Charger Challenge FAQs
WHAT DO THE FUNDS RAISED DURING CHARGER CHALLENGE SUPPORT?
The funds raised during the campaign, which runs February 1-11, 2021 help to provide each student with something more than what is covered by the cost of tuition only. The actual cost per student at OLSH this academic year is $5,000 more than what families are charged in tuition. The dollars raised truly do the work of making our mission possible - preparing students for a life of exceptional Christian leadership, stewardship, and service to all.
WHY IS THE GOAL $100,000?
Historically our goal for our one day online giving day campaign is $50,000. Because of the cancellation of the annual OLSH Gala (due to the pandemic), we have increased our goal and are challenging our community to raise/contribute the funds that we typically raise at our Gala as well. The $100,000 helps to provide transportation, classroom resources, campus ministry funds, and much more.
WHY IS IT CALLED CHARGER CHALLENGE?
The name Charger Challenge was developed in the mid-1990s for a letter-writing campaign, led by the students at OLSH, asking relatives, neighbors and businesses to make a contribution to the school. These campaigns were not only common at that time, but remain popular at the elementary school level.
WHY DID OLSH STOP DOING THE ORIGINAL CHARGER CHALLENGE?
For the first 15 years of Charger Challenge, a generous donor provided a dollar-for-dollar matching gift to all $100 donors to the campaign. When the school no longer received the match, campaign contributions fizzled. That coupled with the man-power and costs associated with a physical mailing led to the cancellation of the annual “event.”
WHY DID OLSH DECIDE TO BRING BACK THE CHARGER CHALLENGE?
This year due to the pandemic, we decided to cancel our annual Gala fundraising event. The Advancement Committee of the OLSH Board of Directors reviewed possible alternatives, and agreed that a peer-to-peer campaign was the best path to success. The idea was vetted by Parent Ambassadors and Student Government, and both groups were on board for the challenge!
Online peer-to-peer fundraising and crowdfunding campaign platforms have brought “letter-writing campaigns” into the 21st Century. The ease of sending emails and text messages through our giving platform, OneCause, eliminated the concerns regarding man-power. Additionally, we are grateful to have two new donors that rose to the challenge of matching our $100 donations to the campaign!
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM OLSH’S GIVING DAY?
In essence, this is our giving day! While in the past, we have promoted our giving day during a single 24-hour period, this year we are asking all families and friends of OLSH to join together to make an online gift during the ten-day window of the campaign, Feb 1 -11.
WHY DO YOU REFER TO CHARGER CHALLENGE AS A CELEBRATION?
Not only are we raising funds online, but we are also raising awareness and celebrating all things “OLSH” both in school and on social media. The campaign begins during Catholic Schools Week, which allows us to tie in the celebration of the aspects that make us unique as an independent Catholic School with the “challenge” aspects of the classes racing to reach their $15,000 class goals. Banners and decorations will hang throughout the school as we work together as a community to reach the $100,000 goal!