You’ve heard about how to introduce your friends and family to Fair Trade, and how to build the movement within your community. Now let’s look at how to bring this important education into your school.

• Fair Trade fundraising. With many different options and rewards, it’s easy to make the switch to selling a sweeter chocolate.
• Raise awareness and funds with a Fair Trade bake sale. Check out the many delicious recipes at Equal Exchange, Divine Chocolate, Transfair or the Fair Trade Cookbook.
• Form a Fair Trade group with other students, teachers and parents.
• Present the Fair Trade movement to others, either peers or younger classes. Check out the this Fair Trade powerpoint for an introduction.
• Teach Fair Trade. Global Dimension has 56 different resources for helping students understand Fair Trade, with age groups ranging from 5-7 years, 7-11 years, 11-14 years and 16 and up. Most resources are free or cost a small amount, and the topics are varied and interesting. Traidcraft also has lesson plans for various age levels and subjects.
• For primary schools check out the free ‘Make your School Fair Trade Friendly‘ pack, which includes seven different activity sections.
• Have a Fair Trade stall at your next school event. Here are some tips to help in your success. Spark some tastebuds with samples of coffee, tea or chocolate and feed, them information while they enjoy.
• Play Sweet Injustice: the chocolate game. With 6 volunteers, you can visually drive home the reality of the tiny portion of chocolate profits that actually ends up in the farmer’s hands through traditional trade.
• Play fair! Get your school to switch their footballs, soccer balls and volleyballs to those sold by Fair Trade Sports. Play an intramural game with information for spectators and players.
• Host a Fair Trade fashion show to demonstrate how “beautiful” and “trendy” can still be ethical.
• Check to see if your school has a United Students for Fair Trade (USFT) group. If not, start one!
• Have your school group become one of the Co-op America’s Fair Trade Alliance members, with a pledge to
  • Serve Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, tea, cocoa/chocolate, and other certified products as available for meetings and gatherings.
  • When possible, purchase commodities or crafts from members of the Fair Trade Federation.
  • Educate co-workers, community members, classmates, and others about Fair Trade.
  • Promote Fair Trade through events or other activities whenever possible.
• Help others each time you get dressed with an alternative Fair Trade school uniform.
• Host a discussion. Check with local Fair Trade businesses and teachers to bring in a speaker, or hold an open discussion with your teachers, peers and parents.
• Host a screening of a Fair Trade movie, such as Black Gold, and hold a discussion afterwards.
• Make some Big Noise with a Fair Trade campaign and OxFam’s toolkit.
• Give the students and teachers a chance to give twice this holiday season by hosting a Fair Trade holiday sale with the help of Ten Thousand Villages or A Greater Gift.

(Originally written for Green Options)