CHAMPS: Program Details
download a CHAMPS Kit

Students in the United States have an exciting opportunity to extend the tradition of civic leadership by joining other students in schools around the nation in adopting their very own Mine Detection Dog. The name of the dog will be determined by the students who participate. This life-saving dog will be sent along with an elite team to a mine affected country to "sniff out" landmines, save lives, and quickly restore the land to productive use for its citizens. In partnership with the U.S. Department of State, The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) and recipient nations, all students (K-12) and at the University level are invited to participate in the adoption program.

The goal is for each student to contribute $0.25. Regardless of the amount contributed, each student that participates will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a package that includes: round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations and tickets to attend the MLI Awards Dinner in Washington, DC along with a parent.

The funds generated through this year-long educational and fundraising initiative, designed to engage schoolchildren in the global effort to remove landmines, will help to purchase, train, and transport their dog to a mine affected country such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Azerbaijan or Afghanistan. MLI is targeting these three severely mine-affected countries for mine detection dog programs in 2007.

Objectives:
To provide the students of the United States with:
- Education about the worldwide landmine crisis and its effects
- The experience of helping children in another country through giving and sharing
- The understanding of their role in the global community
- A unique project to fulfill community service requirements
- The opportunity to develop their leadership skills by assisting others

Campaign Timeline

Campaign Phase One- State, city, or school-wide kickoff events and classroom campaigns.

Campaign Phase Two-  Schools remit funds and write about their unique efforts.

Campaign Phase Three- Update of dogs training and performance sent to schools.

Campaign Elements
Nation, State, or School Wide Kick off: Schools throughout participating areas will host their own kick-off introductory event using the tools provided in this kit.

Campaign Phase 1: Classroom kick off tap into the creative energies of your students by creating a coin collector box/can, select a class treasurer to promote leadership, and utilize optional teaching tools to generate enthusiasm. Begin tracking participation.

Campaign Phase 2: Continuation of awareness campaign and participation encouragement. Classroom fund collection.

School Wrap-Up: Report overall results to students and fill out participation sheets for Gala drawing.

Adoption Report: After the dog is funded the Marshall Legacy Institute will provide a complete report with photos and information to the school for distribution to the classrooms.

School Participation
All participating schools will receive a color photo and an initial update on the performance of their sponsored dog. Each school may also nominate an adult leader (teachers, principals, other faculty members, volunteers, or community members) who will be entered into a drawing to attend the MLI Awards Dinner in Washington, DC if names are submitted no later than April 30 of that year. The trip includes airfare and hotel accommodations for the winner and one guest. The school with the most "innovative program" will be featured on the champskids.org website, as will the school with the greatest participation. All future updates on the sponsored dog will be found at www.champskids.org as well.

Student Participation
At the discretion of individual schools, each student that participates will be entered into a drawing to attend the MLI Gala Awards Dinner in Washington, DC. Trip includes airfare and hotel accommodations for the winner and one parent or guardian. Emerging Global Leader Program (EGL) Within each campaign there inevitably emerge students who take a leadership role in their campaign. MLI wishes to reward that leadership and help it develop by allowing several student leaders from these campaigns, over the age of 15, to travel as part of a delegation with other donors to a mine affected country. These students will travel to a minefield to see dogs at work, they will meet government officials who oversee demining in that country, and will have the opportunity to meet other young student leaders in the mine affected country as part of the CHAMPS International Program. If the student leaders are under the age of 15, one will be invited to Washington D.C. to attend the Annual Gala and to participate in the annual CHAMPS Student Leaders Workshop the day after the Gala.

Participation Sheet Instructions
In order to ensure that each contributing student's name is entered for the MLI Gala Awards Dinner, a "School Participation Sheet" is enclosed in this packet for your teachers use. Also on that sheet are spaces for the Nominated Adult Leaders names for that drawing. At the end of the campaign period, please ask teachers to turn in the classroom participation sheet along with the funds collected. Once all participation sheets and contributions are gathered from classroom teachers, please send to:

The Marshall Legacy Institute
2425 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 313
Arlington, VA 22201

Within approximately four weeks after each school's CHAMPS Campaign has ended all participation sheets and funds should arrive at MLI. Once this is done the drawing can be held and the winners will be notified.