Fundraising Success Stories

Many Lone Star Leadership Academy campers raise the funds to attend the Lone Star Leadership Academy. We hope these success stories from past Lone Star Leadership Academy participants provide you with helpful ideas, inspiration, and motivation! Parents and students are always welcome to contact Education in Action to discuss scholarship and sponsorship opportunities and ideas.

Seguin youngster experiences Leadership Academy

Last year, more than 100 families shared their fundraising success stories with us. Click on the links below to see how they did it:

Young Entrepreneurs

David expressed an interest in the Lone Star Leadership Academy from the day he received the nomination packet. From that day on he knew that he was going to have to work hard to raise the money that he needed to attend this program. David explained that he had been nominated for the Lone Star Leadership Academy and requested any odd jobs that would be possible for an 11 year old. David had community leaders give him odd jobs in their businesses. He mowed lawns and did other yard work. Community members donated cans and scrap metal. Within a month's time, David had raised his tuition to attend the academy. It was a lot of hard work, but he did it.

He used money he earned over the years doing chores and earning good grades.

My daughter earned funds to participate by cleaning office spaces for a local company once a month. They gave her $200 the first time to clean really good and then $50 each month after that. She put the money in her savings account until the payment was due each time.

My son raised most of the money for the trip by working for his parents and grandparents. He applied the money he received for his birthday and his FFA project to the cost of the trip. He felt more pride because he earned almost all of the money it cost himself.

Our daughter has generous family members that paid for her camp in return for babysitting and physical labor on an ongoing basis.

My daughter held a bake sale. She baked the cakes, all from scratch, and sold more than 60.

My son, along with his classmates, held a t-shirt fundraiser. They sold Texas home and Texas born t-shirts for $15 each ($10 profit per shirt) to help offset the cost of the camp. He knew how much the camp cost and how much he needed to raise to pay for the camp. The t-shirts were a huge hit and the accountability was a great lesson for him!

My son raised money for the camp by selling donuts and lemonade at our local park.

My child made and sold bracelets to fund her camp.

My daughter and her fellow camp participants raised most of their tuition through bake sales and a fundraiser meal. They were inspirational in organizing and being actively involved with these events.

We did a couple of garage sales to help with the camp cost.

We had a raffle and a garage sale and setup a booth at the flea market. We also had some sponsors who donated. It was a great experience.

We have a snow cone concession stand so we raised money for camp that way.

My daughter's troop sold Girl Scout cookies to raise the money.

We did a Thirty-One fundraiser and it worked great! We also did a garage sale.

We had a 50/50 raffle which helped a great amount to cover the cost of the tuition. With that, and a donation we received, we did not have to pay out of pocket. As we sold the tickets we explained what the academy was about and all the different sites she would see and that it was an educational experience.

We had a movie night at our school and it helped raise funds for the leadership camp.

My son knew we couldn't afford to pay for the program so he decided to sell chips, coke, Gatorade, and food at his dad's soccer games. He raised half of his trip money.

Sponsorships

Amber wrote letters asking for support from different people and they were surprisingly generous.

Clayton knew financially it was a stretch for us to pay for the camp. He decided to go the last week to take advantage of the discount. After that, he created his fundraising letter based of the template provided and added his own special twist to it. We went around our community to places we do business with and he gave them the spiel of the camp. He was very nervous the first few people he presented to, but as he continued, you could see his confidence grow. This process alone provided him with an experience that has taught him many lessons.

I simply asked co-workers and customers of they would like to donate.

In order to make this academy possible for my child, help from others was a necessity. My child took on the responsibility of being her own spokesman and requested personally the aid of those willing to help. In doing so she prepared herself for her meetings with other campers and faculty by speaking directly to those from whom she sought help, either by phone or in person, when possible. Being humble and appreciative helped her reach her goal.

All you have to do is ask - the worst answer is no. When the "business" didn't donate, some of the employees donated personally.

Last year my child solicited Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Cheniere Energy and other energy companies.

Letters to local businesses and family.

Leyla had sponsors to help her attend.

Logan sent a handwritten letter to our friends and family members telling them about the program and what he was most excited about. He was able to raise about half of the money needed for the trip. He was excited to receive checks and also notes written back to him in support of his adventure.

My daughter was able to get donations from her grandparents as well as a sponsorship from a local business to help with the cost of camp. She used the sample letter as a guide to reach out to the business. It was helpful because it explained the program.

My daughter went around the community and asked for donations. She typed up a letter and explained what she was raising money for. In return they asked her to put together a post-camp summary and/or video.

My student wrote a letter (by following the sample letter in the original packet) asking every staff member at her elementary school for donations. She included a labeled return envelope for donations. This was hugely successful; more than 25 teachers/staff made a donation.

She obtained an appointment with AMOCO Credit Union, presented her request, and was awarded $600.

Our daughter did not want to place the burden on us to come up with the funds to send her to leadership camp so she set a meeting up with the president of our credit union and went to meet with him. She explained that she was nominated by her teacher and that she was looking for someone to support her efforts to learn more about leadership and how it could benefit her. The credit union was generous to support her and we were not out of pocket very much. It was great to see her determination and motivation for wanting to attend this event. This was an exciting time for her and she learned a lot. She even wants to look into participating as an advisor for years to come.

Our son began his leadership skills at time of admission to LSLA. Our son began searching for local resources in our community of local businesses, friends, and family members. He was successful in raising $725 to go toward his camp trip with LSLA. We were very proud of his beginning leadership skills and understanding the importance of reaching out to gain a better understanding of the resources that were utilized and to gain a bigger understanding of why particular agencies were not able to donate due to higher needs of others and learning the importance of helping. The donations that our son received, we feel, will lead him to understand the greater importance of giving back to others.

Raygen was sponsored by family, friends, and the Methodist men of Mineola. She will be doing a presentation for her sponsors very soon.

She sent out 50 letters to family, friends, local businesses, and legislators. We included two letters of recommendation from teachers along with information about the program (including the website).

Sponsor letters to church members and family members.

We are very appreciative of the businesses that supported her and the future of our community.

We asked family and a couple of local businesses to sponsor Reagan.

We began our fundraising by forming a letter explaining what Education in Action was, the person who nominated her, and what she was going to be doing there. We sent out letters to local businesses and the Kiwanis Club. We then asked family members for assistance.

We received the nomination two months prior to the deadline and I didn't think I would be able to raise that money in time to meet the deadline. I talked with friends and family. His grandmother had a great network of friends that supported the cause. We utilized the sponsor letter that was provided and used very nice resume paper and his picture and handed it out to everyone we could and it worked out for us nicely. In order to further his leadership skills, I made sure Brian passed out the letters and spoke to everyone himself. He was very happy when we raised the money and went to the post office with me to mail off the packet.

We raised the WHOLE amount. We used the included sponsorship letter. We had to send out quite a few letters but we raised all the funds clear up to the last week to finish up.

You will be surprised to see how many individuals and businesses are ready to help support our youth. Jacobee was able to get out and talk to bankers, lawyers, contractors, and club members. They were very responsive when they found that he was in a leadership program.

She was sponsored by my employer.

Start early and send self-addressed stamped envelopes with the letter. That way, when the sponsors get the letter, they won't have any reason to put it aside for a later time they can write the check and mail it right away.

My daughter was fortunate enough to have several business owners within our family, J&J Electric was generous enough to fully fund her participation in the program.

My daughter used the letter you provided last year to ask for sponsorships; it worked perfectly.

My son was determined to attend camp and wrote letters to potential sponsors. He was well-received and raised most of the tuition.

My son wrote a letter to my company's president asking for a donation to help with cost for the camp. He received the full amount he needed to pay for camp.

Friends and Family

Money donated by his uncle's business.

My daughter got financial help from her family members.

My son got donations from friends and family.

My son got funds for this trip from his grandparents and parents. The letters and forms in the packet are what we used to get donations.

The trip was a gift from her grandfather.

Our daughter mailed out letters to family and friends asking for their support. She was able to raise most of the application fee by doing this.

She is a driven child and really wanted to go. She picked up the phone and called everyone in her family. They know how passionate she is and how hard she works and they rewarded her for it!

She raised hers through personal donations from family and friends

We were able to obtain 100% family donations.

We sent a letter to friends and family and ended up raising all of the money needed to go to the Lone Star Leadership Academy.

After my son was nominated we started off by asking family and friends for donations to allow him to attend the camp. We asked local business owners to help sponsor him. We also held a very successful car wash at our local O'Reilly's with the help of some of his track and football team members.

After reading the fundraising information provided on the Education in Action website, Zane and I personalized the funding request letter. Zane talked to one set of her grandparents who offered to match any funds she raised toward her camp cost. Then, Zane and I began to plan how she could raise some money. We started with local businesses.

My son was able to get support from his school, church, and my employer which greatly aided in his chance to attend. It showed him that others have seen the great potential he has within.

She used birthday/Christmas money for one-third, I paid one-third, and her dad paid one-third.

We only sent letters to relatives and friends. We were able to raise a little bit more than half of the cost.

We sent out a letter to family, friends, and a few local companies asking for donations.

She did a fundraiser among family members and friends by giving a presentation on why she wanted to do this and why she stands to benefit by becoming a contributing member of the community.

She did chores for grandparents to raise money.

To help raise money for camp, my daughter wrote letters to family and friends. Now that she is back, we will be inviting those people over for a dinner made by her and she will give a presentation of what she learned.

Our biggest fan and fundraiser was Noah's homeroom teacher. She has a lot of contacts and political influence in the community. She really wanted to help Noah and she was a huge part of his fundraising success.

We used the letter provided on the Education in Action website and we sent it to my boss and some close friends. They reviewed the information and decided to support him in this adventure.

We typed up a letter and presented it to family and friends. We also mailed letters out to local business; one of them donated half of the cost of the camp. We were thrilled!

My son did do a swim-a-thon to raise money for the camp. He asked family members to sponsor him for each lap he was able to swim.

Fundraising

I designed a donation card, kind of like a football square. Each square had a dollar amount and all the squares added up the cost of the trip. I asked family, friends, co-workers, church members, and teachers to donate to the cause and it went very, very smoothly.

I purchased an Apple watch to raffle. I advertised it to family and friends. I used social media to communicate it with them. We also used PayPal and the cash app for payment options. We were very successful in selling the tickets rather quickly. Once tickets were sold, we recorded the raffle and posted it online for people see and announce the winner. The raffle helped pay for the cost of the full tuition.

My daughter baked cakes for fundraising and sold candy bars. Sam's had a candy bar fundraising box and she sold them in the neighbor hood with the families help.

My son sent letters to family members to raise funds to support his tuition.

My son sold lollipops to raise the money through Ozark Lollipop Company.

River helped make hot tamales and held a bake sale and a raffle for a Yeti koozie and 20 oz. Yeti cup.

Student raised funds by making and selling Mother’s Day baskets, body scrubs, Rainbow Looms, nail jars, baked goods, and greeting cards.

We did a bake sale and sold at a flea market as well as our church.

We did Bingo with friends and family and raised $300.

My daughter sold pizza coupons and we both participated in helping raise money by selling snacks and drinks at my daughter's school.

My daughter used money she raised selling Girl Scout cookies for her and the members of her troop interested in going to camp. This is money they saved over two years and think it was a good use of the money.

Fundraising as a Group

The administration at Oak Forest Elementary was extremely supportive of this first group of students to attend the Lone Star Leadership Camp. They arranged a Family Movie Night with a movie screening outdoors in the school grounds on a Friday evening. The group of 12 students nominated by the school made posters for the movie night. Tickets were sold for a few dollars, with all proceeds going to the campers. A couple of hundred people came to the movie, surpassing all our expectations. All concessions (pizza, popcorn, sodas, candies, pickles, etc) were purchased by parents of the campers, and the students were in charge of selling concessions. Around half the cost of the camp was covered by this hugely successful event.

As a parent, I wanted to show my daughter that with hard work and dedication everything is possible. Six parents and I actively planned out community activities to raise funds. The community united to buy tickets for cookouts, raffles, and a Peter Piper Pizza lockdown party. In addition, many businesses were actively participating with our group, such as Ancira, and other retirement facilities. We are beyond thankful to our small town because many people were willing to help!

The kids from Shallowater Intermediate raised funds by organizing a snack bar after school for a week. Together they planned, asked the principal for permission, worked out all of the details, and manned the booth without much help from the parents. It was great experience for the kids.

Students raised money by doing a car wash and a Facebook bake sale. Great way to get everyone involved.

The Grady ISD group collectively participated in various fundraising events and was able to pay 100% of each member's tuition for camp. It was a true blessing that they paid for camp themselves. The experience taught them responsibility.

My child was part of nine children from her school attending various weeks of the Lone Star Leadership Academy camp. They held a fundraiser (movie night open to the public) at their school and managed to raise over $300 per child to help defray the cost of the camp.

The school came together twice for plate sales. They were successful. Unbelievable support from staff. We had donations and sponsors as well. Full support from principal and teacher.

The school had a fun raffle to raise funds just like last year.

We raised money as a group in bake sales, a car wash, and Jean days for teachers.

The students had a few different fundraisers including a car wash, a school dance, and a snack sale with the help of teachers and parents.

Nominated students worked together to develop fundraisers. They sold raffle tickets for a Valentine's package. Additionally, they visited local businesses seeking sponsorships. They were able to raise enough to send four students to camp.

GoFundMe.com

Bridget used GoFundMe.com as her only source of funding. We were so humbled and amazed by so many friends and family that wanted to help Bridget reached, and ultimately exceeded, her goal.

In order to for her to go funds had to be raised. Her social studies teacher set up a GoFundMe account. The GoFundMe was one account for three students. She raised just under $2000. She was given just over $800 because her family had given the most. Her dad and I paid the rest.

I told Jayelyn she could attend the camp if she raised at least half the money herself. I helped her put together a simple GoFundMe campaign and video to send to family members. We raised about $600.

My daughter raised half of her tuition by using a GoFundMe account for relatives that were out of town that wanted to help the cause.

My son went to Gofundme.com and wrote an essay explaining what the Lone Star Leadership Academy is and what all the kids would be doing this summer. He also explained the type of classes he is taking in school and what outside programs he attends.

She raised funds on GoFundMe.com. All donations were from family and close friends.

My daughter created a GoFundMe account with detailed information about the Lone Star Leadership Academy.

We created a GoFundMe account and asked for donations from local businesses, friends, and family. We collected enough to pay for camp expenses.

We created a GoFundMe account for my daughter's camp fundraiser. We also created a Facebook group page to post updates on fundraising, announcements from Lone Star Leadership Academy on her acceptance, and pictures of the fun time she's having at camp.

We made a video and created a GoFundMe account. Then, we mailed the link to her closest family in a handwritten note.

We set up a GoFundMe account in order to raise the funds for our daughter to be able to go. My husband and I knew that we did not want our daughter to miss out on this opportunity because we did not have the money. Our daughter makes it known to people that she meets that she is very eager and focused on her education and does not want anything to stop her.

We used a GoFundMe account and were very successful. My daughter was nervous at first that we may not be able to raise enough money, but after all the support from family and friends we were very overwhelmed!

We used GoFundMe and raised $600.

When Christopher first brought the letter home letting us know that he was nominated, we were a little concerned about raising the funds. As a one-income family, it is hard to think about paying for the camp. We thought about it and realized that his education and learning experiences were not something you could put a price on. We posted on Facebook that he was accepted and we wanted to send him. Within one week we had enough people rally together to donate items to have a garage sale. With everything that we were able to sell, we raised over half of what we needed. At that point, we realized that Christopher was going to get to go, no matter what it took. We created a YouCaring.com fund as well. It was amazing to see the look on his face when we told him we had enough for him to go!

My daughter started a GoFundMe account, mowed lawns to earn money towards the camp, and received family donations.

She set up a GoFundMe page and shared it almost everyday with friends and family. She was able to raise all the money she needed. We are very grateful to the people that donated and made this experience possible.

She raised one-third of her tuition by doing a carwash in our town. We also arranged a GoFundMe account for friends and family that aren't local.

We did a GoFundMe account and our church allowed us to set up a table for donations after service. We decorated a tri-fold poster with pictures, a letter about the program, and information about Elijah. He gave out mints and flyers with the same information.

We started a GoFundMe account for him to raise money to attend LSLA. We didn't raise all of the money, but next year we plan to start fundraising sooner and hope to raise even more!

We started a GoFundMe campaign and shared the link on Facebook and through email. People were very generous and ready to help a child accomplish their goals. I think that this particular opportunity to tour famous sites and develop leadership and teambuilding skills is something that most people see value in and want to help.

We used a Go Fund Me page. Family and friends donated the entire amount for camp within two weeks and were happy to do it. Often people say "let me know how I can help". I'm a single mom with two adopted daughters. This was a great example of how much people do want to help and how loved and supported we are.

We used the GoFundMe fundraiser web page. It was easy to setup and distribute the web link to family, friends, and loved ones. We raised $500.

She raised funds through the GoFundMe website. She actually reached her goal within a month. She emailed family and friends telling them about the academy and sent them the link.

We raised funds with Education In Action's reference of GoFundMe. We raised half of the tuition, and are sending thank you cards along with a group picture of her camp.

Organization Memberships

Christiana was very fortunate to obtain funds from our church as well as from members of the Baptist church her father attends.

We received a $300 gift from my VFW Auxiliary.

She received a donation from our church.

My daughter is a member of a fraternal organization and they helped her with the donations that she needed last year. This year she asked again and a teacher who knew how much impact the program has on children wanted to make sure she got to go again.

My daughter received partial funding from our local Lion's club. They normally give scholarship opportunities for high school students, so they were eager to help a younger demographic.

My child is a foster child and was sponsored by the Foster Angels of Central Texas. Organizations like this provide opportunities for children who qualify to attend but may not be financially able to do so.

Our son was given a donation from the VFW in Lawton, Oklahoma.

She got donations from family and our town Lion's club.

We did a Thirty-One Fundraiser and it worked great! We also did a garage sale.

My son received donations from Sons of the Republic, Daughters of the Republic, and The Knights of Columbus.

Scholarships

My daughter submitted an application for a scholarship with the school district.

To get her to participate in this program we had to apply for a scholarship and we got the funds.

Another parent asked the PTO if they would be prepared to provide a partial scholarship to the students who were nominated. The PTO, principal and counselor approved $3,000 in funds that would be evenly distributed to all students who enrolled in the summer camp.

Maura and another student attending LSLA ran a concession stand for six weeks during the soccer season. She was also given a scholarship by her school's PTO to help defray camp cost.

My daughter raised funds to attend the Leadership Academy by applying for a scholarship through the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented. She also mowed lawns around the neighborhood and did additional chores for family to earn the funds to attend.

My daughter sold bbq plates and healthy snacks. She also received a scholarship from Navy/Army.

We used the sample letter provided with the application form and modified it to fit our needs. We sent it to a local Rotary group and they responded positively with a partial scholarship for him to attend the Dallas/Fort Worth academy this summer.

My son applied to the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented and received a scholarship. He also received a donation/scholarship from our local credit union.

Combining strategies mentioned above

Tristan created his own flyer called Triscuiteen Rabbit Service and distributed it around the neighborhood. Neighbors hired him to water their plants while they were out of town and move trash cans to the curb weekly. A realtor had him hang door hangers to help market his business. He also helped a friend who lives on a farm for the day with horses and chickens and mowing the lawn. We also reached out to community organizations using the sponsorship letter provided and set up a GoFundMe account. We taught him that if he really wanted to go that he would put the effort in like leaders do to get the results and be able to participate!

Crae worked with four other Lone Star Leadership Academy students and hosted a concession stand at youth soccer games during the fall to earn money to attend. He also refereed soccer games for younger players. In addition, he submitted a request for support to his school's PTO.

We passed out flyers we made up, contacted local businesses, sold candy bars, set up a You Caring fund and shared on Facebook, and made jars to be placed at businesses for donations. We raised all of his money and the deposit for next year :).

We got donations from family. We also had a bake sale which raised a lot of the funds needed.

We raised funds by setting up a GoFundMe account. We also received donations from a local Lion’s Club chapter and from family and friends.

We started our fundraising journey by setting up a GoFundMe account. After that we went to our local chamber of commerce to get names and addresses of local organizations to whom we could send sponsorship letters.

Kaden raised funds to help pay for his camp by creating a GoFundMe account, selling items on 5Miles and OfferUp apps, and babysitting a four-year-old boy. The family ended up liking Kaden so much that he is now their go-to babysitter!

Kylie raised funds by asking friends and family to donate to her camp cost in lieu of birthday gifts, holding a car wash, doing odd jobs, and babysitting.

Nathaniel set up a GoFundMe account and used social media to spread the word. He also organized a garage sale at our home which raised approximately $180 in additional funds. We as parents decided that if he raised half we would provide the other half, and he was able to collect approximately $650.

Our son held a number of bake sales in order to raise funds for his camp experience, but he was also fortunate to have the school's PTO donate a good portion of his tuition. They made their decision based on his exemplary grades and helpful attitude at the school campus.

Our son sold smoked briskets and pork shoulders. He created a flyer, contacted people for sales, and recorded orders. He assisted his father in smoking over 300 lbs of meat in one night! The following day, he delivered and collected money. Many people were so impressed with his "professionalism" that they donated extra for his trip. He was able to offset about two-thirds of the cost of registration and preparation for the trip.

Jack was determined to attend the camp after he found out he was nominated by his TMSCA coach. He used crowdfunding by starting a Gofundme.com page. He also approached businesses to ask for sponsorship, including a local hospital and the local Microsoft store where he had attended YouthSpark camps. He also approached his school counselor to see if the PTA or school district might have any scholarships for which he could apply. Through these efforts, he was able to raise 100% of his own funds to attend camp this year.

He received support from a scholarship thanks to his efforts in school and his participation in the clubs after school. He wrote letters to his teachers and his principal, explaining why he needed the scholarship and how pleased he would be able to attend to the camp. He worked in the summer mowing the yards in our neighborhood. We are very grateful for all the support they all gave him and for all the companies who provided donations.

She raised ALL the funds on her own! I told her the only way this camp would happen was if she worked hard and proved she really wanted to attend. She wrote a letter to mail with her school picture and nomination certificate! We mailed these letters of request to several folks and businesses in the community. We also asked family and friends through a GoFundMe account. We were able to raise the funds within two months. I was truly impressed at her willingness to go the extra mile to get this done in the time she had!

The last two years of our daughter participating in leadership camp we raised the money by sending out letters to local businesses and organizations. Our school family pitched in with individuals sponsoring our daughter as well. This past year we also held a bake sale to help raise the money for her to attend. Our little community has been amazing in supporting our daughter in this once in a lifetime experience.

Over $500 was raised via a crowdfunding webpage and my high school alumni group donated the rest.

When we first got the letter for my child's nomination I thought I was not going to be able to afford for my child to go. However, since my child wasn't the only child in her school that was going, the parents got together with the school to fundraise. We started with Peter Piper Pizza coupon books then asked the school if we could sell stuff after school and at PTA meetings and held a dance with help from the PTA. With all of that fundraising, we were able to pay for five students, buy them all sleeping bags, and give them money to spend for their time there.

We used the suggested donor letter and mailed to companies with which we were familiar. We also collected donated items and held a garage sale.

After reading the fundraising information provided on the Education in Action website, we revised the funding request letter to fit our child. She talked to one set of her grandparents who offered to match any funds she raised toward her camp costs. We then decided to start with the local businesses and then more family.

My husband helped my daughter schedule appointments with the presidents of the two banks where she has savings accounts. I helped her practice what she might say to the bank executives and took her to her appointments. At the first bank, the president gave her a donation of $100 and also offered for her to hold a bake sale in the bank's lobby to raise additional funds. At the second bank, the president gave her a donation of $100 and told her if she had any other fundraisers, like bake sales, to let him know and he would send the bank staff to shop. After these two successes, we began to plan a bake sale. Both of her grandmothers, several family friends, and I baked items for the bake sale. We scheduled it for a Monday morning that she didn't have school in the lobby of one of the banks. It was a phenomenal success. She raised over $800 between 9:00 and 12:00 pm in a small-town bank lobby. Her entire camp experience was easily paid for through her fundraising efforts and she was able to make a donation to a group of girls from our area who were also raising money for Education in Action camps. She had the growth experience of meeting with two bank executives and presenting her case requesting funding support. She ran the bake sale and provided customer service to each shopper. She wrote thank-you notes to her supporters and is now working on presentations to share with the bank staffs. Because of the sweat equity she had invested in the camp experience, I believe it meant more to her than if I had just written a check.