Community Service Archive

From food drives to charitable fundraisers to hands-on student projects that help those in need, the articles below have stories about great community services programs run by school PTOs and PTAs.

  • 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.

  • Trend Watch: Community Service for the Holidays

    These parent groups found creative ways for students to make a difference during the holiday season.

  • Academics and Animals

    One school's 5th grade curriculum uses community service activities related to cats, dogs, and zoo animals to teach kids science.

  • 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.

  • National Runner-up: Focus on Families and Service

    Support of enrichment programs and volunteer opportunities helped set apart the 2009 Parent Group of the Year national runner-up.

  • Leading With Heart

    Community service is the key for this veteran parent group leader.

  • 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.

  • Family Event: Fun and Eco-games

    PTO Today’s 2008 Outstanding Family Event was a green festival that combined learning and fun, included a large number of parent volunteers, and helped strengthen the connection between the middle school and home.

  • Service Groups Lend a Hand

    Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, and other community organizations can provide a lot of help to parent groups.

  • Community Service: Student Club Involves Parents

    PTO Today's 2007 Parent Group of the Year for Outstanding Community Service Project had students teaching each other—and helping others in the community—through monthly events all year long.

  • Major Project: Community Garden Builds School Support

    A Phoenix group was recognized as the PTO Today 2007 Parent Group of the Year for Outstanding Job on a Completed Major Project for its garden that is part teaching tool, part service project, and part community-building exercise.

  • National Runner-up: Eagle Project Really Soared

    A combined literacy and community service project to save the bald eagle really took off for PTO Today's 2007 Parent Group of the Year national runner-up.

  • Major Project: Parents, Students Help Hurricane Victims

    The Emily Brittain Elementary PTO in Butler, Pa., took its school motto to heart with a large-scale Hurricane Katrina relief effort for a sister school in Mississippi. The results earned the group recognition for an Outstanding Job on a Completed Major Project in PTO Today's 2006 Parent Group of the Year search.

  • 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.

  • Volunteer Focuses on Community Service

    Giving back is a great way to set a good example and gets the entire parent community involved.

  • PTOs Helping PTOs

    Some parent groups are sharing their resources with less-fortunate schools and PTOs. In the end, both schools benefit.

  • National Winner: Community Spirit on Parade

    A strong sense of community—and extended community—help make this group PTO Today's 2002 Parent Group of the Year.
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