Once you have successfully created a plan of action and a timeline, you are ready to Take Action!

Consider the following tips:

Make sure everyone is on the same page
Communicate your ideas clearly
Form workgroups
Ask for help when needed
Monitor and report progress
Budget your money wisely
Give recognition

Make Sure Everyone is on the Same Page
It's important that everyone involved understand the plan of action and be able to communicate it in the same way. Here are some ideas that may help:

• Hold group meetings to review the action plan.
• Consider designing and distributing a handout outlining what you are doing and why. You might even want to come up with a slogan or catchy name for your initiative.

Communicate Your Ideas Clearly

• Brief oral presentations should cover only the most important points, accompanied by a written summary (bullets are great and easy to read).
• Information should be clearly written in language that decision-makers, parents and other school community members can understand.
• Documents should be as simple as possible without sacrificing accuracy or context.
• Charts and graphs are useful for illustrating key findings.
• Offer definite conclusions and program ideas.
• Anticipate, respond to, and involve critics. Be prepared to defend your ideas.

Form Workgroups
Try forming workgroups so no one feels overwhelmed and collaborate with other student groups who are willing to help you accomplish your goals.

Ask for Help When Needed
Implementing your action plan is a big project. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Use the helpful hints provided to get adults in your school and community involved in your plans.

Monitor and Report Progress
An important step in maintaining motivation and momentum is monitoring your progress and reporting back to your student body on your accomplishments and/or to ask for their help. Be sure to check your progress frequently to see if you are accomplishing your goals or if you need to adjust your plan of action.

Budget Your Money Wisely
If you need money that is not available at your school, do not hesitate to visit local businesses especially for amounts under $1,000. Businesses may also donate goods, materials and other products. To make a request of local businesses you should write a one page letter/proposal that uses data and clearly outlines your future plans. A sample letter (PDF, Word) has been provided to assist you.

Give Recognition
Recognize your volunteers and supporters by writing them letters of appreciation and publicizing their work so that the whole community will know about their contributions to furthering your initiative.