will want to help you if you “appear” organized. Know what you need them to do and ask for help!

4. Getting started • Set goals • Select officers • Plan your own program of work – Sample • Plan travel & Purchase orders • Look at the state and national websites to familiarize yourself with the theme, registration guidelines, and expectations • Get excited!

5. Ideas for Officers • President • Secretary • VP Competition • VP Publicity • VP Fundraising • VP Community Service • Choose your officers rather than voting because you will work with them the most • Hold them accountable & meet monthly • Make them feel appreciated • Try to get them to sign up for your class if possible Officer Application Sample

6. Membership • Class presentations by you & by your officers to other classes (Do by middle of September) • Set your dues & create a membership form • Publicize – Bulletin boards, announcements, stickers, etc • Create an awesome club t-shirt that others want either by you or the students (Customink.com) • Make it personal – send invitations to former students, provide discounts for recruiting certain # of members Membership Application

7. Monthly Meetings • Meet with your club monthly • Host before and/or afterschool meetings/socials • Make it as student led as possible – remember it is their club! • Find Guest Speakers early – parents of students, your own network of friends, partners in education, share with other clubs, colleges (Art Institute, Medix), just call around area businesses

8. Monthly Meetings cont’d • Ask questions before you choose a guest speaker – they must be able to speak to teens and be interactive & entertaining • Other ideas – brainstorm with your officers • Stress Management • Community Service • Job Interviewing • Dressing for Success & Image • Applying for college • Alumni Day (Get permission!) • Make them as interactive as possible

9. Sample Meeting • Have officers dress professionally and/or wear blazers for competition • Greet members @ door • Provide agenda • Introduction • Icebreaker • Meeting topic • Door prizes • Food • Keep it simple • Take pictures!

10. Competition • Huge opportunity for students – This is their sport. • Explore and ask questions • Region, State, International levels • Implement a local competition to ensure commitment

11. Competition • Prepare students early – begin in October incorporating it into your class. • Give your other teachers lesson ideas to help you prepare them for competition • Start small to learn how it works and build from there • Ask students you think would be interested and take it seriously to sign up • Volunteer at the competitions to learn more • Keep materials organized for the next year

12. How to prepare for competition • Start early! Even on 1st day – getting to know the club • Use test questions as warm-up questions in class that go with the unit that you are working on. • Have a day in class to use as a quiz bowl where students work in teams and take sample tests. Winners get a prize. • Use the role plays or other performance based events in your class with the unit that you are working on. • Have former members return to class and discuss with current members what competition is like and how to prepare. • Request donations from local businesses/partners (tax free!)

13. Traveling with students • Have students pay deposits for EVERYTHING • Provide packets to each competitor • Include a memo outlining all event information including dress code, event location, times of departure, meal information, event times, expectations, consequences of poor behavior, costs, etc) • Include all forms – field trip permission forms, conduct assurance, grade verification sheets, etc) • Keep a field trip notebook to take with you on trips to stay organized

14. Traveling with students • Give students your phone number and have them stay with a buddy and check in with you periodically • Do room checks • If anything happens, find the state advisor and then your administrators • If you have a field trip notebook, all of the information you need will be in that notebook 

15. Community Service Projects • Plan at least 2 projects per year • Brainstorm with your officers for ideas • Work with other clubs together for bigger impact • Provide opportunities to serve, not just donate money or items • Write press releases for the newspaper and submit them to be published.

16. Community Service Projects • Ideas for projects • Each club usually has a fall & spring idea that includes collecting money for a variety of causes including breast cancer, MDA, Diabetes Foundation, etc. • Collect items for care packages to send to armed forces • Homeless Shelter of Douglas County • Sheltering Arms • Veteran’s Day – honor those in your school • Teacher Appreciation • School Beautification projects

17. Fundraising • Brainstorm with your officers • Sell candy but have them turn in dollars or checks (no coins!) • Create projects in class where students create a product to sell to others in the school to raise money (with prior permission!) • Ideas – Catalog fundraisers, t-shirts, products at games, homecoming buttons, football/basketball game ideas • Otis Spunkmeyer & Smoothie machines (depending on administration) • Get creative

18. Other Field Trips • If allowed, students love field trips! • Opportunity to see places and encourage membership in your club • Ideas • Local businesses where students can see your subjects in real life • Colleges/Universities • Federal Reserve, CNN Center, World of Coke, Chick-fil-a Corporate Headquarters, any place that you can prove to be co-curricular and valuable to the students

19. Things to remember • Be passionate about it because it is what helps students achieve the most & brings them back to your program • Start slow and increase goals each year • Learn from others • Ask questions • Don’t get discouraged, just learn from the issue and move on • Have a notebook to keep organized • Membership • Officers – include your officer info, POW, etc • Field Trip Notebook –check request forms, sub forms, printed emails from state advisors, field trip forms, etc to take with you on your trips