Transcript One Boys State IT Solution: A Case Study

The American Legion
Boys State of Missouri
Optimizing Participation
September 27, 2008
2008 National Directors Conference
We Believe
•
There is no one “Silver Bullet” for increasing
participation
•
We need to attack this issue from all angles
•
We should not limit our approach to the things that are
short-term or easy --- we must build our program
•
A vibrant program takes a LONG time to build and a
SHORT time to lose
•
It is not easy… but it is worth it!!!
Our Mission & Challenges
Our Recruiting Mission
“To recruit the highest caliber high
school leaders from each school in
the state of Missouri to participate in
our program while best representing
the diverse population of our state.”
Challenges - Funding
Legion Sponsor $
Provided (thousands)
$100
$95
$101
1988
1998
2008
Challenges - Funding
Challenges - Competition
Competing for the Best Students!!
Athletic Camps
Summer School
Programs
Debate, YMCA,
and Other
Programs and
Camps
Working for
College Money
Our Results
Total Participation
Recruiting Goal vs. Actual # Citizens (1980-2008)
960
To Get 983 citizens to attend,
we needed over 1,100 applications!!
Student Representation
• 75% of High Schools Represented
• Up from 67% in 1995.
• On Target for Per Capita Attendance
• Missouri – 18th Largest State, 3rd Largest Boys State
Program (2007)
• # of Boys Staters per 1,000 17-Year-Old Males
9.5
National Average
23.1
Missouri
Average
Diverse Sponsorship Base
Example Non-American Legion Sponsors
(shown by # of 2008 sponsors)
Our Strategy
Recruiting Strategy
Organization + Staff to Do the Work!!!
Boys State
Director of
Recruiting
American Legion
Organization
(District Chairmen +
Committees)
Boys State
Volunteer Staff
Assigned to
District Teams
(to Support Legion District
Chairmen)
(an Executive Committee
Position)
Full-Time Director
of Development
(Paid Staff Position)
Recruiting Strategy
Actively Sell the Program!!!
Send High Quality
Recruiting Packet
to High Schools
Focus on
School Visits
Conduct
Orientation
Sessions in All
Districts
Show Recruiting
Video
Recruiting Strategy
Achieve Full Participation
Established a
Sponsorship Fund
for Areas without
Sponsors
Target NonParticipating
Schools &
Assign Staff
Maintain School
Counselor
Contact List
Web-Based
Tracking &
Reporting
To do this, we MUST…
Maintain a Quality Program
Our Staff
College Credit
Schools of Instruction -- 3-Hours College Credit Available
Journalism
Law Enforcement
Law
Legislative
Campaigning &
Govt. Exec.
Scholarship Opportunities
Boys State Scholarships
Established at 30+
Missouri Universities
“Citizen of the Week”
Scholarship
American Legion
Scholarships
High Profile Speakers
Example of Speakers from Recent Years
Gov. Mike
Huckabee
Sen. Bill
Bradley
Att. Gen. John
Ashcroft
Gen. Wesley
Clark
Def. Sec.
Robert Gates
Def. Sec.
William Perry
Paul
Begala
Gov. Jesse
Ventura
Rep. J.C.
Watts
David
Gergen
Our Approach
Our Approach
It is a part of our culture that…
The Program we Want
Will Dictate the
Resources We Must Provide
Our Approach
We cannot allow…
The Resources we Have
To Limit the
Program We Can Provide
What Now?
Steps You Can Take
• Develop a Vision for Your Program
• What kind of a program do you really want to provide?
• Perform an Honest “Gap Analysis”
• What staff, programs, facilities, and finances do you need versus
where you are now?
• What roadblocks will you face?
• Develop a Plan with Targets that Gets You
There! --- with Targets!
• What are you going to do, each year, to go from where you are now
to where you want to be?
• You Must Have a Leadership Plan!!
• Who will be leading your program in 20 years?
... With 20 Years of experience?
• Is your current leadership ready to do what is necessary?
Steps You Can Take
• Recruit Former Boys Staters to Your Staff
• Be willing to give them true leadership positions in your program
• Involve Your Staff Year-Round
• Recruiting, fundraising, program development, etc.
• Establish a Separate Corporation
• Budget control, more stability, and better accountability to donors
• Expand Your Sponsorship Base
• Service orgs, businesses, foundations, former Boys Staters & parents
• Organize Your Recruiting Efforts
• Target specific schools, assign staff, monitor results
• Establish a Scholarship Program
• Organize a program and sign up Universities
Additional Information Available
• Recruiting Materials
• Brochures, letters, videos, orientation presentations, applications, etc.
• Staff Materials
• Staff handbooks, schedules, citizen program guides, etc.
• Citizen Program Materials
• School curriculum, schedules, handbooks, etc.
• Organization Information
• Staff and board structure, recruiting structure, etc.
• Scholarship Program Information
• Program description, brochures, etc.
The American Legion
Boys State of Missouri
Thank you!
Contact Information:
Mike Plunkett, Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 913-314-3825