School Class Shirts for Fundraising

Every fall, when schools are back in session, one of the first fundraising opportunities available is the sale of school class shirts.  An always popular method, this system generates a fair some of money for educational organizations that are used to seed projects throughout the remainder of the school year.  Elementary schools will typically feature their school mascot and name, of course, and settle on one design for the entire school.  High schools will feature the same notations but usually distinguish between the classes so students can look forward to earning a new shirt every year. 

Athletics organizations within schools also sell school class shirts to raise money for their sports.   These are typically available to parents as well as students, which allows those who wish to participate in these sports, the opportunity to invest in their program.  This is a good system because it does not force families to pay for something they aren’t using but also provides those who are paying, something for their money.  Schools usually print their designs on tee shirts that they can order in bulk, making this an extremely affordable fundraiser.  Of course, different colors are available, depending on the school colors or the request of the students. 

Of course, the art departments might also make their own school class shirts to promote their department and the projects they will be working on throughout the year.  Drama clubs and band and choir ensembles always need more money to purchase copyrighted material as well as uniforms or costumes for their many performances.  Equipment must always be kept up and theatrical stages must follow strict safety regulations, so earning money for electrical repair and upgrades can be quite a daunting task.

To make school class shirts the class, organization, or institution will decide first on a logo.  An elementary school would probably need only one design, while a high school would likely utilize several.  A football team, for instance, would have much different needs than a drama club, which would be quite dissimilar to girls’ soccer, and so on.  If the school has an art department they could request the services of a few graphic designers to help finalize these ideas and then turn the project over to technology students to scan the image into a computer.  From here, it’s off to screen the images onto the shirts, most likely using the silk screen process.  If you have the capabilities onsite, you can print them yourself, or have the woodshop make you a screen.   This, of course, is optional.

In the past it might have been easiest for districts to order and purchase their school class shirts through a local printer or designer.  Recent technological developments, however, suggest that it might make even more sense for administrators to consider placing their bulk order with an online manufacturer.  They are often much less expensive than you might think and can be delivered directly to your administration building saving you time and money, but also the energy involved with organizing this final, crucial step.