Why Students Should Join PTSA

PTSAs provide youth members with the opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills, learning about the legislative process, advocating for issues important to their education and, by contributing to developing events for their school and community.

PTA/PTSA is one of the few youth-focused organizations which give its youth members equal opportunity, equal responsibility and an equal vote. Your PTA/PTSA membership entitles students to the same rights and privileges as adult members. While students can not serve as President or Treasurer, they can serve as a committee chair of Vice President. Many of the contacts you make in the community during your PTA/PTSA work may prove useful after graduation (e.g. college recommendation letters, scholarship opportunities, and job prospects).

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT IMPACT

Student Developed Activities: Many students get involved in their PTSA by serving on an events planning committee, or in some cases as a committee chair, or Vice President of Student Programs. By particiating in planning events students learn leadership skills and bring unique perspective to developing events that improve student engagement and build school spirit. 

Education Advocacy: Being a member of your school PTSA provides an opportunity to elevate student voices at every level of government to improve educational resources and opportunities. Within your local school you can help raise awareness of important topics for your student body, you can also directly participate in advocacy work with Virginia PTA and National PTA to drive impactful change.

Forum for Feedback: PTA/PTSA provides you with an open forum for discussing students' needs in the school. Through PTSA meetings and other opportunities you can express your views to people who share your concerns about education, including parents, teachers, and school administrators.

STUDENT LED ACTIVITIES

As a student, you know what's happening in your school and you are uniquely qualified to determine how your education can be improved. You can provide this important student perspective for PTA/PTSA ideas and programs and help raise awareness for challenges in your school. Some events students might like to host, or topics students may like to raise awareness about include: 

  • Healthy Lifestyles
    • Host programs and advocate for resources to tackle the youth vaping epidemic
    • Promote healthy digital well being
    • Start a School Wellness Committe
    • Advocate for improved healthy, locally-grown, scratch-cooked school meals
    • Host stress awareness events to support student mental health
    • Organize a bike/walk to school day
    • Create welcoming spaces for conversations about preventing substance abuse in your schools.
    • Encourage teen driver safety
  • Academic Success
    • Host a tutoring program for your local middle school or elementary school
    • Organize a book drive to improve literacy and expand your school library collection
    • Host a STEM Night or Science Festival for your elementary school(s) and ask high school students to volunteer to help run it
    • Host an SAT prep day or a job fair
    • Set-up a workshop for resume or college essay writing
    • Host a program about navigating financial aid programs
    • Apply for the Virginia PTA scholarship
  • Civic Engagement
    • Host a voter registration drive at your high school.
  • Arts & Education
    • Participate in the National PTA Reflections student arts contest
    • Participate in Virginia PTA student programs
  • Clean Energy & Healthy Environments
    • Host awareness events about solar energy for schools
    • Start a school garden

You can make a difference in your community and school through involvement in PTA/PTSA! 

GET INVOLVED – JOIN YOUR PTA/PTSA!