Monroe Area High School

Monroe Area High School TSA Sales the Way to Nationals

Members of Monroe Area High School Technology Student Association waited patiently until they finally heard the sound of a car pull into the parking lot of Walker Baptist Church in Monroe, Ga. It was Friday night and the donations started pouring in for their yard sale the next day.

The yard sale on May 2 was a way for MAHS TSA to raise money for their trip to national conference in Denver, Colo.

“We have to use every outlet possible to earn money,” Michelle Conner, chapter vice president said, “because of the current budget issues going on in our school system.”

TSA members posted flyers in their neighborhoods asking for donations of used items, but heavily relied on their own resources as well.

"I donated a wide variety of items, such as auto accessories, old toys, books, clothing, an old T.V., housewares, DVD's, tapes, etc,” Nick Jones, chapter sergeant at arms said. “These really helped to widen the array of available items to sell, which in turn helped to bring in a wider variety of customers."

Although the fundraiser was designed by the group of parents whose students are the members going to nationals, a lot of the preparation work was carried out by the members. This includes: pricing, making signs and working at the yard sale.

“I helped set up all of the merchandise the night before,” Cody McCord, chapter vice president, said, “and spent an hour selling.”

TSA also used this as a way to raise awareness about their organization by explaining to people who stopped by exactly what they do and collected donations as well.

All together MAHS TSA raised $650, but to the members, it was much more than just fundraising that mattered. TSA donated all of the unsold items to a local outreach thrift store after the sale was over.

“We wanted to find a way to give back to our community and show them that we care,” Coleen Conner, chapter president said. “The local area has been really supportive of us, sending in donations, so it felt like the natural thing to do.”

Members of the chapter felt that their first place overall win at the TSA State Conference in March had a big impact on their motivation to get to National Conference this year.

“Winning at state conference definitely made me more willing to fundraise,” Spencer Feuerstein, member, said, “because I really want to compete and achieve at Nationals.”

Besides the yard sale, the chapter has also been coming up with innovative ways to raise money. They sold candy and drinks every morning and at lunch for almost two months, doughnuts on Thursdays, had a game night every other week, sold cupcakes on Fridays, sent letters out to local businesses and asked teachers to sponsor a meal for a student. The largest donation came from the academic excellence foundation at their school.

“This single donation,” Michael Goltzer, advisor, said, “was the difference between us packing eight into a room, taking a bus, and eating pork and beans the entire trip.”

The chapter gained more than funds to take the trip to Denver though. Many members also felt like the experience brought them closer together and bonded them as a team.

“I believe that everyone has gotten closer since state conference,” Eric Beavers, member, said. “Even more so than winning, it was working on the projects together that bonded us as a team.”
Story by Coleen Conner.