21 ways to thank your sponsor

Sponsors are wonderful people- people who demonstrate their commitment to literacy and education by helping us provide classroom newspapers to other wonderful people - teachers. Here are some ways that you and your students can have fun, show your appreciation and make your sponsor feel special.

1. Have the kids pose for a group photo and mount it in the center of a poster board. Have all the kids sign the thank you poster which can be placed in a window or other place at the business.

2. Have the kids design a thank you in the form of a front page from your paper. Headline could be something like KIDS FROM ABC SCHOOL THANK XYZ BUSINESS. Stories on the page could be about the business and what the kids are doing with the newspapers in class.

3. One of my teachers had each of her students draw a picture of how they used the newspapers. She then fashioned all the pics into booklet form, had it bound, and presented it to her sponsor. The sponsor happened to be a bookstore, and the owner loved it. The second year the store has "adopted" this class. The teacher made copies of the book and sent one to me.

4. Tell everyone who your sponsor is.

5. Write a note to your sponsor explaining why/how you use the newspapers in your class.

6. Shop at, support and patronize your sponsor’s business, and when you go in, mention to the clerk or owner that the business is your sponsor.

7. Invite your sponsor in on "newspaper day" to see how the papers are being used.

8. Invite your sponsor in to read to the class.

9. Have your students write thank-you notes to the sponsor.

10. Have your students design cards or draw pictures for your sponsor.

11. Let parents know who your sponsor is and recommend shopping at or supporting that business.

12. Thank you sponsor in all school publications, such as school newspapers or newsletters to teachers and parents. Send a copy to your sponsor.

13. Have the students make a collage showing their appreciation for the sponsor using images, words or letters cut from the newspaper. The sponsor could display it in the place of business.

14. Have a class photo put on a T-shirt and present it to your sponsor.

15. Schedule a field trip to your sponsor’s business.

16. Research your sponsor’s business with your students - types of jobs, products or services offered, etc. Make a poster and deliver it to your sponsor with a note explaining what you did.

17. Offer to have your students make decorations for the store windows on holidays. Parents could visit the business to see their children’s decorations.

18. Make a video of the class and have the kids read poems or letters they have written act out a news brief or even sing a song. Send it to your sponsor.

19. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper publicly thanking your sponsor. Clip and sent a copy to your sponsor.

20. Make a large thank-you card with each student giving a reason why he or she likes using the newspaper in the classroom.

21. Invite your sponsor to visit your class. A career day would be a good time.