Change the World through the Power of Education
Everyone has the power to ignite world change, no matter how big or small you are! Students Helping Students (SHS) is our global youth network of changemakers committed to ending global illiteracy, improving access to education so that all students can reach their full potential. Students, educators, and parents across 30 countries have mobilized to raise both awareness and funds to improve access to quality education for all. Join our Students Helping Students movement!
Students Helping Students
Start Your Journey Towards World Change With a Challenge. Do Not Read This.
Imagine a day without reading. What about a lifetime? 250 million children around the world are not learning, but at Room to Read we are doing what we can to change this. Fail our challenge and get your friends to fail too!
Meet a Changemaker. Be a Changemaker.
Maddie
Maddie and friends held a bake sale and raised enough to teach 5 kids to read and write.
Queen's University
This student chapter "camped" inside a a library for a week and raised $180,000!
Northeastern University
This student chapter asked their community to donate "bricks" and raised $710 for Nepal.
Sofia
From dedicating her birthday to running a bake sale with friends, Sofia has raised over $1,300 for global literacy!
The first and simplest step to getting involved is to start your personal fundraising campaign and Get Active for Education. Whether you’re an existing student chapter or new teacher looking to rally your students around a cause, we have you covered.
How to Get Involved
Once you have set up your personal fundraising page, check out our additional resources for K-8 and high school students:
- Make your Next Birthday a Costume Party
Dress up. Have fun. Do good. Turn a costume part into a force for good by challenging friends to dress up in honor of global literacy. - Organize the Ultimate Book Swap
Give-a-book, take-a-book. A twist on a typical book swap, this event involves a participation fee for attendees. Do you know that $1 can publish a local language children's book? - Host a Read-a-thon
Raise books to raise money. Ask family, friends, and neighbors to support your reading goal through pledges, all while improving your own reading skills.
Looking for more tips? Watch this video to see the amazing World Change Challenge one class did and visit their page for more information on what your school can do. you can do at your school!
Once you have set up your personal fundraising page, check out our additional resources for university and college students:
- Launch Your Campus Chapter
Rally your campus to spread awareness and raise funds. Once you have set up your team's page, share it with your campus network and empower students (just like you!) across Asia and Africa towards a quality education. Campus chapters are the perfect opportunity to exercise your management and leadership skills, while gaining hands-on experience into the non-profit and philanthropic sector. - Download our Campus Handbook
Our handbook will take you step-by-step on how to establish, build, and sustain a campus chapter. From how to recruit volunteers to working with your school’s administration, we have you covered. See examples of student groups around the world and what they've accomplished through their campus chapters. - Understand Our Impact
Understanding the global impact and reach of your support will better equip you when talking about our work. Get inspired from stories from across Asia and Africa! Visit our YouTube channel to learn more.
Once you have set up your personal fundraising page, check out our additional resources for parents and educators to rally your families:
- Share an Inspiring Video
Many students are visual learners, so be sure to check out our YouTube page for classroom resources. We have inspiring stories that address the global issue illiteracy and our approach. Click here for some of our most popular videos. - Host an Event
Parents and educators host some of our most successful fundraising events every year! Some event ideas to get things rolling include getting your office involved, planning a costume party for your child's next birthday, or hosting a Beers for Books happy hour. The possibilities are endless. - Plan a Lesson
Instill important values and knowledge to your students early on. Familiarize yourself with Room to Read's reach and impact, and build an engaging age-appropriate session around global education!
