What Does A High School Alumni
Do For The Student, And
How Effective Are They?

Do they bond the School and Student Together,
Not only for the time spent in School, But for the lifetime of the Student?

Colleges and Universities have known the power of the Alumni for a long time. They begin contacting the student while they are in High School and continue the contact with former students long after they graduate. They not only encourage the student to attend the university, as soon as they graduate from High School, they expect them to support the university after college graduation.

Many of the former students have become quite wealthy and made large contributions to their Alta Mater. High schools have taken notice and are now beginning to organize Alumnus, and some of them have been very successful. Some former students of high schools have built sports stadiums, or equipped libraries, or sponsored school bands.

Generally speaking most High School Alumnus have the responsibility to sponsor Class Reunions. Some schools have a time set aside for a Reunion when all former students come to renew old friendships. The Alumni program is a new program for most High Schools but it is beginning to catch on.

Most High Schools may never be as successful as the universities are, but they are working to build loyalty and dedication, and its working.

High School is where the students become adults, and many of them return to the same community where they grew up to build businesses, or hold jobs. The probability is that High Schools can harvest great returns for any relationships they build with the student.

Instead of only sponsoring Class Reunions, perhaps they should challenge the former student to make a contribution. There is always that relationship that was created when the student attended school, and emotions that reach deep into our personalities.

The foundation of loyalty and bonding begin as soon as the student becomes a sophomore. With the help of a strong alumnus the relationship can become very strong by the time the student graduates. The challenge to the school is to find the magic that turns a new student into a champion for school activities.

That magic wand can be nothing more than a "Small School Mascot" that already represents the school in most activities. Every High School has its Cheering Squad, and most schools have the football team that plays on Thursday or Friday nights. There are more than two million High School Students playing football each year, and more than 500 thousands cheerleaders who cheer for those players.

Last year more than 6 million former students gathered to celebrate their High School Class Reunion. High School Alumni are reaching out to the opportunities to harvest the benefits gained by supporting every student that attends school.

What Magic Wand can the Alumni Use
To Be More Effective?

Who do the Cheerleaders cheer for? What is the name of the football team, and what is the name of the School Band? Who has its picture on every t-shirt sold by the Booster Club or other school fundraisers? Does this give you a hint as to who the magic wand really is?

It is no secret that the colleges and universities use their mascot to create excitement and enthusiasm for their schools. Once a Longhorn, always a Longhorn. Once a Bobcat always a Bobcat, and so it goes for the universities’ across America.

The professional sports teams learned the lesson years ago and corporations caught on fast. We all know Mickey mouse, or Tony the Tiger, or Ronald McDonald, or Pillsbury Doughboy, or who dozens other mascots are. These colleges, professional sports teams, and corporation have already found the magic wand, and they are using it very effectively. Why doesn’t the High School use it, more?

The magic wand is available to every school

Imagination is the strongest, most powerful nation on earth! So let's use our image-i-nation a little bit and see what High School Alumni’s can do if they apply themselves.

What if on the first day of high school, while the student is new and adventurous, the Alumni give the sophomore student a Class Mascot to welcome them to school? It is inscribed with Class of, and the year the student is projected to graduate? It is the first gift, or award, the alumni gives the student. It can be the beginning of a long-term relationship!

What if the first special event in school is celebrated with a Small School Mascot, different from the first, but just as exciting? That could be the second gift, or award, the alumni gives the student! They are beginning to build a relationship that will pay big dividends, and the “Small” Mascot is the magic wand.

What if when the student comes to school the next year as a junior, and gets another Small School Mascot, but this time it a Mascot celebrating the beginning of the Junior Year? More relationship building!

What if all through high school the Alumni finds reasons to give Small School Mascots as gifts, awards, and keepsakes to celebrate all kinds of school activities?

And what if upon graduation the students get a Graduation Mascot, as a special Graduation gift, or award? Long after the diplomas are distributed, and hats have thrown into the air, the student will remember the school and its alumni.

And what if the student gets so attached to the Small School Mascots they start a collection, and what if on the first year after graduation they find a Small School Mascot in their mail box celebrating their first Alumni anniversary? This is "walking the talk" so student will long remember the High School Alumni.

We both know that if the High Schools would use their Mascot in every facet of school activities, schools would overflow with loyalty, enthusiasm, and school spirit. When High School Alumni begin to do this, they will compete well with he colleges and universities. The activities in school that count for all the school spirit is Mascot Centered, and when they increase those programs that are now effective, they will increase school spirit to overflowing.

A “Small” School Mascot is a winner use it to make your school great!