Above and Beyond
Formerly known as the Idea Share Shop, our new and improved Above and Beyond Blog contains the best ideas for student leaders to try out in their schools and communities to accomplish their goals. Whether it be school culture and climate, fundraising, or recognition and appreciation, you’ll find plenty of great ideas here.
Search by one of the category buttons below or just scroll through our hundreds of ideas.
The Idea Share Shop
“If you have an apple and I have an apple, and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." George Bernard Shaw...
Programme de certification de leadership étudiant 2021-2022
L'Association canadienne de leadership étudiant est heureuse d'annoncer que le gouvernement du Canada, par le biais du programme Les jeunes s'engagent, offrira un soutien au programme de certification en leadership étudiant au cours de l'année du programme...
The Student Leadership Certification Program: SLCP
The Canadian Student Leadership Association is pleased to announce that the Government of Canada, through the Youth Take Charge program, will offer support for the Student Leadership Certification Program in the 2021-2022 program year. "Our government is proud to...
Punch a Cup
How to stretch $100 into - prize for EVERYONE…4 of these cups have $25 gift cards in them, the rest have mini chocolate bars! As everyone comes into the staff meeting they will get to punch a cup and claim their prize! Use it as a fundraiser and charge a $1 to punch...
Suess on the Loose
Chattanooga High School has been implementing a “Seuss on the Loose” project for over 15 years. Leadership students travel in teams to local elementary schools and read stories and perform adaptations of the beloved Dr. Seuss books to young students. The project...
12 Days of Christmas
Fill the days before the holidays with festive fun. The elves at LP Miller have lots of fun on the shelf for their little children.
What IS that sound??
Schools are always looking for ways to spice up their daily announcements, and contests are a great way to get people in your building to carefully listen. Google has killed the traditional trivia contest, so you have to get creative. Our morning announcements on the...
TP the Town (yes, that means toilet paper!)
TP the Town started as an English assignment to Change the World . . . a pretty daunting thought to most grade 11 students. Jordan Crouse approached her homeroom teacher looking for a suggestion. When we do traditional food drives, no one thinks of toilet paper, but...
Cerealicious!
What if you provided all of the amazing breakfast cereal for your students as a free, delicious treat on Cerealicious Day. All they have to do is BYOB – Bring Your Own Bowl. If they don't bring their own bowl, it cost them $1 to participate. You then can...
Spin the Wheel
One of the best purchases you can make for your activity program is a carnival spinning wheel. They can be purchased from Amazon or from a party supply store. Some schools choose to rent them – usually for a casino night, but when you have one on hand, it is...
We love you because . . .
Staff appreciation doesn't have to be expensive to make a significant impression. St. Patrick High in Quebec drew red hearts, that represented a teacher in the school, on banner paper. The leadership students then wrote in the hearts why each teacher was special...
Fundies for Undies
Students will participate in an event for charity, but you have to up your marketing game. It's often a catchy name that drives the exceptional success of an event. When you collect socks for the homeless, you will get participation — but Socktober puts your best...
Cyber Seniors
Clayton Heights Secondary in Surrey runs a Cyber Seniors program. The leadership students train local seniors on everything computer-wise from how to use an iPad, how to use Facebook, how to FaceTime and even how to use Photoshop. They take the tech to local senior...
My Jersey – Your Impact
Emerald High School now has a new game-day tradition called “My Jersey. Your Impact.” For each home game, senior football players select and surprise a faculty member who has made an impact on them during their years at EHS and ask that individual to wear their...
Socktober
Approximately 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness each year. One thing that you can donate to make a difference to these people is a new pair of warm socks. John Caldwell School in Grand Falls, NB, decided to donate new socks to shelters in their area during...
Anything but a backpack Spirit Day
Kirksville High School decided that a unique spirit day would be to challenge students to transport their "stuff" in "anything but a backpack." Their students just carried on.
Thoughtful Thursdays
Every Thursday is Thoughtful Thursday in my classroom. During the week, students are encouraged to notice the thoughtful things their classmates demonstrate. They write up a Coyote Howl on the yellow slip of paper that states I want to give a Coyote Howl to… (they...
Where’s the Spirit Stick?
To successfully captivate our school, district, and our community during an abnormal homecoming week, Sauk Rapids-Rice High School’s student council needed to do some thinking. Traditionally, our council would plan our week around the idea of spirit stick points, your...
Social Media Welcome to New Staff
Crescent Heights High in Medicine Hat uses their social media to welcome new staff to the school. It is a great way to let people know who is arriving and welcomes the new staff members.
Self-Care Jar
Instead of looking at Self-Care as an event that happens once a week or so for you, and we share on social media; what if self-care practices became the habits we did for ourselves every day?! Instead of burning ourselves out through the week to get to Sunday to have...
Staff Gala
In December, on the Thursday and Friday the week before Christmas break, KVHS had a Staff Gala. Three weeks before the event, staff received invitations in their mailboxes inviting them to the gala and they were encouraged to come dressed in their finest on this day. ...
Race Around the World
Not being able to host their traditional bike-a-thon, St. Francis Xavier High school in Edmonton challenged their students to "Race Around the World”. Students tracked their personal kilometres through a fitness app, and the students attempted to reach the school...
Make a Statement with your Murals
The Rams of Stonewall Collegiate in Manitoba are reminded each time they enter their gym that impossible is not a fact. Your gym is a massive space for positive art and messages.
Celebrate History Every Day
This is a great mural at Digby High that celebrates Black History every day. History in the hallway brings it home for all peoples. Use your murals to celebrate and educate.
Sanitation Stations
A John Caldwell School student taking the Global Competencies 120 class worked diligently to place “Sanitation Stations” in our washrooms. Hygiene products will be accessible to all female and gender neutral washrooms throughout the school. She received a Reach for...
Intergenerational Art Show
The Grade 10 Leadership Class at Centennial High in Calgary goes weekly to the local senior's centre to visit and do activities with their residents. These can be as simple as a visit or more complicated like balloon volleyball, bingo, or Jeopardy. One of the major...
Staff Bitmoji Competition
St. Peter's Catholic Secondary in Barrie challenged their Staff teams to participate in the Staff Bitmoji Challenge. The following is their memo to staff: GETTING STARTED To get started creating your Bitmoji universe, you need to download the app (available for...
Easter Egg Smash
We ran a fun and simple activity this week that may work for you. We advertised all around the school about the upcoming Easter Egg Smash. We also filmed a video of a kid getting an egg smashed on his head and put it on Instagram. On the day of the event, we had six...
Art Package for Feeder Schools
In an attempt to build connections with their local feeder schools, Clayton Heights Secondary in Surrey built art packages for the students. Each kit had three crafts in them with glue and glitter galore. Over 500 kits were built for every K–3...
Annual Charity Hockey Game – Blades for Baskets!
At St. Martin Catholic Secondary School, one of our most popular traditions is our annual teachers vs students Charity Hockey Game, known in the building as the “Blades for Baskets” game. The event is run by our Grade 12 Leadership class as a fundraiser for our...
Kobras Get Caught Being Kind
Kindersley Composite School SLC started a campaign for the month of February that encouraged students to “Get Caught Being Kind.” Parents, peers, staff and community members have been nominating students who demonstrate Kobra Kindness and we spotlight them in our...
Future Mustangs Virtual Visits
One way to introduce your incoming grade 9 class is to invite them to tour the school and meet with student leaders. This is a great opportunity for your leaders to tell the new students all about the school and the activities, sports and clubs. However, this is...
Wall of Pride
Using paper bricks, Fraser High School built a wall of pride in their front foyer that recognized the outstanding efforts of clubs, individuals and staff members at their school. This is a great opportunity to let people know about academic and artistic achievements...
Too Much Spirit for Some – solution
St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary in Barrie has an outrageous and spirited Colour Clash Day held each fall. The infectious and positive energy is off the charts in the building, however, it is too much for some. A teacher took a personal day each year to avoid the chaos...
Staffulty Awards
Each month when the staff meeting agenda is sent out, Clayton Heights Secondary also sends out a Microsoft form called the Staffulty Award. Staff members can nominate other staff members for the work they do with kids, extracurricular activities, sports, or with in...
Trickshot Competition
Students are invited to film their best trickshot on video and submit it to a bracket challenge for the school. The staff and students at Tanenbaum CHAT in Toronto got their competition down to these final four videos. You can pick the one you think should win. (the...
Class of the Day
Just prior to a major marking period or at the end of first or second semester, teachers are invited to nominate a class for their hard work and dedication. Teachers write up a brief blurb on why this class deserves to be Class of the Day. All nominations are placed...
Pretend VACAY Day
Whatever your lockdown situation, you know that you probably are not heading to the beach, balmy climes or cruise ship any time soon. A great spirit day is to dress like you are going on a trip this coming break, even if it is just a trip to the couch! L.P. Miller...
Dad Jokes Challenge
Two teams of four match up to make the other person crack a smile at the best bad dad jokes. Each member gets to face off against one opponent and try to get the other person to laugh their face off by telling four of his or her best dad jokes. If you smile or laugh,...
Vestivus
What is cooler than a sweater vest? Well . . . it's Saskatchewan, where you go into a curling rink to warm up in the winter, so a vest is a great way to celebrate a spirit week or month as Jana Fisher and the spirited Bears of Wynyard Composite wanted to warm things...
Leadership Buddies with Staff
The number one rule in modern marketing is that word of mouth is the most powerful way to let people know what is happening. Yale Secondary leadership students are paired with a teacher in the school to act as a "leadership buddy" on the first day of school. This...
Keep your Fish Fresh
Few people know that storm drains located on your street empty right into local streams, creeks, and rivers in your neighbourhood. To remind people not to dump waste oil and other contaminants into the local water table, Yale Secondary leadership students, in...
Razzle Dazzle Hype Video
KCI in Kitchener has their students and staff film a 20–30 second video clip and then all of the clips are put together with the app Quik for a Razzle Dazzle version of the life at school or home. Check out a sample video here. Hints: Have people submit videos of...
Grad Tradition – Mural Recognition
Melissa Wright describes a unique opportunity for her grads to leave their mark at Kennebecasis Valley High. Watch here: https://fb.watch/30oo8y-c-p/ You can find it here on our YouTube channel.
Groundhog Day
Take the time to have some fun with Groundhog Day. People need a break at this time of year and want something hopeful and fun to celebrate. Give prizes to the person who can do the best hand shadow puppet. Play pin the tail on the groundhog. Have a groundhog pinata...
Human Hungry Hippos
Turn a simple kids game into an insane couple minutes of energy and fun. This makes a great pep rally challenge. Items needed 1 Skateboard per team 1 Small-Medium laundry basket per team Balloons- 1 colour per team Tape for marking off "Team Box" on the floor in the...
Be the “I” in KIND
The simple message on this poster reminds students of their role in spreading kindness. Hang your poster at student eye level in a highly trafficked area of the school, like a hallway near the cafeteria or the wall in your front foyer. Have members of your admin and...
Random Acts of Softness
Usually when you think of a quilting club, you picture cute grandmas happily sewing away. One student, Braegan Zimmerman was inspired by the impact of a quilt ministry on a mission trip and decided to replicate it in her hometown. Braegan and 20 other students didn’t...
Community Involvement Fair
One of the complaints that students have about volunteering is that they don’t know who is looking for volunteers. Solve this problem by inviting local charities, associations and volunteer groups to your school for a Community Involvement Fair. This fair can run...
Empty Bowls for Hunger
Empty Bowls allows participating artists and groups to create and donate bowls, then serve a simple meal. In some communities, ceramic artists are joined by wood turners, glassblowers, fibre artists, metal smiths, painters, sculptors, and other artists and...
Second Semester Welcome
New Student Breakfast: Most schools attempt to recognize new students at the beginning of the school year, but with semesters there is also a second major entry point to school. At the beginning of second semester, invite the new students and their parents to a...
Skittles for Scholars
Great Oak High School recognizes their scholar athletes with a certificate and Skittles. The bag of candy may sound a bit juvenile, but it's like a "gold star" for effort and students look forward to being recognized in the Skittles for Scholars program. They receive...
Personalize Valentines
Personalized Hearts: cut out hearts for every student and staff member and then write their name and a brief message on the heart. Place hearts around your school the evening before Valentine’s Day. The hallways look great decorated and everyone enjoys finding their...
#belikeBrent
Brent is a butler. He brings you all of the upcoming events. Be involved. Be like Brent. Brent was a Halloween decoration who has found a new calling and a permanent home in the foyer of Wynyard Composite School. He announces all of the upcoming events on his little...
Selfie Scavenger Hunt
This is our version of an old-school Easter Egg Hunt, but you can make it fit any holiday or random theme. We post spring-ish items (Easter Bunny, Tulips, Easter Eggs, Robins, Sandals, etc.) around the school in places that take more than a casual glance to see, but...
Virtual Christmas Carnival
E. P. Scarlett High School in Calgary did not let the virtual learning get in the way of some festive fun:
Rock Paper Scissors ONLINE
Rock, Paper, Scissors is a game that can be taken virtually, and Ethan Gasee from Tanenbaum CHAT in Toronto had his whole school throwing down their virtual rocks in an online tournament. A signup form was sent out to the whole student body and staff on Google Forms....
The Zoomies
Scott Thompson from Bow Valley High had some fun and frustration with the virtual world of education and handed out some awards for efforts that should be recognized in the world of virtual learning. He called his awards "The Zoomies". You can hand out recognition...
Virtual Brain Break Games
Read my Lips This is actually an ideal game for a virtual brain-break. The idea is just like it sounds. One person mouths a phrase and the other players have to guess what they said. This game often goes awry when playing in person, but for a virtual group, it’s easy...
True Colours: Presented by Relay for Life Youth
True Colours: Presented by Relay for Life Youth Join CSLA and students across Canada to participate in a True Colours workshop presented by our friends at Relay for Life Youth. This workshop took place on December 9, 2020. A recording of the workshop can be...
Mathletes – One! Two! Three! COMPUTE!
St. Patrick’s math department from Quebec City ran their edition of Math Week. This year's format of competition was online. Participants must solve 10 riddles and participate in a few math games to collect as many points as possible. Last year, they did the daily...