In the past, high schools sponsored baccalaureate services to honor their graduating seniors. I had a baccalaureate service. So did my parents. Baccalaureate went hand in hand with graduation, and all seniors expected to attend baccalaureate.
Today, things are different.
High schools are no longer allowed to organize, promote, or sponsor any type of religious activity or service.
The result?
Our seniors are missing out on the opportunity to have family, friends, and comunity member honor them and pray for them as they get ready to go out into the world.
What can we do?
While high schools cannot sponsor baccalaureate, we can! Parents, churches, organizations--it's now up to us to make sure our seniors get the prayer they need and the honor they deserve!
Our Story--How the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee Was Formed
In 2007, Romeo High School held their last baccalaureate service. In 2008, Romeo United Methodist Church sponsored the service. After that, Romeo High School seniors no longer had a baccalaureate service to attend with their class.
In 2011, my daughter was graduating, and I wanted her to have a baccalaureate service. I contacted the members of my church and sent letters and emails to local churches in Romeo to see if there was any interest in starting a committee that would privately sponsor baccalaureate. As it turned out, most people didn't know that Romeo High School no longer held a baccalaureate service, and they didn't like that very much. My prayers were answered as a number of dedicated people volunteered to help, and we formed the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee. Because we were a new committee without much in the way of finances, we held baccalaureate at a local church. In 2012, thanks to generous donations from local churches, individuals, businesses, and organizations, we were able to rent the high school auditorium and bring baccalaureate back to Romeo High School.
We currently have members and pastors from local churches on our committee--many of whom are Romeo Community School parents. And, since the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee is a recognized organization in the community, other churches and parents have expressed an interest in being part of baccalaureate.
How You Can Organize a Baccalaureate Service--First Things First!
So, your high school doesn't have a baccalaureate service, and you want to see what you can do to organize one. What is the first step? That's easy--Pray! The Romeo Baccalaureate Committee has been completely and utterly reliant on God to open lots of doors and help us in every situation, and He has been faithful! If He is leading you to pursue organizing a baccalaureate service, then jump in with both feet!
While I'm sure other organizations and groups have tried and true ways of sponsoring baccalaureate, here's how we started. (And the tips I learned along the way.)
Research Baccalaureate Services
Before you get a committee together, do your homework. Research what a baccalaureate service entails. You'll find that, while the basic principle of prayer, honoring graduates, and having a godly message are pretty much the norm, the style (contemporary, traditional, etc...) and other elements included in the service vary. Surf the internet. Get a book--I recommend the one by Pamela D. Williams, Baccalaureate. Guidelines for Inspirtional Worship Services to Honor Graduates. In addition, talk to people who have been involved in or attended a baccalaureate service. I spoke with our pastor who organized the baccalaureate service at our church and was involved when baccalaureate was still at the high school. I called friends and family in other communities and asked if their high school held baccalaureate and what that was like.
Next, get informed about the laws regarding religious services for students. There is a lot of information on the internet. For baccalaureate to be successful, you will have to be in contact with your local high school. This is tricky, because the high school cannot be involved in any way that promotes baccalaureate. More about this later.
Send out Information and Contact your High School
The baccalaureate service is a huge undertaking, and you will need help. You'll need speakers, musicians, techs, money, refreshments--and you can't do it alone. Since baccalaureate is a Christian service, I sent emails, letters, and made phone calls to local churches inviting them to an initial meeting. I got information in our church bulletin about baccalaureate and asked for volunteers to attend the initial meeting. Get the word out any way you can. Be bold.
At the same time, I contacted our high school principal and told him about my plans to form a committee. I kept the principal informed throughout the entire process so that he knew what was happening. Although the high school cannot be involved in baccalaureate, they must recognize you the same way they recognize any private organization.
Discuss a date with the school. We always hold baccalaureate three or four days before the graduation. That way, the seniors will have their caps and gowns, which they must wear for baccalaureate. Also, make sure there isn't a major event happening that day, such as prom, concert, or other major school function. Confirm a date.
The Initial Meeting--Do We Have Enough Hands?
Set up an initial meeting in January. At our first meeting, seven people attended. But, because they were all extremely dedicated and hard working Christians, I knew that was enough. And, because you started the process, guess who gets to chair the committee? Yes, you. Don't panic. Remember, you aren't really the chair. God is. Keep that in mind, and you'll be fine.
At our initial meeting, I had a basic idea of the sub committees we would need and the way we should organize the service. I had contacted the high school and picked a date. When you already have the ball rolling, you'll find that everyone will be more enthusiastic and willing to get on board.
I've Got My Committee--What's Next?
Form subcommittees. We have:
Communications: responsible for flyers, invitations, speaking at parent/senior meetings, getting announcements on the school PA system, keeping track of students who sign up, communicating with the school, sending out press releases, and making presentations for funding.
Service: responsible for planning the service order, contacting all seniors involved in the service, making videos, finding tech support--anything involved with the service itself.
Gifts: responsible for going to local businesses and community groups and asking for donations of gifts/gift cards for the free drawing at the reception. Also can receive monetary donations to sponsor baccalaureate.
Reception: responsible for reception organization, set up, serving, and clean-up. Also includes asking for baked goods donations from local bakeries, churches, and senior parents.
Music: responsible for all music at baccalaureate, including the live band.
Fundraising: responsible for contacting local businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals in person or by sending them a letter and asking for monetary support for baccalaureate. The same person can do both gifts and fundraising.
Decide on a venue. A local church is a possible venue, since this will usually be free of charge. However, make sure you check with your high school to see if they will charge you rent. While the high school cannot organize or sponsor baccalaureate, they must rent the auditorium and cafeteria to religious organizations in the same manner as they do any other organization. Find out about their rental policy and costs. If you can swing it, have baccalaureate at the high school. While baccalaureate at a church is more cost effective, convenient, and often a nicer atmosphere, you will find that more seniors and their parents will attend if you hold baccalaureate at the high school. Other possibilities are your local community center, movie theater, etc...
Talk about co-sponsoring with a high school Christian club. Many high schools have a Christian club that meets after school. If you can talk to the club advisor and team up with them, suddenly a lot of closed doors open. As a Christian group, the baccalaureate committee cannot go into the high schools during school time. You do not have access to senior names and addresses, which are necessary to send invitations. If you co-sponsor baccalaureate with a high school club, you can have club members make P.A. announcements, put up flyers, and add baccalaureate to their club information on the school website. You can talk to the school about getting senior names and addresses and mailing invitations to each senior's household since you are co-sponsoring with a school club. If the school pays the postage for other school clubs to mail information, they must do that for baccalaureate as well. Our high school also allows school clubs to send out emails about events and activities. Talk to the school technical advisor about sending an email about baccalaureate and reminders a few days before the service.
Pick a service style and talk about how to individualize it for your high school. Talk about the traditional versus a more contemporary service. When we discussed this, we always kept the seniors foremost in our minds. What would they like? What kind of service would they most likely attend? How could we make it exciting, relevant, and a service they would want to attend? How could we make this a service that would bless them and that they would remember all their lives?
After we talked about today's senior, we went with a contemporary service. A live band that played contemporary Christian worship music. (Yes, think loud and upbeat, with guitars and drums.) We have dvd's and videos interspersed throughout the service. The speakers gear their messages for seniors.
Also, plan to get as many seniors involved in the service as you can. We have seniors do an opening prayer, a closing prayer, songs, dances, videos,testimonies, play with the worship team, etc... A few years we made a video featuring members of the senior class talking about everything from high school fun to how they plan to keep their faith after graduation. If the seniors are part of the service, they will be more likely to attend baccalaureate, and the service will be even more meaningful to them.
Discuss the reception. Seniors love to eat. And so do their guests. A reception following the baccalaureate service is not only customary, it is a lot of fun. We have finger food desserts, cake, fruit, and punch. Most of the food is donated by local orchards, churches, (We call it "Bake for Bacc") and senior parents.
As part of the reception, we hold a drawing for prizes. We have about thirty gifts/gift certificates donated by local businesses, restaurants, gas stations, etc...and we hold a free drawing. This part is a lot of fun, and the seniors really enjoy it! We also give away three $250 Visa Gift Cards, and we encouraged the winners to use them toward college or career-related expenses.
In addition, each senior receives a gift when they leave the reception. This gift is usually a devotional written for gradutes or a Bible. One year we made book markers that had all the best websites and apps for teenage Christians on them and inserted one in each Bible. And sometimes that bookmarker is gift certificate for Dairy Queen.
Communication is the Key!
You are now on your way to organizing a wonderful baccalaureate service that will bless your seniors.
Just keep in mind that communication is the key to baccalaureate. If your high school hasn't held baccalaurate before or it's been a few years--as in our high school--most seniors and many parents won't have a clue what baccalaureate is. While flyers and invitations and emails are great, the best way to communicate baccalaureate is directly. Many high school hold a graduation meeting before graduation, and almost all seniors and possibly even parents attend. Our high school has done this in the past, and since baccalaureate is part of the graduation activities, and because other groups (such as the Senior All Night Party organizers) speak, we give a presentation at these meetings. This is by far the best way to let parents and seniors know about baccalaureate.
Before and after the meeting, we have a table set up outside the auditorium with information, flyers, a PowerPoint presentation running with baccalaureate highlights, and committee members available to talk with parents and seniors. We have a sign-up sheet for those who want to attend. (We ask that seniors or parents sign up that evening or on our website so we know how many are coming.) We also have a sign-up sheet for donating baked goods for the reception. I cannot tell you how many parents have told me that they didn't know what baccalaureate was or weren't interested in going until they heard all about it. And now they were excited about attending, because it sounded so wonderful!
Another great way to communicate is by having a website. We developed ours in 2013, and it has helped tremendously! Now seniors and their parents can just go to the website to sign up, get more details about baccalaureate and when to be there, what to wear, etc... Don't forget that teenagers love social media, so we also have a Facebook and Twitter page.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how to start a baccalaureate service. We will be happy to help in any way we can!
God bless!
Romeo Baccalaureate Committee
Today, things are different.
High schools are no longer allowed to organize, promote, or sponsor any type of religious activity or service.
The result?
Our seniors are missing out on the opportunity to have family, friends, and comunity member honor them and pray for them as they get ready to go out into the world.
What can we do?
While high schools cannot sponsor baccalaureate, we can! Parents, churches, organizations--it's now up to us to make sure our seniors get the prayer they need and the honor they deserve!
Our Story--How the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee Was Formed
In 2007, Romeo High School held their last baccalaureate service. In 2008, Romeo United Methodist Church sponsored the service. After that, Romeo High School seniors no longer had a baccalaureate service to attend with their class.
In 2011, my daughter was graduating, and I wanted her to have a baccalaureate service. I contacted the members of my church and sent letters and emails to local churches in Romeo to see if there was any interest in starting a committee that would privately sponsor baccalaureate. As it turned out, most people didn't know that Romeo High School no longer held a baccalaureate service, and they didn't like that very much. My prayers were answered as a number of dedicated people volunteered to help, and we formed the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee. Because we were a new committee without much in the way of finances, we held baccalaureate at a local church. In 2012, thanks to generous donations from local churches, individuals, businesses, and organizations, we were able to rent the high school auditorium and bring baccalaureate back to Romeo High School.
We currently have members and pastors from local churches on our committee--many of whom are Romeo Community School parents. And, since the Romeo Baccalaureate Committee is a recognized organization in the community, other churches and parents have expressed an interest in being part of baccalaureate.
How You Can Organize a Baccalaureate Service--First Things First!
So, your high school doesn't have a baccalaureate service, and you want to see what you can do to organize one. What is the first step? That's easy--Pray! The Romeo Baccalaureate Committee has been completely and utterly reliant on God to open lots of doors and help us in every situation, and He has been faithful! If He is leading you to pursue organizing a baccalaureate service, then jump in with both feet!
While I'm sure other organizations and groups have tried and true ways of sponsoring baccalaureate, here's how we started. (And the tips I learned along the way.)
Research Baccalaureate Services
Before you get a committee together, do your homework. Research what a baccalaureate service entails. You'll find that, while the basic principle of prayer, honoring graduates, and having a godly message are pretty much the norm, the style (contemporary, traditional, etc...) and other elements included in the service vary. Surf the internet. Get a book--I recommend the one by Pamela D. Williams, Baccalaureate. Guidelines for Inspirtional Worship Services to Honor Graduates. In addition, talk to people who have been involved in or attended a baccalaureate service. I spoke with our pastor who organized the baccalaureate service at our church and was involved when baccalaureate was still at the high school. I called friends and family in other communities and asked if their high school held baccalaureate and what that was like.
Next, get informed about the laws regarding religious services for students. There is a lot of information on the internet. For baccalaureate to be successful, you will have to be in contact with your local high school. This is tricky, because the high school cannot be involved in any way that promotes baccalaureate. More about this later.
Send out Information and Contact your High School
The baccalaureate service is a huge undertaking, and you will need help. You'll need speakers, musicians, techs, money, refreshments--and you can't do it alone. Since baccalaureate is a Christian service, I sent emails, letters, and made phone calls to local churches inviting them to an initial meeting. I got information in our church bulletin about baccalaureate and asked for volunteers to attend the initial meeting. Get the word out any way you can. Be bold.
At the same time, I contacted our high school principal and told him about my plans to form a committee. I kept the principal informed throughout the entire process so that he knew what was happening. Although the high school cannot be involved in baccalaureate, they must recognize you the same way they recognize any private organization.
Discuss a date with the school. We always hold baccalaureate three or four days before the graduation. That way, the seniors will have their caps and gowns, which they must wear for baccalaureate. Also, make sure there isn't a major event happening that day, such as prom, concert, or other major school function. Confirm a date.
The Initial Meeting--Do We Have Enough Hands?
Set up an initial meeting in January. At our first meeting, seven people attended. But, because they were all extremely dedicated and hard working Christians, I knew that was enough. And, because you started the process, guess who gets to chair the committee? Yes, you. Don't panic. Remember, you aren't really the chair. God is. Keep that in mind, and you'll be fine.
At our initial meeting, I had a basic idea of the sub committees we would need and the way we should organize the service. I had contacted the high school and picked a date. When you already have the ball rolling, you'll find that everyone will be more enthusiastic and willing to get on board.
I've Got My Committee--What's Next?
Form subcommittees. We have:
Communications: responsible for flyers, invitations, speaking at parent/senior meetings, getting announcements on the school PA system, keeping track of students who sign up, communicating with the school, sending out press releases, and making presentations for funding.
Service: responsible for planning the service order, contacting all seniors involved in the service, making videos, finding tech support--anything involved with the service itself.
Gifts: responsible for going to local businesses and community groups and asking for donations of gifts/gift cards for the free drawing at the reception. Also can receive monetary donations to sponsor baccalaureate.
Reception: responsible for reception organization, set up, serving, and clean-up. Also includes asking for baked goods donations from local bakeries, churches, and senior parents.
Music: responsible for all music at baccalaureate, including the live band.
Fundraising: responsible for contacting local businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals in person or by sending them a letter and asking for monetary support for baccalaureate. The same person can do both gifts and fundraising.
Decide on a venue. A local church is a possible venue, since this will usually be free of charge. However, make sure you check with your high school to see if they will charge you rent. While the high school cannot organize or sponsor baccalaureate, they must rent the auditorium and cafeteria to religious organizations in the same manner as they do any other organization. Find out about their rental policy and costs. If you can swing it, have baccalaureate at the high school. While baccalaureate at a church is more cost effective, convenient, and often a nicer atmosphere, you will find that more seniors and their parents will attend if you hold baccalaureate at the high school. Other possibilities are your local community center, movie theater, etc...
Talk about co-sponsoring with a high school Christian club. Many high schools have a Christian club that meets after school. If you can talk to the club advisor and team up with them, suddenly a lot of closed doors open. As a Christian group, the baccalaureate committee cannot go into the high schools during school time. You do not have access to senior names and addresses, which are necessary to send invitations. If you co-sponsor baccalaureate with a high school club, you can have club members make P.A. announcements, put up flyers, and add baccalaureate to their club information on the school website. You can talk to the school about getting senior names and addresses and mailing invitations to each senior's household since you are co-sponsoring with a school club. If the school pays the postage for other school clubs to mail information, they must do that for baccalaureate as well. Our high school also allows school clubs to send out emails about events and activities. Talk to the school technical advisor about sending an email about baccalaureate and reminders a few days before the service.
Pick a service style and talk about how to individualize it for your high school. Talk about the traditional versus a more contemporary service. When we discussed this, we always kept the seniors foremost in our minds. What would they like? What kind of service would they most likely attend? How could we make it exciting, relevant, and a service they would want to attend? How could we make this a service that would bless them and that they would remember all their lives?
After we talked about today's senior, we went with a contemporary service. A live band that played contemporary Christian worship music. (Yes, think loud and upbeat, with guitars and drums.) We have dvd's and videos interspersed throughout the service. The speakers gear their messages for seniors.
Also, plan to get as many seniors involved in the service as you can. We have seniors do an opening prayer, a closing prayer, songs, dances, videos,testimonies, play with the worship team, etc... A few years we made a video featuring members of the senior class talking about everything from high school fun to how they plan to keep their faith after graduation. If the seniors are part of the service, they will be more likely to attend baccalaureate, and the service will be even more meaningful to them.
Discuss the reception. Seniors love to eat. And so do their guests. A reception following the baccalaureate service is not only customary, it is a lot of fun. We have finger food desserts, cake, fruit, and punch. Most of the food is donated by local orchards, churches, (We call it "Bake for Bacc") and senior parents.
As part of the reception, we hold a drawing for prizes. We have about thirty gifts/gift certificates donated by local businesses, restaurants, gas stations, etc...and we hold a free drawing. This part is a lot of fun, and the seniors really enjoy it! We also give away three $250 Visa Gift Cards, and we encouraged the winners to use them toward college or career-related expenses.
In addition, each senior receives a gift when they leave the reception. This gift is usually a devotional written for gradutes or a Bible. One year we made book markers that had all the best websites and apps for teenage Christians on them and inserted one in each Bible. And sometimes that bookmarker is gift certificate for Dairy Queen.
Communication is the Key!
You are now on your way to organizing a wonderful baccalaureate service that will bless your seniors.
Just keep in mind that communication is the key to baccalaureate. If your high school hasn't held baccalaurate before or it's been a few years--as in our high school--most seniors and many parents won't have a clue what baccalaureate is. While flyers and invitations and emails are great, the best way to communicate baccalaureate is directly. Many high school hold a graduation meeting before graduation, and almost all seniors and possibly even parents attend. Our high school has done this in the past, and since baccalaureate is part of the graduation activities, and because other groups (such as the Senior All Night Party organizers) speak, we give a presentation at these meetings. This is by far the best way to let parents and seniors know about baccalaureate.
Before and after the meeting, we have a table set up outside the auditorium with information, flyers, a PowerPoint presentation running with baccalaureate highlights, and committee members available to talk with parents and seniors. We have a sign-up sheet for those who want to attend. (We ask that seniors or parents sign up that evening or on our website so we know how many are coming.) We also have a sign-up sheet for donating baked goods for the reception. I cannot tell you how many parents have told me that they didn't know what baccalaureate was or weren't interested in going until they heard all about it. And now they were excited about attending, because it sounded so wonderful!
Another great way to communicate is by having a website. We developed ours in 2013, and it has helped tremendously! Now seniors and their parents can just go to the website to sign up, get more details about baccalaureate and when to be there, what to wear, etc... Don't forget that teenagers love social media, so we also have a Facebook and Twitter page.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how to start a baccalaureate service. We will be happy to help in any way we can!
God bless!
Romeo Baccalaureate Committee
