W.I.

T Public Relations Campaign

Public Relations Campaign Plan

Alex Everhart
PR Communications
University of Georgia
Fall 2014

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Table of Contents
Page 3: Situation Statement

History
Current Standing
Structure
PR Activities
Target Audiences
Problems
Opportunities

Page 9: Objectives and Research

Goals and Objectives
Types of Research

Page 11: Action Plan

Strategies
Tactics
Evaluation
Budget
Timetable

Page 16: Press Release
Page 19: Fact Sheet
Page 21: Feature Pitch
Page 24: Feature Release
Page 29: Public Service
Announcement
Page 31: Speech
Page 38: Special Event

Page 42: Newsletter

Recommendations
Page 45: Sample Newsletter
Page 47: Website Recommendations
Page 50: Interview Preparation

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Situation Statement

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

I. HISTORY

Established:
Whatever It Takes, commonly known at W.I.T, is an official student organization
at the University of Georgia. Anna Konieczny, former UGA student, wanted to bring
W.I.T to UGA after learning about Family Connections, a statewide organization with
the intention to strengthen communities needs through the Georgia education
system. Konieczny paired up with Phil Grayeski, former UGA student, to model a
similar program through UGA.

Funding:
Since its establishment, W.I.T has gained a lot of support from UGA students and
organizations. Based solely on donations, W.I.T bases its budget each year from
annual contributions from the UGA Honors Program, Tau Epsilon Phis annual
Battle of the Bands, UGA International Fraternal Councils annual golf tournament
and miscellaneous fundraisers. This year W.I.T is adding a Chick-fil-A percentage
night in addition to previous years fundraisers to increase its budget. The campus
organization normally works with a slim budget of $2,000 per semester, but is
hoping to increase their budget to $4,000 per semester. The funds each semester
mainly go towards after school snacks at the two tutoring locations and smaller
events throughout the year.

Values and Mission:
W.I.T is an organization partnered with the local schools and families to provide
after-school tutoring and mentoring programs and other miscellaneous
initiatives. As part of the higher education system, the founding students created
this organization to better the lives of children in our own backyard. This year,
W.I.T has finalized its core values into four categories: academic, health, safety and
home life.

Overall Goal:
As a new organization W.I.T has created an overall goal as follows:
At 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 1, 2020 every child in Athens will be on course to
graduate from a post-secondary education.

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

II. CURRENT STANDING
Current Programs:
The organization originally created an after-school tutoring program at Oaks on the
River to aid students with their homework. Since then, Oaks on the River is no
longer around, but W.I.T has created permanent after-school tutoring programs at
the East Athens Community Center and the Rock Springs Community Center.
These programs are set up to help children in the local elementary and middle
schools with homework, test taking and behavioral skills. The after-school tutoring
programs last from 3-5 p.m. on Mondays-Thursdays. An average of 30-40
elementary and middle school students participate per location per day and around
25-30 tutors volunteer per location per day. This is a steady increase from the 15
tutors and 25-30 kids per location per day last year.

In previous years, W.I.T has participated in UGAs Books for Keeps annual book
drive, Just Shoe It, an athletic equipment drive and an all girls mentoring program.
W.I.T has strayed away from these programs over the last year, but has grown to
include a mentoring program through the Athens-Clarke Country Elementary and
Middle schools. UGA students are partnered with an elementary or middle school
student and meet once a week.

Future Programs:
W.I.Ts new executive board has brainstormed and greatly improved the layout of
the organization. This year the executive board has analyzed previous programs and
created a system to keep tutors accountable and to implement new ideas.

The mentoring program has always been a core part of the organization, but has
never thoroughly been implemented. This year, W.I.T has at least 20 students
volunteered as mentors for the local county school system.

This year, W.I.T has also partnered up with Lighthouse International to give kids
at the tutoring centers free vision screenings. The first screening was held during
the week of Sept. 22, 2014 and 17 kids were screened. Of the kids tested, four
needed a follow-up for vision problems.

Another aspect W.I.T is hoping to implement this year is the healthy eating through
the Student Dietetic Association. Teaming up with this campus association, W.I.T
is working with dietetic students to provide healthy after school snacks. The
association is also hoping to provide cooking classes to parents whose children are
involved in the after school programs as well.

Current Budget:
W.I.T works from a very small budget, based from donations. This year small
fundraisers such as restaurant percentage nights will add to the budget. Also, W.I.Ts
financial personnel are in the process of pitching a higher budget to the UGA Honors
Society, a main source of funds. The Honors Society grants money to W.I.T every

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

year based on a proposed budget plan. Tau Epsilon Phi has also agreed this year to
contribute funds from its annual Battle of the Bands fundraiser to W.I.T. Last year
the fundraiser contributed $1300 to the campus organization. As mentioned earlier,
W.I.T is looking to make this years budget around $4,000 per semester.

Community Relations:
W.I.T has established a strong relationship with the East Athens Community
Center and the Rock Spring Community Center. Both centers work closely with
the organization to provide insightful tips for the tutors as well as community and
parental relations.

W.I.T also has a liaison through the Athens-Clarke County school system who
works with under privileged families and the community. The liaison will help place
W.I.T volunteers in the mentoring program and aids W.I.T with community
relations.

Campus Relations:
W.I.T also has a solid foundation on campus with the UGA Honors Program, Tau
Epsilon Phi, UGAs International Fraternal Council as well as many Greek Life
representatives. This year, the organization has also forged a relationship with the
Student Dietetic Association.

Competition:
As one of many student organizations at the University of Georgia, W.I.T is
competing for limited funds. Up against large campus organizations such as UGA
Miracle, UGA H.E.R.O.S and Relay for Life, W.I.T is competing for resources and
student involvement.

III. STRUCTURE

Executive Board:
The organization consists of a 10 person executive team, which meets weekly to
discuss upcoming events, fundraising and the after-school programs. There are two
executive director positions that oversee the organization as a whole and implement
ideas. The two education directors formulate the academic curriculum for the after
school programs. Fundraising directors oversee the annual budget and pitch budget
proposals to the UGA Honors Program yearly. The two communication directors and
two special project directors oversee events and volunteers.


Volunteers:
This year W.I.T has around 250 student volunteers who aid with the weekly after
school and mentoring programs and special events. The volunteers sign up on which
days and locations are best available to them. The executive team is responsible for
volunteer accountability. W.I.T utilizes the staff at the two community center
locations.

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

IV. PR/COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES

Personnel:
Although W.I.T currently has two people on the executive board as the
communication directors, no single person is in charge of social media, public
relations or marketing. The executive team all serve together as the communication
and advertising personnel.

Campaigns:
W.I.T hosts an annual kick-off in the fall to promote its organization to encourage
student participation. During this year, the organization saw an increase in
volunteers compared to previous years. However, this is the only event the
organization holds to raise on-campus awareness. In the past two years, W.I.T has
hosted BBQs, Trunk or Treat and an Easter Egg hunt in the community. These events
encourage locals to participate.

Fundraising Events:
As mentioned earlier, its annual budget mainly from donations. This year, the
student organization is creating new fundraising options.

Percentage Nights:
This is the first year W.I.T is hosting its own fundraising event with percentage
nights at restaurants in town such as Chick-Fil-A.

V. TARGET AUDIENCES

This is a unique organization in that it has multiple target audiences. Not only does
W.I.T want students be involved and aware of the opportunities it provides, but the
main goal is to improve the quality of life and education in the Athens-Clarke County
area.
Primary Target Audience(s):
In this specific campaign, W.I.T should focus their attention on raising awareness
and reaching out the Athens community and UGA student body. W.I.T should foster
relationships with the Athens community and encourage students to get involved as
well.

Secondary Audience:
The secondary audience is the students in the Athens-Clarke County area. The
students at the elementary and middle schools are the recipeients of the tutoring
and mentoring programs.

Tertiary Target Audience:
The tertiary audience is the current organization and the 250 students involved this
year. These are the people who form the organization and carry out the mentoring
and tutoring programs.

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

VI. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Past Improvements:
Although W.I.T is a fairly new organization, it has seen a steady increase in student
volunteer participation as well as an increase in the number of students from the
Athens-Clarke County school system attending the after-school programs. The new
executive board has analyzed previous years and has made drastic improvements in
organization, communication and event planning. W.I.T has incorporated a few
associations on campus including the Student Dietetic Association and plans on
expanding the organization in the next few years.

Problem:
W.I.T has made several leaps and bounds to reach their overall goal, but there is still
much room for improvement on the student and Athens community level. W.I.T
holds one kick-off and simply seeks volunteers via word-of-mouth, its website and
social media. If the organization hopes to keep increasing, these forms of advertising
will only go so far.

Also, the relationship with the community is very limited and W.I.T mainly works
through the two community centers in town. Although this does give some insight to
improve the after-school programs, W.I.T needs support from the Athens-Clarke
County school system in order to expand and maintain relationships. Without a
direct relationship with the school system, W.I.T is limiting their potential to help
the majority of the students.

Opportunity:
Although some problems can only be fixed with time, the organization has many
opportunities to reach their target audiences. In order to raise awareness on
campus and in the community, W.I.T needs to focus on its resources. To increase
student participation, word-of-mouth is not the best way to improve a potentially
growing organization. Also, without a direct relationship with the Athens-Clarke
County school system, any potential for expansion is limited.

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Objectives and Research

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

VII. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal 1: Raise awareness and increase participation from the University of Georgias
student body

a. Objective 1: To increase on-campus awareness of W.I.T by 25 percent by
March 7, 2015.

b. Objective 2: To increase the number of volunteers by 10 percent by
March 7, 2015.


Goal 2: To foster better relationships between W.I.T and the Athens community

a. Objective 1: To raise awareness in the Athens community about W.I.Ts
mission, values and goals by 15 percent by March 7, 2015.

b. Objective 2: To increase favorable relationships* between W.I.T and the
Athens community by 10 percent by March 7, 2015.

*A favorable relationship is someone W.I.T is comfortable contacting to receive information
and pitch new ideas.

VIII. RESEARCH

For this campaign to be successful, primary and secondary research must be
conducted to foster better relationships between W.I.T., the student body and the
Athens community. The best primary research is interviewing the executive team
and analyzing previous years strategies to increase participation and awareness.
The primary research would be focused on investigating the ways W.I.T has dealt
with the community in the past as well as how W.I.T works with the UGA student
body.

A focus group with the executive team would be the best method of digging into the
organization and analyzing potential opportunities.

Also, secondary research would need to be conducted to analyze the Athens-Clarke
County school system and the Athens community. An overview of the Athens school
systems as well as important personnel involved in education in the surrounding
area is needed to find the best relationships to pursue.

10

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Action Plan

11

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

IX. STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

Strategy 1: Create opportunities for the University of Georgias student body to
learn about W.I.T as an organization and community initiative.

a. Tactic 1: Re-launch W.I.Ts website onto an easier, more accessible
platform and update the website on a regular basis, including updated
blog posts, links and event information.

b. Tactic 2: Create a press release seeking volunteers and explaining the
updated mentor program and upcoming events to media outlets such as
the Red & Black, on campus publications and University schools list-serv
emails.

c. Tactic 3: Pass out flyers at the Tate Plaza and around campus to advertise
the many upcoming events, afterschool and mentoring programs and
available service hours to encourage students to volunteer.

Strategy 2: Create opportunities for the Athens community to learn about W.I.T and
the problems with the local school systems

a. Tactic 1: Make an executive team member in charge of the blog and all
social media accounts, creating content for the social media daily and a
blog posts weekly. Create a video describing W.I.Ts mission and values to
launch on social media pages and website.

b. Tactic 2: Create a press release and send to local media outlets such as
Flagpole Magazine and The Athens Banner-Herald on the statistics of
drop out rates, low reading levels, etc. in the local school system. Also,
explaining how W.I.T. as an organization is fighting to combat these high
rates.

c. Tactic 3: Speak with the local principles, teachers and potentially school
board members about W.I.T and the after school programs as a way to
promote the organization and gain support from the Athens-Clarke
County school system.

d. Tactic 4: Host at least 2 events by the end of the semester. Host a field day
at one of the Athens-Clarke County Schools and hold a Career/Major
Fair at the local high school. The purpose of the Career/Fair is to share
information about different majors offered at most state universities.

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

X. EVALUATION

Goal 1: Raise awareness and increase participation from the University of
Georgias student body


a. Objective 1: To increase awareness of W.I.T by 25 percent on-campus by

March 2015.


Evaluation: Analyze social media accounts and the number of followers,

likes, etc. Also, conduct a survey on-campus to analyze if students know what

W.I.T is and its mission.


b. Objective 2: To increase the number of volunteers by 10 percent by March

7, 2015.


Evaluation: Compare the total number of student volunteers who signed up

at the start of the Fall 2014 semester to the total number of volunteers in

March 7, 2015.

Goal 2: To foster better relationships between W.I.T and the Athens
community


a. Objective 1: To raise awareness in the Athens community about W.I.Ts

mission, values and goals by 15 percent by March 7, 2015.


Evaluation: Analyze the amount of media coverage in the Athens community.

Also conduct a survey to send out to the faculty of the Athens-Clarke County

Schools as well as the parents of children in the local school system to

analyze if people know about W.I.T and its mission.


b. Objective 2: To increase favorable relationships between W.I.T and the

Athens community by 10 percent by March 7, 2015.


Evaluation: Analyze the number of people W.I.T worked with in the

community at the beginning of Fall 2014 and compare to the number of

contacts and people W.I.T works with in March 7, 2015.

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Budget

Re-launch Website..$0.00
Press Releases....$0.00
Social Media content......$0.00
Speaking with local personnel.....$0.00
Research (primary, secondary)..................$0.00

Tactic
Items
Number
Cost/Item
Total
Event at Tate Plaza

Table
Tri-fold
Flyers
Decorations
Reserve space

$65.00
$2.00
$0.03
$10.00
$0.00

$65.00
$2.00
$7.50
$10.00
$0.00

Soccer Balls
Kickballs
Frisbees
Hula Hoops
Chalk
Snacks

1
1
250

1

5
5
1-12 set packs
5-2 set packs
3 packs
200-donated

Field Day

$12.00
$6.00
$33.00
$6.00
$5.00
$0.00

$60.00
$30.00
$33.00
$30.00
$15.00
$0.00

Career/Major Fair

Tri-Folds
Decorations

15
15

$2.00
$10.00

$30.00
$150.00

TOTAL$432.5

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Time Table

Tactic/Date
1/4-1/10
1/11-

Research:
Primary
and
secondary
Fix/Update
Website
Create
Press
Releases

Appoint
Exec.
Member
for Social
Media
Create
email to
contact
principles
and
important
personnel
Organize
group to
create
advertising
video
Field Day
planning

1/17

1/18-
10/24

1/25-
1/31

Fix
Website

Fix
Website

Send out
Press
releases
Create
Pass Out
Flyers
Flyers
on
campus
Start
Update
updating Social
Social
media
media
content
accounts
Send
Organize
email and meeting
set up
times
time to
meet
Create
ideas for
video
Field Day
planning

Organize
Create
group to
ideas for
plan Major fair
Fair

Begin
video
filming

2/8-
2/14

2/15-
2/21

2/22-
2/28

3/8-
3/7

Launch Blog
Site
Post
#1

Blog
Post
#2

Blog
Post
#3

Blog
Post
#4

Blog
Post
#5

Create
Social
media
posts

Create
new
social
media
posts

Create
new
social
media
posts

Create
new
social
media
posts

Create
new
social
media
posts

Create
new
social
media
posts

Video
film.

Film/
edit
video

Kill
PSA

Field
Day
prep.
Fair
prep.

Field
Day
prep.
Fair
prep.

Put
video
on
social
media
Field
Day

Fair
prep.

Major
Fair
Day

Meet
with
locals
by start
of Feb.

Video
filming

Run
PSA
Field
Field
Day
Day
planning prep.
Seek
Finalize
speakers date
with
school

2/1-
2/7

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Press Release

16

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alex Everhart
Public Relations Coordinator
770-789-4610
abe1993@uga.edu

W.I.T partners with UGA for annual book drive

ATHENS, Ga. (Jan. 1, 2015) Whatever It Takes is branching outside its organization
by partnering with Books For Keeps, the University of Georgias annual book drive.

Books for Keeps is a local nonprofit organization that provides books for

children on free and reduced lunch in the Athens-Clarke County area. As part of its
initiative to foster a better local education system, Whatever It Takes is also focused
on this project.

Not only are we trying to build our own organization, but we also want to

help young students through other nonprofits on campus, said Amanda Boggs,
president of Whatever It Takes. The goal is to provide at least eight books to
children of all ages in need to increase students interest in school as well as their
reading level.

Whatever It Takes partnership is seeking volunteers from within their

organization to help with the drive. The organization has worked with Books for
Keeps over the last several years, but also supports a number of other projects.

Initially founded to provide free afterschool tutoring programs, Whatever It

Takes has also established an economics-tutoring program through Clarke Central

High School, an athletic gear donation drive called Just Shoe It and an all girls
mentoring programs at the local schools.
-more-

17

Press Release
Books: Whatever It Takes fosters education
2

Although these small partnerships are still growing, Whatever It Takes has

big goals for the future. At 1 p.m. on Wednesday July 1, 2020 every child in Athens
will be on course to graduate from a post-secondary education, according to
Whatever It Takes website.

The goal is lofty, but Boggs believes the Books for Keeps drive will raise

awareness on campus. Students, faculty and staff can participate by dropping off
books at one of the 15 locations on campus anytime during the business week.

Books for Keeps with begin their collection on Jan. 1 and continue through

March 1. For more information on book drop-off locations, please visit

booksforkeeps.blogspot.com or witatuga.org to get involved with Whatever It Takes.
###
To be distributed to Athens Banner-Herald and Red & Black
About the Organization
Whatever It Takes, commonly known at W.I.T, is an on-campus organization, which
provides free afterschool tutoring programs in the Athens-Clarke Country area.
Founded by a former UGA student, Whatever It Takes is modeled after a program
started in Geoffrey Canada. In 2010, W.I.T received a $500,000 grant to start its
projects. Since then, the W.I.T has grown to provide mentoring, after school
programs and special events.

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W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Fact Sheet

19







Client Fact Sheet
Company Profile for Whatever It Takes UGA

Whatever It Takes is a nonprofit, official student organization at the University of
Georgia. Established in August 2011, W.I.T was created to improve the overall
quality of life for the children in the Clarke County School District. The
organizations primary goal is to ensure every child in the community is on track for
a post-secondary education by 2020. With two tutoring locations, W.I.T helps nearly
50 kids daily with homework and mentoring programs. The 10 person executive
board oversees all activities and coordinates W.I.T events throughout the year.

Organization:


Whatever It Takes UGA

Address:



102 Tate Student Center





Athens, GA 30602

Main Telephone:

404-444-0984

Tutoring Locations:

East Athens Community Center





400 McKinley Drive





Athens, GA 30601





Rock Springs Community Center





285 Rocksprings Court





Athens, GA 30606

Industry:


Nonprofit

Executive Directors:

Doug Mohme: dbmohme@uga.edu





McKinley Gropp: mgropp@uga.edu

Organization Structure:
W.I.T has a 10 person executive board, which





oversees nearly 250 student volunteers who
serve as



the tutors for the afterschool and mentoring





programs.

Budget:



W.I.T works strictly off of donations and in
recent



years has received an annual budget of nearly





$2,000. In 2014, it is hoping to receive $4,000.

Concept:



The organization provides free afterschool
tutoring,



mentoring programs and special events
throughout


the year for the students in the Clarke County





School District.

Public Relations Contact:
Alex Everhart: abe1993@uga.edu





770-789-4610
Whatever It Takes 102 Tate Student Center Athens, GA 30602
404-444-0984 www.wituga.org

20

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Feature Pitch

21

Feature Story Pitch

!
Jan.!3,!2015!
!
Donnie!Fetter,!Managing!Editor!!
Athens!Banner;Herald!
1!Press!Place!!
Athens,!GA!30601!
!
Dear!Mr.!Fetter:!
!
Only!51!percent!of!children!in!the!Promise!Neighborhood!Zone!in!the!Athens;Clarke!
County!school!system!are!graduating!high!school.!Whatever!It!Takes,!commonly!
known!at!W.I.T,!is!an!organization!at!the!University!of!Georgia!that!is!fighting!these!
high!dropout!rates,!low!reading!levels!and!poor!behavioral!skills.!To!combat!these!
burdening!issues,!W.I.T!has!revamped!its!organization!to!foster!stronger!
relationships!in!the!Athens!community!and!expand!its!services.!!
!
A!feature!story!could!focus!on!the!organization!as!a!whole!and!the!programs!it!has!
implemented!since!its!establishment!four!years!ago.!The!story!could!include!the!
many!statistics!about!the!local!school!system!and!the!issues!surrounding!our!areas!
educational!problems.!The!story!could!also!include!W.I.Ts!future!plans!to!include!
free!eye!exams,!a!mentoring!program!and!events!for!the!community.!!
!
This!topic!is!relevant!to!the!Athens!Banner;Herald!audience.!This!organization!is!
striving!to!help!the!local!community!and!foster!mutually!benefiting!relationships!
between!the!students!and!local!schools.!W.I.T!has!not!only!seen!improvements!in!
the!childrens!academic!and!social!lives,!but!has!high!goals!to!have!every!student!in!
the!Athens;Clarke!County!school!system!on!the!track!for!a!postsecondary!education!
by!2020.!This!is!a!goal!the!entire!Athens!community!should!be!involved!and!actively!
participating!in.!Although!a!new!organization,!W.I.T!is!on!the!path!to!help!every!
child!in!our!area.!!
!
Interview!appointments!to!speak!with!a!member!of!the!W.I.T!executive!team!can!be!
scheduled!by!contacting!Amanda!Boggs,!education!coordinator,!at!
amboggs@uga.edu!or!by!phone!at!678;491;6286.!
!
I!will!be!in!contact!with!you!by!Jan.!20!to!follow!up!and!answer!any!questions.!Please!
feel!free!to!contact!me!by!phone!at!770;789;4610!or!email!at!abe1993@uga.edu.!
Thank!you!for!taking!the!time!to!read!my!letter!and!I!hope!to!hear!from!you!soon.!!
!
Sincerely,!!
!
Alex!Everhart!!
Public!Relations!Specialist,!Whatever!It!Takes!!
770;789;4610!
!

22

Feature Story Email Pitch

To: Donnie Fetter

From: Alex Everhart
Date: Feb. 3, 2015
Subject: Feature Pitch Story-Fighting Dropout Rates
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Fetter:

Only 51 percent of children in the Promise Neighborhood Zone in the Athens-Clarke
County school system are graduating high school. Whatever It Takes, commonly
known at W.I.T, is an organization at the University of Georgia that is fighting these
high dropout rates, low reading levels and poor behavioral skills. A feature story
could focus on the organization as a whole and the programs it has implemented
since its establishment four years ago.

This topic is relevant to the Athens Banner-Herald audience. This organization is
striving to help the local community and foster mutually benefiting relationships
between the students and local schools. W.I.T has not only seen improvements in
the childrens academic and social lives, but has high goals to have every student in
the Athens-Clarke County school system on the track for a postsecondary education
by 2020.

Interview appointments are available with the Amanda Boggs, the organizations
education coordinator, through email at amboggs@uga.edu or calling 678-491-
6286. I will contact you by Feb. 20, 2015 to answer any questions.

Sincerely,

Alex Everhart
Public Relations Specialist
Whatever It Takes
770-789-4610
abe1993@uga.edu

23

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Feature Release

24

!
Feature Release

FOR$IMMEDIATE$RELEASE$
Alex!Everhart!
Public!Relations!Specialist,!W.I.T!
770>789>4610!
abe1993@uga.edu!
!
Organization!Combats!Low!Graduation!Rates!!
Profile(of(Whatever(It(Takes(UGA(
(
ATHENS,!Ga.!Only!51!percent!of!children!in!the!Promise!Neighborhood!Zone!in!the!
Athens>Clarke!County!area!are!graduating!high!school.!!Although!this!seems!to!be!a!
burdening!statistic,!one!student!organization!at!the!University!of!Georgia!are!
helping!young!students!with!low!reading!levels!and!overall!learning!skills.!!!
!
Four!years!ago,!Phil!Grayeski!and!Anna!Koniecnzy!founded!the!student!organization,!
Whatever!It!Takes!in!order!to!combat!the!many!issues!in!the!local!school!system.!
Modeled!after!a!project!started!in!Geoffrey,!Canada,!W.I.T!was!founded!in!hopes!to!
recreate!a!similar!program.!!
!
Our!organization!is!hoping!to!get!every!student!in!the!Athens>Clarke!County!area!
on!the!tract!to!graduate!and!pursue!a!post>secondary!education,!said!Amanda!
Boggs,!W.I.T!education!coordinator.!!
!
Originally!a!small!after!school!program,!W.I.T!has!now!grown!to!provide!two!free!
tutoring!locations!at!the!East!Athens!Community!Center!and!the!Rock!Springs!
Community!Center.!The!organization!strives!to!improve!students!skills!in!basic!
subjects!and!encourages!them!to!have!a!future!at!a!four>year!collegiate!institution.!!
-more-$

25

Feature Release
Page 2
W.I.T organizes after school tutors Monday through Thursday to help around 50
kids daily with reading comprehension and school work.

Over the last four years, W.I.T has become more organized and is now structured
with a 10 person executive board, which oversees the nearly 250 student
volunteers. Since the organizations founding, W.I.T has also grown to include a
mentoring program, free eye-exams and community events.

It is great to see this organization grow even after I graduated. I think the
organization has made positive changes and is on the right track to truly make a
difference here, said Phil Grayeski, co-founder of W.I.T.

W.I.T has participated in other community efforts such as the Just Shoe It
community athletic equipment drive, UGAs annual book drive Books For Keeps
and an all girls mentoring program over the last several years.

This year, W.I.T is hoping to better the organization and the community as a whole.

We want to get a higher budget this year to incorporate better snacks at the after-
school programs, better community events and services, Boggs said.
-more-

26

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Page 3
W.I.T is strictly nonprofit and operates solely on donations from the community.
The UGA Honors Society grants W.I.T money every year on top of smaller donations
from Tau Epsilon Phis annual charity fundraiser. This year W.I.T is looking to make
its budget around $4,000 per semester, a large increase from the $2,000 per
semester budget last year.

We are also adding percent nights at local establishments such as Chick-Fil-A to
increase our budget, said Chris Butcher, W.I.T financial director.

With the new budget, W.I.T has partnered with the UGA Dietetics Association to
prepare healthy snacks for the after school programs as well as free cooking classes
for parents in the community.

W.I.T has also begun monitoring students success through an evaluation process.
The kids in the after school program are required to take a reading and math skills
test at the beginning of the semester. The test is again administered twice during
each semester to watch improvements.

It is a great system and we have implemented a number of services to help these
kids in all aspects of their lives. For the future we will continue to do so, Boggs said.
###
To be distributed to the Athens-Banner Herald, the Red & Black and Flagpole Magazine.

27

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Public Service Annoucement

28

Public Service Announcement

Contact:
Alex Everhart
Whatever It Takes
102 Tate Student Center
Athens, GA 30602
witatuga@gmail.com
404-444-0984

Start Date: Jan. 27, 2014
Kill Date: Feb. 27, 2014

Graduation Rates

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Graduation Rates: 60

Only fifty one percent of students in the Athens-Clarke County area are graduating
from high school. This statistic is only a few of the problems within our local school
district. With a poverty rate of nearly thirty seven percent, the children in the
Athens-Clarke County area face a number of other issues including hunger, low
reading levels and poor cognitive skills.
With the help of the student organization Whatever It Takes, these numbers are
slowly changing for the better. The goal of Whatever It Takes is to ensure every
student in our area is on the pathway for success. To learn more about the local
issues or to volunteer with this organization please visit wit at uga dot org.
A message from Whatever It Takes, a University of Georgia student organization.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Graduation Rates: 30
Only fifty one percent of students in the Athens-Clarke County area are graduating
from high school. With a poverty rate of nearly thirty seven percent, the children in

29

Public Service Announcement

the our area face a number of other issues including hunger, low reading levels and
learning skills.
With the help of the student organization Whatever It Takes, these numbers are
slowly changing for the better.
A message from Whatever It Takes, a University of Georgia student organization.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Graduation Rates: 20
Only fifty one percent of students in the Athens-Clarke County area are graduating
from high school. The student organization Whatever It Takes is slowly changing
these numbers. Visit wit at uga dot org for more information.
A message from Whatever It Takes, a University of Georgia student organization.

30

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Event Speech

31

Event Speech

CLIENT SPEECH

The Whatever It Takes Executive Director Doug Mohme will make this speech at 6
p.m. It will take place at the Clarke County Elementary School on Feb. 21, 2015. The
purpose of the speech is to welcome everyone to the event, explain why the event is
taking place and give information on the student organization. The speech will
mainly focus on the organization as a whole and explain the goals of the year as well
as how much the organization has accomplished over the last several years. The
audience will be volunteer members of Whatever It Takes, members of the Athens-
Clarke County school district and local parents. The speech will take place before the
event starts, so parents and school members will be present. The intended audience
will range from 18-years-old to 60-years-old. The expected audience size is 100
people.

32

Event Speech

WHATEVER IT TAKES SPONSORS FIELD DAY

Hello everyone and thank you for taking time out of your Saturday to be here.

My name is Doug Mohme and I am the executive director for the University of
Georgia student organization Whatever It Takes.

First, I would like to thank the entire executive team (motion to other

executive board members) and student volunteers for all your hard work and making
this year better than ever. I would also like to thank all the members of the
community for coming today to show your support and learn about our
organization.

Whatever It Takes is a nonprofit student organization with the goal to help

local children in the Clarke County School District enhance their educational
abilities and increase their understanding about basic subjects in school.

Whatever It Takes is compromised solely of student volunteers who dedicate

their time to assist in the two afterschool tutoring programs and the number of
other events hosted throughout the year. When originally founded in 2010 by two
university students, Whatever It Takes was simply a small idea. The founders
wanted to create free tutoring programs to help students in the local area.

For those of you from the school district, our founding mission statement is

to have every student in the Clarke County District on the path to post-secondary
education by the year 2020 (pause for applause).

According to latest statistics from The Georgia Department of Education, 67.4

percent of students are graduating high school in this state. The local Athens school
district has nearly a 69 percent graduation rate, only a few points above the state

33

Event Speech
average (pause for emphasis). In order to reach our goal, we have to make sure the
community is supporting our students and putting graduation at a high priority.

However, it doesnt start at the high school level. Our organization helps

tutor young students mainly from the elementary and middle schools. Over the past
several years we have noticed general trends with many of the students that attend
our afterschool programs.

These children are from poor home lives, have below average reading and

math scores and have a difficult time with homework. Whatever It Takes is helping
these kids build a strong academic foundation in hopes they will carry it throughout
their educational career.

This year we have not only grown as an organization, but made efforts to

improve our services and give back to our community in as many ways as possible.
In addition to our afterschool tutoring programs, we have also added a mentoring
program in conjunction with the Clarke County schools, additional community
events and free eye exams at the tutoring locations.

One of the student volunteers was able to get a non-profit eye examination

program to attend the two tutoring locations for free eye exams. At least 7 students
were identified as needing follow-up examinations (pause for emphasis).

The founders of this organization wanted to strictly help students with

homework, but today we have started helping students in all areas of life including
behavioral issues, health, diet and physical exercise.

This year, along with UGAs Student Dietetic Association, we have made sure

to provide healthy snacks to the children who attend the afterschool program. We

34

Event Speech
are hoping to also provide free cooking classes for local parents to learn how to
make easy, healthy meals at home.

We have expanded from afterschool tutoring to making a difference in these

childrens lives (pause for applause). These students all have the ability to graduate
from high school and pursue a higher education. We strongly believe that our
organization has the power to make a difference in our own backyard.

However, as our organization starts to grow and our ideas become bigger, we

cannot continue to do this without the support from our community and school
district. Our main goal this year is to forge strong relationship between our
organization, parents, the schools and the community.

We believe the burdening statistics need to be changed. Our community

needs to understand the importance of helping these children. With nearly 12,000
students in the Clarke County School District, it is crucial not let any of them fall
through the cracks.

Although we are a new organization, we have already seen a number of

academic and behavioral improvements in the students who attend our afterschool
programs. We are helping many students, but we want to make sure every student
gets the attention they need.

Today (pause) I strongly believe that we are on the road to reaching our goal.

Although it is lofty and getting every student on the tract to receive higher education
seems impossible, with the support from the school district and the community
members, we can make sure every student has the opportunity to learn and grow.

35

Event Speech

Again, I would like to thank the other executive board members for all their

hard work and everyone for showing their support. All the game stations have been
set up, so please enjoy!

36

Event Speech
Bibliography

"Clarke Graduation Rates Show Improvement." Online Athens. N.p., 13 Dec. 2013.
Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

"Dropouts/Grad Rates." Dropouts/Grad Rates. Georgia Partnership for Excellence in
Education, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

"Jobs at CCSD." Jobs at CCSD. Clarke County School District, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

37

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Special Event Proposal

38

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

MEMO
To: Doug Mohme
From: Alex Everhart
Date: Dec. 3, 2014
Subject: Special Event Proposal

Dear Doug Mohme:

Whatever It Takes has done a great job of increasing the number of community
events in order to get the community involved with the organization. However,
W.I.T could strongly encourage more students to attend the afterschool tutoring
programs by hosting a special event. A proposed date fits into the calendar and
more information is below.

W.I.T Field Day

As a way to advertise the organization, W.I.T should host a field day at the local
elementary school. This would not only be a fun event, but it would also show kids
what the organization is all about. The event will take place on Feb. 21, 2015 from
10 a.m-2 p.m.

Depending on the weather, the W.I.T Field Day could be held outside by the
playground area or in the gym. The W.I.T student volunteers would host the event.
The overall goal is to provide an opportunity for the college volunteers and the
young students to interact and have a fun day.

This would be a great opportunity to form relationships with the local school as well
and potentially turn into an annual event.

The event would include interactive games for the students to play. Frisbee, hula-
hoops, kickball, soccer and a number of other games would be played throughout
the day. The W.I.T volunteers would be actively leading and participating in the
games as well.

This is only a one-day event, but W.I.T should focus on fostering relationships with
the local school system as well as grow the organization on campus. This is event is
the opportunity to forge these connections.

Logistics

The event will be held at the elementary school, so the facilities will already be
provided. Weather is not a huge concern because either the schools gym or outdoor
areas would be used. W.I.T should provide most of the play equipment including
soccer balls, kick balls, Frisbees, hula-hoops and chalk.

39

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Due to the limited budget and time frame of the event, it would be good to have an
additional sponsor to donate snacks for the kids during the day. W.I.T should expect
nearly 200 kids at the event. The Student Dietetic Association or current donors are
good places to ask for sponsorships and donations.

Also since this event will be hosted at the school it is important to propose this idea
to the schools administration as soon as possible. The event will be held on a
Saturday, so it would not interrupt any classroom time.

The W.I.T executive board should work as a team to make this event possible. The
communications director will be the main person in charge and be in contact with
the school as well as the overall promotion of the event. Also, a number of student
volunteers will need to donate their time to help during the field day. It would be
advised to have at least 30 volunteers at the event.

Promotion

This event should be promoted for a month prior to the event. Use the Facebook
page, website and other social media accounts to reach out to UGA students
volunteers. To advertise and encourage kids to participate, submit an
announcement to the school to read on the daily announcements and also compose
a short email pitch to submit to students parents.

The email pitch and announcement needs to explain how students can sign-up for
the field day.

W.I.T should post weekly on social media pages to encourage UGA students to
volunteer. The email pitch and announcement through the school is the best way to
advertise to the elementary kids.

Calendar

Below is a proposed timeline of the event. After approval from the school, an official
budget will be created and outlined.

Summary

The W.I.T Field Day will be held on Feb. 21, 2015 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Clarke
County Elementary School. The purpose of the event is foster relationships with the
local school and children. Hosting a field day is the best way to encourage students
to attend the afterschool tutoring programs. Promotions will include social media
posts, an email pitch and an announcement to the school. The W.I.T communications
director will be mainly in charge of promoting and organizing the event, but the
entire executive board needs to help. A calendar is included below and the official
budget will be proposed at a later date. The event process should begin during the
week of Jan. 18, 2015 and I will be available to help start the organization process.

40

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Date
Jan 11, 2015
Jan. 13, 2015
Jan. 15, 2015
Jan. 18, 2015
Jan. 20, 2015
Jan. 22, 2015
Jan. 24, 2015
Jan. 26, 2015
Jan. 28, 2015
Jan. 30, 2015
Feb. 1, 2015
Feb. 3, 2015
Feb. 5-9, 2015
Feb. 10-14, 2015
Feb. 15, 2015
Feb. 16-19, 2015
Feb. 21, 2015
Feb. 22-25, 2015

Task
Propose event to
executive board
Compose email pitch to
elementary school admin.
Set up time to meet with
school administration
Meet with school
administration
Compose email pitch and
school announcement
Submit email pitch and
school announcement
Create Facebook page
event
Create website and social
media post
Search for donors

Personnel
Communications Director
Communications Director
Communications Director
Communications Director
and Executive Director
Communications Director
Communications Director
Communication Director
Communications Director

Communications Director
and Financial Director
Have rough list of donors Communications Director
and Financial Director
Meet with Financial
Communications Director,
Director and get proposed Financial Director,
budget
Executive Director
Start having weekly posts Communications Director
on website and social
media
Start purchasing game
Communications Director
equipment
and student volunteers
Get rough number and
Communications Director
names of volunteers
Follow-up with
Communications Director
administration to work
and Executive Director
out details
Have set donors and buy
Communications Director
supplies for snacks this
and student volunteers
week
Field Day
Entire Executive Team
and student volunteers
Send Thank You letter to
Communications Director
school administration and
post pictures on Facebook
and website

41

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Newsletter Recommendation

42

Newsletter Recommendation
MEMO

To: Douglas Mohme, Whatever It Takes Executive Director
From: Alex Everhart, Public Relations Specialist
Date: De. 3, 2014
Subject: Newsletter Recommendation

Dear Mr. Mohme,
As a growing student organization, Whatever It Takes has taken multiple steps to
reach out to the local Athens community as well as the University of Georgia student
body to raise awareness for its cause. After analyzing the current organization, I
highly recommend that this student organization implement a monthly newsletter.

Purpose and Target Audience:

Not only would a newsletter be a prime opportunity to advertise W.I.Ts
multiple services, but also provide helpful tips for parents and students. The
newsletter should also include upcoming events and the updates about the
organization. A newsletters core purpose would be to promote W.I.Ts overall goals
and mission statement.

As for distribution, the newsletter should be distributed to the two
afterschool tutoring locations, as well as the schools in the Clarke County School
District. It will also be available online on W.I.Ts website for anyone to access.

Content:

W.I.T focuses on student academics and helping young students better
themselves. These core ideals should be implemented throughout the newsletter
with tips for parents and students, feature stories, a calendar listing of W.I.Ts events
for each month and important information about the organization itself.

The front page should include W.I.Ts logo, a clear picture of an afterschool
tutoring program and W.I.Ts website at the top. Along the left side will be a bar with
a table of contents. The front should also include a simple feature story about W.I.T
and its mission. Each month the front page should include a different feature story
pertaining to student in the afterschool programs or updates on W.I.T.

The back page should include W.I.Ts address and important contact
information as well as a calendar listing of events for each month. The first inside
page should introduce the W.I.T executive members with a short quote. The second
inside page should include negative statistics about the local school district and how
W.I.T is helping change these numbers for the better. The third page should include
helpful study and test taking tips for parents and students. The fourth inside page
should include activities and puzzles for students to do on their own time.

43

Newsletter Recommendation
Design and Layout:

The newsletter will be a three-page newsletter with content on the front and
back of each page, making it six pages of content. It should be printed on standard
8.5 inches tall and 11 inches wide paper. It should include fun pictures of W.I.T
tutoring volunteers and students, as well as simple graphics throughout. To reduce
cost, the color scheme should be only black and white. For text, the newsletter
should use 12 point simple serif fonts, such as Cambria, and the headlines should be
at least 14 point sans serif. Most of the content will be text under headlines.

Sincerely,

Alex Everhart
Public Relations Specialist
abe1993@uga.edu
770-789-4610

44

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Sample Newsletter

45

Table of Contents
Page 1

Whatever It Takes
encourages young students to
take the next step

Page 2

Meet the Executive Team
Page 3

Know the Stats

Page 4

Test Taking Tips

Page 5

Puzzles and Brain Teasers

Page 6

Calendar Listing
Contact Information

Whatever It Takes
University of Georgia
WITATUGA.ORG

[Date]

Look for us on social media

Whatever It Takes encourages young students to take the next step

Founded in 2010, Whatever It Takes is an official student organization at the University of Georgia with
nearly 250 student volunteers and a 10 person executive team. With the goal to have every student on
the pathway to a post-secondary education by 2020, W.I.T provides a number of services for students
in need. Over the last four years, W.I.T has taken a number of steps to help students in the local schools.

The overall goal of our organization is to help students grow academically and encourage them to
pursue a real degree, said Doug Mohme, executive director of W.I.T.

W.I.Ts primary services include two afterschool tutoring programs at the Rock Springs Community
Center and the East Athens Community Center. Student volunteers from the university help students
with homework and testing skills Monday through Thursday at the tutoring locations.

This year, the organization is continuing to grow and will host events for the entire community such as
an annual barbeque at the two tutoring locations and special events such as a Christmas party for
students. This year W.I.T also held free eye exams for students at the tutoring locations, helping almost
14 students with vision problems.

Teaming up with the Student Dietetic Association, W.I.T has also started implementing healthy snacks
for the afterschool students. W.I.T is hoping to incorporate free cooking
classes to help parents in the local area with simple, healthy meals. Although

46
the organization is only four years old, the executive team strongly believes
its efforts are making a difference.

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Website Recommendations

47

Website Recommendations
MEMO
To: Doug Mohme
From: Alex Everhart
Date: Dec. 3, 2014
Subject: Website Recommendations

Dear Doug Mohme:

I have thoroughly looked over your current and past communication efforts for
Whatever It Takes. It appears that W.I.T has a strong Facebook account that has
been moderately updated over the years with event information and photographs.
However, it appears that W.I.T has struggled with a website since its foundation.

Although a website appears to be a daunting task, a simple, easy to navigate website
is essential for an organization to function. W.I.T originally had a weebly.com
website and after a year, another website with a secured domain name was created.
I understand that the organization is currently in the process of launching another
website and here are a few suggestions to make the website interactive and
successful.

For an organization with many moving parts and new executive team members
every year, it is important to create a website that is easy to edit and is user friendly
for the executive team. Sites such a wordpress.com or weebly.com are great venues
to start creating a simple design. These both have the options to buy a domain name
as well.

The current website is well written and very easy to navigate. It would receive a
four out of five on readability and navigation. However the design layout and
appearance is not consistent throughout the website. Each page should flow to the
next and grab the readers attention. For design, the current website would only
receive a three out of five. The main critic is the number of pull-down tabs. Readers
do not want to search for information, so make sure to keep everything simple.

It would be very beneficial that the website include a clean, simple layout with no
more than six page tabs running along the top of the website. The website needs a
Home tab, About Us tab, Project tab, Meet The Team tab, Blog Tab and a Donate Tab.

The Home page should include a short introduction about the organization and its
mission statement. A few updated pictures is a good way to engage the reader. An
undated calendar each month about upcoming events should also be included on the
Home page. The information on the current website it accurate and easy to read, but
the text should be shorter on the main pages.

The blog portion of the website it the most crucial element of this website. Similar to
the Facebook page, it needs to be updated at least monthly with new entries. For

48

Website Recommendations
currency, the website would only receive a two out of five.

Overall, W.I.T is on the way to creating a great website, but too many creative design
elements can be overpowering. Photographs and simple sidebars or boxes are good
ways to make the website look creative, but still organized.

Also with any communication element, the target audiences should always be the
main focus. For an organization aiming to better the community, W.I.T should aim to
engage students to get involved, as well as inform the general Athens community
about the organization and involvement opportunities.

On the donation page, it is important include the importance of financial community
support. Make sure to include the logos or the names of the current donors to give
the community a sense of who is involved. The donation page should also include a
way for people to give monetary funds.

To increase student participation, the Meet The Team page and Project Page should
inform students about potential leadership and volunteer opportunities through
W.I.T. Pictures should be a big focus and show the readers who is involved and what
W.I.T is doing around the community. Videos should also be included on this page to
add another visual element.

There should not be any downloadable elements because donations and volunteer
sign-ups should be completed on the website. Hyperlinks are also not necessary for
this website because W.I.T is a fully functioning independent organization.

The goal of the website should showcase how W.I.T volunteers are helping the
community and the overall mission statement of the organization.

Sincerely,

Alex Everhart
Public Relations Specialist
770-789-4610
abe1993@uga.edu

49

W.I.T Public Relations Campaign

Interview Preparation

50

Interview Preparation
INTERVIEW PREPARATION

To: Doug Mohme
From: Alex Everhart
Date: Nov. 20, 2014

CONTENT

The local television news station called and they are interested in doing a feature
story on Whatever It Takes in a series about local organizations. The interview
will be six minutes long and will take place at 4 p.m. live on Sunday, Jan. 25,
2015. I have provided information and potential questions in order to prepare
for the interview. The purpose of the interview is to provide viewers with a
basic background on the organization, its goals and what the organization is
doing to help the community.

ATTIRE

This will be a live television interview, so the proper attire is important. As the
executive director for Whatever It Takes, you want to represent the organization
in the best possible way. Wear khaki pants, a solid white button down shirt and a
blazer or sports coat. Dress shoes and black socks should also be worn for the
interview.

Make sure to brush your teeth and iron your clothes before the interview.

BEHAVIOR

It is important to act professional as the executive director. Make sure to be
prepared for any question. The interview starts approximately at 4 p.m., so
arrive at least 30 minutes prior. Be confident and personable to anyone in the
station, as well as during the interview.

Sit up straight in the chair, do not chew gum and do not use excessive hand
gestures. Avoid twiddling your fingers or avoiding eye contact with the
interviewer. Be relaxed and engage with the interviewer. Make sure not to rush
through questions and speak clearly.

YOUR OBJECTIVES

This interview is an opportunity to talk about Whatever It Takes as an
organization and to gain support from the community. This is the time to talk
about what the organization and students of UGA are doing to help the local
community. Here are a few key points to touch on during the interview if
possible.

51

Interview Preparation
1. Whatever It Takes is expanding its organization to include more community
events, advancing the tutoring programs and forging relationships with the
community and school districts.
2. With a limited budget, talk about the process of donations and how the
yearly budget is distributed.
3. As a growing organization, Whatever It Takes is always looking for student
volunteers to help with all activities.

POTENTIAL QUESTIONS:

Q: Why was Whatever It Takes established?

Two students from the University of Georgia established whatever It Takes in
2010. It was originally modeled as an afterschool-tutoring program. The founders
wanted to help young children in the surrounding area with academics. Whatever It
Takes overall goal is to ensure that every student in the local area is on the tract for
a post-secondary education by 2020.

Q: How is Whatever It Takes structured?

Whatever It Takes consists of a 10 member executive board that is elected annually.
The executive board oversees all activities during the year and each board member
is assigned an aspect of the organization. We also have nearly 250 student
volunteers that help at the two after school tutoring locations.

Q: What services does Whatever It Takes provide?

Our organization originally had one tutoring location, but we have grown to work at
the East Athens Community Center and the Rock Springs Community Center. We
also have a mentoring program through the Clarke County Schools.

Q: How many students does the organization tutor and mentor?

We have volunteers go to the two locations Monday through Thursday every week.
On average we help around 40-50 students and have nearly 30 student volunteers
daily at each location.

Q: What is Whatever It Takes doing differently this year?

The organization is doing a lot of new things. For example we had another nonprofit
organization come and give free eye-exams for the afterschool students. We also
teamed up with UGAs Student Dietetic Association to help create healthy snacks for
the tutoring locations.

Q: How do you think Whatever It Takes has made a difference?

52

Interview Preparation
The organization not only helps students with homework, but teaches them study
skills and behavioral life lessons as well. Student volunteers have already seen a
great improvement among the children that consistently attend the afterschool
programs.

Q: What are the organizations goals this year?

We are hoping to get more children attending the afterschool program. We are
hoping to get an average of 60 students attending both tutoring locations daily. We
also want to encourage UGA students to get involved and volunteer as often as
possible.

Q: How do you think Whatever It Takes is involved with the community?

Whatever It Takes not only tutors at two community centers, but also hosts events
such as cookouts and holiday events for children who attend the tutoring centers
and community members.

Q: Do you think you will be able to reach your overall goal by 2020?

We are on the right path to reach this goal, but we need the help of the community.
Our budget is very limited and without the funds, we cant afford to host community
events. We operate solely based on donations from the community. Our yearly
budget is mainly used towards snacks for the afterschool tutoring programs and the
few annual events we host. We are hoping to get the school district and parents
more involved to help us out.

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