Inspiration Archive

Looking for some fresh ideas? Need a reminder of just how important your parent group work is? You'll find plenty of heartwarming and inspiring stories in the articles below. Find more on the Inspiration & Humor resources page.

• Adversity: Saving the School They Love - When parents found out their school would be shutting down just a month later, they stepped up to raise money as well as run the school, receiving the 2011 Parent Group of the Year award for Outstanding Effort To Overcome Adversity.
• Small School: Serving Students' Basic Needs - Leaders at PTO Today's 2011 Outstanding Parent Group at a Small School went above and beyond for their struggling school, from enhancing the curriculum to cleaning toilets.
• PTO Events Strengthen Schools - The relationships formed at PTO and PTA family nights strengthen the school-home connection and empower parents.
• Small School: Splashy Events and a Packed Calendar - The Outstanding Parent Group at a Small School in PTO Today's 2010 Parent Group of the Year search accomplishes as much as a larger group might, without losing its personal focus on families within the school community.
• Adversity: Creative Approach Restarts Fading Group - On the verge of disappearing entirely, PTO Today's 2010 Parent Group of the Year for Outstanding Effort To Overcome Adversity went for new ways to get families involved and reenergize the group.
• Community Service: Partnering With a School in Need - A longstanding commitment to a less affluent local school is just one reason for honoring PTO Today's 2010 Parent Group of the Year for Outstanding Community Service Project.
• "It's Worth Every Minute" - Helping your children succeed in school and beyond is easy. Just get involved.
• Planning a PTO Community Service Project - How to choose and run a meaningful service project that reaches beyond the school doors.
• The Buzz: PTOs and Community Service - These parent groups found creative ways for kids to make a difference during the holiday season, teaching a valuable lesson about giving back to the community.
• PTA Volunteer Makes Math Fun - An elementary school PTA member works with others to increase student achievement through math games and puzzles.
• Supporting Adoptive Families - An adoptive parent starts a group to connect with other similar families at her school.
• Bike Drive Energizes Community - By collecting and repairing bicycles for low-income families, PTO Today's 2009 Parent Group of the Year for Outstanding Community Service Project turned a simple annual event into a community-building exercise.
• Leading With Heart - Community service is the key for this veteran parent group leader.
• Volunteer Hits the Money Trail - A parent's grantwriting skills are put to good use for her PTA.
• A Leader Who Gets Everyone on Board - By focusing on engagement, this president helped defeat her group's clique reputation.
• No Keeping Them Down - The area's only major employer laid off 1,000 workers, but this rural PTA stayed committed to engaging families and serving the school.
• Homemaker Extraordinaire - This mom has the tools to make a difference—and she knows how to use them.
• Community Service: Knitting for a Cause - PTO Today’s 2008 Outstanding Community Service Project turned a fundraiser into a heartwarming event: Students knitted hats in all sizes for patients at the local children’s hospital, then delivered them personally.
• Dad Pulls Out All the Stops - A committed crossing guard keeps students safe.
• A Special Day for Grandparents - Every year, grandparents and other adult friends come from across the country to share the day with students.
• School Spirit in the Spotlight - Hundreds of students, parents, and alumni take part in planning or performing in a major variety show event.
• Halloween Festival Builds Community - Every October, a 140-student school in Michigan throws a party for a thousand people.
• PTO Wins With Tournament - Teams of students compete in a basketball tournament that has become a rallying point for the entire middle school.
• Life as a PTA Retiree - A veteran parent group leader reflects on her "leisure time."
• PTO Thrift Shop Success - Selling gently used toys and clothing has resulted in a steady stream of profits for one town’s popular thrift shop—and all of it goes to the PTOs.
• This Dad Is Having a Blast - A background in design and illustration can make for one explosive family night.
• One Last Dance - A mom who got involved says thanks for the memories.
• Mother-Daughter PTA Team - A 17-year-old shares a seat on the executive board with her mom to make a better school for her little sister.
• Parent Campaigns To Save School - Undertaking a rescue mission to keep the school's doors open.
• Stating Her Case for Involvement - Legal help, good advice, and a lot more from a lawyer and school volunteer.
• Painting Her Way to PTO Success - This creative mom leads with artistic expression.
• She's Got Answers - A president who finds out whatever you need to know.
• One Persistent President - This parent's tenacity made the difference for her school.
• Dad in Charge of the PTO - Single father Rich Linden wants everyone who gets involved with the parent group to have fun.
• PTO Leader Helps Educate Parents - By combining resources districtwide, a series of seminars builds community and addresses issues parents care about.
• Filmmaker Dad Finds Role in PTO - Even someone who doesn't see himself as a leader can make a difference by using his talents.
• Parochial School: Marketing Campaign Keeps School Open - Low enrollment, a declining local economy, and the departure of the school administrator made parents sure their Catholic school would be the next to close. What they did not only prevented it but also established the school even more strongly, and earned the group recognition as PTO Today's 2006 Outstanding Parent Group at a Private School.
• Mom Builds Minority Involvement - Changing the perception of a parent group by focusing on multicultural outreach.
• My PTO Parent: Kids Speak Out - How the children of PTO leaders view their parents' involvement at school.
• PTOs Lead in Times of Need - When it comes to organizing in response to a crisis or tragedy, parent groups have the skills and resources to provide the help that's needed.
• A Giver Receives - One Hawaii mom's kidney transplant allows her to continue volunteering.
• Why We Do It - Five leaders talk about what keeps them motivated and inspired to help their school, even when the going gets tough.
• Volunteer Focuses on Community Service - Giving back is a great way to set a good example and gets the entire parent community involved.
• Sign Fairy Eases First-Day Jitters - The message is clear: She makes new students feel welcome.
• After Katrina: PTOs Regroup, Rebuild - Gulf Coast parent groups cope with a new reality in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
• "Computer Nerd" Takes Charge - He gave them a piece of his mind. They elected him president.
• When We Were a Parent Group of the Year Winner - Sometimes the best thing a PTO can do is look back on all the great stuff it has accomplished.
• Leader Offers a Warm Welcome - After her own less-than-engaging first encounter at school, a new PTA president vows she'll do things differently for other parents.
• Married to the Principal - Firsthand advice to make the PTO-principal relationship a successful one.
• Great-Grandfather, PTO Leader - When others would retire, this Navy veteran is just getting started.
• Marathon Mom Runs for Her PTA - A New York City mom uses her legs to raise money for her parent group—26.2 miles at a time.
• Rolling in the Dough - When inspiration strikes, it pays to go with it. Just don't burn your bridges with the tried-and-true.
• It's Always Sharing Season - Almost a decade of connecting parent group leaders has shown the ever-present interest in learning from each other.
• Fear of Flopping - Don't be afraid to put yourself out there—if you have something important to share, bite the bullet and speak up.
• Confessions of a Compulsive Volunteer - The payoff is worth more than the pain for this devoted volunteer.
• PTO Mom Wins on TV Show - A trivia buff undertakes a unique fundraiser: competing on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?
• A School's Unlikely Hero - How a Long Island man with no children became president of a PTA in inner city Miami, with rewarding results for all involved.
• Dad's New Job: PTA President - A bank manager turned stay-at-home parent puts his skills to good use running the parent group.
• PTOs Helping PTOs - Some parent groups are sharing their resources with less-fortunate schools and PTOs. In the end, both schools benefit.
• The Playground King - After replacing the playground at his own school, a Napa, Calif., volunteer discovered that the play areas at many other schools in the district were unsafe, as well.
• National Winner: After Tornado, PTO Stronger Than Ever - A unified response to a community disaster strengthened this PTO and gave them renewed focus. Now, they are PTO Today's 2002 Parent Group of the Year.
• Idea Gallery 2001 - Hundreds of Parent Group of the Year applications in 2001 yielded hundreds of hearwarming stories and accomplishments and more than a few quotes we just had to share.