Prematurity Awareness Month
and World Prematurity Day
®
Activity Toolkit
FOR HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
1
NOVEMBER IS PREMATURITY
AWARENESS MONTH
10 Steps — Get your school involved to fight premature birth
Did you know that 1 in 10 babies in the United States is born
prematurely? Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon
each year. Many who survive face serious health problems.
We need your help to raise awareness of the costly and serious
problem of premature birth, the #1 killer of babies in our country.
This November, students across the country are raising
awareness and funds during Prematurity Awareness Month and
on World Prematurity Awareness Day, November 17. Join us by
participating in 10 Steps!
If you haven’t already done so, register your school today http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/getyour-school-involved.aspx to get your school’s free Prematurity Awareness Month 10 Steps Campaign Starter
Kit! (while supplies last)
BRING THE PREMATURITY AWARENESS MONTH
10 STEPS CAMPAIGN TO YOUR SCHOOL
There are so many ways to show your support and make an impact! You can even go the extra mile by
combining events to make one large prematurity awareness extravaganza.
• 10 Steps for Individuals
• 10 Steps for Your School
• Light Your School in Purple
• Dress Your Campus in Purple
How to get started
•
Rally your classmates: Gather a group of dedicated volunteers to educate your classmates and peers
about the impact of premature birth and the importance of raising awareness. Depending on the event,
you may need some help to make your event a success. Check out our speaking points (page 12) for ideas
on what to say.
•
Utilize our sample letters and email (page 10) to set up a meeting with your administration. Discuss the
importance of World Prematurity Day, and explain that you want to host a specific event to raise awareness.
•
Check out our spread the word page (page 11) for ways to talk about World Prematurity Day on
social media.
Need more help? Contact [email protected]
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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10 STEPS FOR INDIVIDUALS
Be an active participant during Prematurity Awareness Month by completing these
10 Steps for Individuals! Through these steps, you will be raising awareness and
support for the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies.
Make sure to share your completion of each step at facebook.com/marchofdimes.
1. F
ollow Team Youth® on social media. Like/follow March of Dimes Team Youth, March of Dimes
and World Prematurity Day on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Don’t forget the hashtags.
#worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
2. R
aise awareness. Tell 10 people the mission of the March of Dimes and why you support the organization
or post a message for all your friends on Facebook.
3.
Reach out. Contact your nearest March of Dimes office for resources and ask about ways to get
more involved.
4.
Eat foods rich in the B vitamin folic acid daily. Be a healthy you and eat foods that contain folic acid
every day: oranges, fortified cereal, spinach, avocado, corn and so much more! Women who want to have
a baby someday need the recommended dose of 400 mcg daily, before and during early pregnancy, to
help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spine.
5.
Purple for prematurity! Wear purple on World
Prematurity Day, November 17.
6.
Offer support to families. Find out if your local
hospital has a newborn intensive care unit (NICU)
and any volunteer opportunities.
7.
Contact our partners. See page 13 for a
complete list of all our national service partners.
Email each one on your campus or in your
community to ask for their help.
8.
Dime-ify your Profile. Upload a March of Dimes picture to FB/insta/ for November.
9.
Snapchat yourself with a dime and give a quick shout-out to the March of Dimes.
10.Post on the March of Dimes page. Let us know when you complete the 10 Steps. Send pictures of
yourself completing the list to the March of Dimes on social media. We would love to have your pictures,
comments and feedback about your exciting Prematurity Awareness Month activities! We will try to
respond to your posts throughout the month. See page 11 for social media ideas.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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10 STEPS FOR YOUR SCHOOL
These 10 steps will guide you through raising awareness about the
important March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies
on your campus during November, Prematurity Awareness Month.
1. E
mail clubs and other groups on campus. Send a quick email to all the clubs and
groups on campus, asking them if they would consider supporting the March of Dimes. This support
can vary, from simply alerting their members of any event you hold, to asking some of their members
to join a March of Dimes committee for you to lead. Once they know you’re there, they may even start
coming to you themselves with events you could speak at or participate in. Examples: FBLA, Key Club,
FCCLA, Honor Society, etc. Step it up a notch: Go to all the above clubs’ meetings. In-person requests
are more likely to get quicker responses.
2. C
ontact the nearest March of Dimes office. It’s great to form a relationship with staff members.
They are a great resource for March of Dimes information and supplies.
3.
Host an event at your school with these great ideas:
• Put a purple ribbon on every tree (alternative: bench, table, etc.).
• Put a purple March of Dimes info card on tables in the cafeteria, library and computer lab.
4.
Register your event at http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/get-your-school-involved.aspx.
By registering your event, you can be eligible to receive a March of Dimes kit of supplies to use at your
event! This includes a T-shirt, brochures and balloons.
5.
Invite a health professional, researcher or mission family to speak about how the March of Dimes has
affected them personally and professionally.
6.
Set a meeting with your campus administration to see what types of events you’re able to hold. Keep in
touch! This person will be very helpful in the future.
7.
Hold a folic acid breakfast on campus. Get permission to set up a table in your cafeteria. Give away
breakfast foods rich in the B vitamin folic acid such as cereal, orange juice and bagels. Remember to bring
educational booklets about the March of Dimes and the benefits of taking folic acid to reduce the risk of
certain birth defects. Food is a great incentive!
8.
Contact your local newborn intensive care unit (NICU). This can be beneficial in so many ways. You and
fellow March of Dimes supporters could go on a NICU tour or learn about volunteer opportunities in the
NICU itself.
9.
Join March for Babies. Get a team together and fundraise for the March of Dimes! Start your team
at marchforbabies.org.
10.Create a Facebook event for your campus on World Prematurity Day, November 17! This is a great
opportunity to have your folic acid breakfast to raise awareness. In addition, you can encourage students
to wear purple/blue jeans (alternative: on any day in November you think the campus would show the
most support!)
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
4
LIGHT YOUR SCHOOL FOR
PREMATURITY AWARENESS MONTH
Celebrate Prematurity Awareness Month throughout November and on World Prematurity Day,
November 17, by lighting your campus in purple, the March of Dimes color. Remember to gather
your peers and get your school on board.
Can’t light the entire campus in purple? Ask to light a high-traffic area, a historic or significant
monument, or a well-populated building on campus. This could be a main building, the football
stadium or other places where students gather. Discuss these and alternative options with
administration.
Step 1 — Rally your classmates/group
Gather a group of dedicated volunteers to educate
your classmates/peers about premature birth and
the importance of raising awareness (see sample
speaking points).
Step 2 — Get your school on board
Set up a meeting with administration and/or
your principal to discuss the importance of World
Prematurity Day and why you want your school lit
up in purple to raise awareness (see sample letter).
Work with administration and your group to set a
date to host the lighting ceremony — November 17
is World Prematurity Day, so that may be an ideal
day to host it.
Step 3 — Register your event with the March of Dimes
Register your lighting online at: http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/get-your-school-involved.aspx.
Once registered, you’ll receive your Prematurity Awareness Month Starter Kit while supplies last.
Step 4 — Gather your equipment
Building maintenance personnel may know the process needed to change the lighting to purple. Purple light
bulbs are typically available in hardware stores; however, the March of Dimes benefits from purchases made
through Amazon Smile. Go to smile.amazon.com, select March of Dimes, and use the search term “purple
lights.” Remember to ask about both exterior and interior lights (for elevators, lobbies or other high-traffic
areas inside your school). An alternative to changing bulbs is covering existing ones with approved light filters
— your school theater or drama club may have some you can borrow.
Step 5 — Light it up purple
Here are a few suggestions for hosting a successful and unforgettable purple lighting ceremony. Remember
to promote your lighting throughout school (post flyers, host an information booth outside the cafeteria, and
publicize in your school newspaper and on the website).
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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Inspire attendees:
•Find an emcee to kick off the ceremony and “turn on the lights.”
This could be a local leader at school or in the community, such as your
class president, homecoming queen/king, principal or even your mascot.
•Provide candles or flashlights to attendees, instructing every 10th person to turn their
light on or off at some point during the ceremony — reflecting that 1 in 10 babies is born
prematurely each year in the United States.
Educate attendees:
•Provide information about the serious complications of premature birth, the #1 killer of babies.
• Invite someone with a connection to the March of Dimes mission to share his or her story.
•Share one of the many stories available at youtube.com/marchofdimes
Make a bigger impact
•Invite a local band/DJ to perform and turn the
lighting ceremony into a celebration.
•Secure food donations from local restaurants or
other sources.
•Pass out purple buckets throughout to collect
donations and help fund research into the causes
and preventions for premature birth.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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ROCK OUT IN PURPLE — HOST A DANCE
Plan a school dance to raise funds and awareness for the March of Dimes. Remember to get administrative
approval before hosting the event.
Step 1 — Rally your classmates/group
You’ll need a variety of helpers to make your event a success. Gather a group of volunteers dedicated to
educating your school on the impact of premature birth and the importance of raising awareness by hosting
a Rock out in Purple dance event! Be sure to set up a brainstorming meeting with your group at least a month
before the event to discuss fun and interesting ideas for your dance, and finalize, including marketing, event
setup/cleanup and entertainment (live band, DJ, etc.).
Need more help? Make it a community event and invite other clubs and organizations to assist. By recruiting
others, not only will you have extra hands to help, but also you will help raise awareness!
Step 2 — Get your school on board
Set up a meeting with administration and/or your principal to discuss the importance of World Prematurity Day
and why you want to host a Rock out in Purple event at school to raise awareness. Work with administration
and your group to set a date to host the lighting ceremony — November 17 is World Prematurity Day, so that
may be an ideal day to host it!
Is a dance already happening in November? Offer to join forces and host one large dance that incorporates
entertainment and raising awareness.
Step 3 — Register your event with the March of Dimes
Register your Rock out in Purple event online at: http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/get-your-schoolinvolved.aspx. Once registered, you’ll receive your Prematurity Awareness Month Starter Kit while supplies last.
Step 4 — Rock Out in Purple!
Here are a few suggestions for hosting a memorable Rock Out in Purple event. Remember to promote
throughout school leading up to the event (post flyers, host an information booth outside the cafeteria and
publicize in your school newspaper and website).
Inspire attendees:
•Post 1 in 10 markings throughout the venue (such as: every tenth balloon is white while the rest
are purple) — reflecting that 1 in 10 babies is born too early each year in the United States.
Include March of Dimes information along with the marking.
Educate attendees:
•Provide information about the serious complications of premature birth.
• Invite someone with a connection to the March of Dimes mission to share his or her story.
•Share one of the many stories available at youtube.com/marchofdimes
Make a bigger impact
•Charge an entry price with the proceeds to be donated to the March of Dimes to help fund research
into the causes and preventions for premature birth.
•Secure food donations from local restaurants or other sources. Reach out to local businesses for
incentives and prizes.
•Host a contest to see who can wear the most purple and crown a winner by the end of the night.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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DRESS IT UP PURPLE —
ASK EVERYONE TO WEAR PURPLE:
Raise awareness and funds to help fight premature birth by dressing all in purple, the March of Dimes color.
Remember to get administrative approval before hosting the event.
Step 1 — Get your school on board
Set up a meeting with administration and/or your principal to discuss the importance of World Prematurity Day
and why you want to dedicate one day, a week or even the entire month of November to raising awareness by
educating your school and inviting students and faculty to wear purple. Work with administration to find the
best day(s) to host this event. Have a group interested in helping out? Invite them to take part in your meeting
with administration.
Step 2 — Register your event with the March of Dimes
Register your Dress It Up Purple event online at:
http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/get-yourschool-involved.aspx. Once registered, you’ll receive your
Prematurity Awareness Month Starter Kit — the first 100
registered will receive a March of Dimes bear!
Step 3 — Dress It Up Purple
Here are a few suggestions for hosting a successful Dress It
Up Purple day or days. Remember to promote throughout
school leading up to the event (post flyers, host an information booth outside the cafeteria and publicize in
your school newspaper and website).
Inspire attendees:
•Post a purple marking (balloon, ribbon, poster, etc.) on every tenth locker, classroom door,
parking space and/or bicycle stand — reflecting that 1 in 10 babies is born too soon each year
in the United States. Include March of Dimes information along with the marking.
Educate attendees:
•Host a presentation about premature birth to your class, grade or entire school and/or invite
someone with a connection to the March of Dimes mission to share his or her story.
• Post facts about premature birth throughout school — bulletin boards, classrooms, lockers, etc.
•Include a fact about premature birth on morning announcements and/or in the school newspaper
every day leading up to the event and/or throughout November.
Make a bigger impact
•Make it a contest to see who can wear the most purple — from head to toe! Think socks, shoes,
shirts accessories, even hair color. If you can wear it, make it purple!
•Sell purple awareness bands/ribbons and/or collect donations to help fund research into the
causes and preventions for premature birth.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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GET CREATIVE —
HOST YOUR OWN EVENT
Step 1 — Rally your classmates/group
You’ll need a variety of helpers to make your event a success. Gather a group of volunteers dedicated to
educating your school on the impact of premature birth and the importance of raising awareness by hosting a
Prematurity Awareness Month event. Work together to create your own event or find ways to join forces with
another group already hosting an exciting event in November. Together you can entertain attendees as well as
raise awareness about premature birth, the #1 killer of babies.
Step 2 — Get your school on board
Set up a meeting with administration and/or your principal to discuss the importance of World Prematurity Day
and why you want to host a Rock out in Purple event at school to raise awareness. Work with administration
to set a date to host the lighting ceremony — November 17 is World Prematurity Day, so that may be an ideal
day to host it.
Step 3 — Register your event with the March of Dimes
Register your Rock Out in Purple event online at: http://www.marchofdimes.org/volunteers/get-your-schoolinvolved.aspx. Once registered, you’ll receive your Prematurity Awareness Month Starter Kit — the first 100
registered will receive a March of Dimes bear!
Step 4 —
­ Finalize logistics
At least a month before your event, brainstorm as a group to discuss fun and interesting ideas to engage your
classmates and make your event unforgettable. Be sure to finalize logistics, including location, day-of setup/
cleanup, marketing, entertainment and food.
Need more help? Make it a community event and invite other clubs/organizations to assist. By recruiting
others, not only will you have extra hands to help, but also it will also help raise awareness.
Step 5 — Get creative — Host your event
Here are a few suggestions for hosting an unforgettable Prematurity Awareness Month event. Remember
to promote throughout school leading up to the event (post flyers, host an information booth outside the
cafeteria and publicize in your school newspaper and website).
Inspire attendees:
•Post 1 in 10 markings throughout the event (such as: every tenth balloon is white while the rest
are purple) — reflecting that 1 in 10 babies is born too soon each year in the United States.
Include March of Dimes information along with the markings.
•Find an emcee to kick off the event. This could be a local leader at school or in the community,
such as your student government president, principal or even your mascot.
Educate attendees:
•Provide information about the serious complications of premature birth, the #1 killer of babies.
• Invite someone with a connection to the March of Dimes mission to share his or her story.
•Share one of the many stories available at youtube.com/marchofdimes
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
9
Make a bigger impact:
$
•Charge an entry price with the proceeds to be donated to the March of Dimes to
help fund research into the causes and preventions for premature birth.
•Secure food donations from local restaurants or other sources. Reach out to local
businesses for incentives and prizes.
• Invite a local band/DJ to perform.
• Invite your school band, music club or even sketch comedy club to be the entertainment.
SAMPLE LETTER AND EMAIL
TO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
Dear ____________:
This November, the (March of Dimes VOLUNTEER GROUP) is celebrating Prematurity Awareness Month®.
We are joining the March of Dimes by going purple to help fight premature birth (the #1 killer of babies) and
recognize the 15 million babies worldwide who are born too soon every year.
In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month, we will be hosting a (EVENT NAME). (EVENT) will be held on
(DATE) at (LOCATION) at (TIME). AT (EVENT), guests will (DESCRIBE EVENT). (SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION)
can support our efforts by (INCLUDE SHORT DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST).
We hope you and the school will support our Prematurity Awareness Month activities. I would love to meet
with you to share more information about the (EVENT) and Prematurity Awareness Month at your earliest
convenience.
Thank you for working to help fight premature birth.
(Name of volunteer attending the school)
cc: (Campus Leader, March of Dimes local office)
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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SPREAD THE WORD
Post these Facebook statuses, Tweets and Instagrams to raise awareness of the March of Dimes.
Don’t forget to hashtag #worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
FACEBOOK
•November is Prematurity Awareness Month®. Help the @marchofdimes fight premature birth,
the #1 killer of babies. #worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
•URGENT: Nearly a million babies worldwide do not survive because they were born too soon.
#worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
•How important are your eyes? Your lungs? Your brain? Babies need 39 weeks to develop. Help fight
premature birth! #worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
•Even babies born just a couple weeks early are at risk for lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy,
lung problems, and vision and hearing loss. You can change the future for thousands of babies.
#worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
TWITTER
Post these tweets throughout November to encourage your followers to help fight premature birth.
Get creative and come up with your own tweets!
•November 17 is #worldprematurityday. Get involved! #marchofdimes #teamyouth
•1 in 10 U.S. babies is born too soon every year! How will you help spread the word? #worldprematurityday
#marchofdimes #teamyouth
•Every year, nearly 1 million babies worldwide die before their 1st bday bc they were born early.
#worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
•15 million babies are born too soon around the world every year. #worldprematurityday #marchofdimes
#teamyouth
•Were you born prematurely? Share your story in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month!
#worldprematurityday #marchofdimes #teamyouth
INSTAGRAM
Try out these instas during Prematurity Awareness Month to continue spreading the word.
•Post a picture of yourself wearing all purple. In your caption, explain that November is Prematurity
Awareness Month and why you support the March of Dimes. Tag your friends, asking them to do the same.
•Every Thursday in November, post a #TBT photo of yourself when you were a baby. In your caption, explain
that November is Prematurity Awareness Month and why you support the March of Dimes. Encourage your
followers to do the same.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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SPEAKING POINTS
What do you say when talking about the March of Dimes and Prematurity Awareness Month?
Check out these speaking points. Use them as Facebook status updates and tweets.
•November is Prematurity Awareness Month,
when the March of Dimes focuses everyone’s
attention on the impact premature birth has
on babies and families.
•November 17 is World Prematurity Day,
when we ask people to spread the word
about the serious problem of premature
birth. Visit facebook.com/marchofdimes and
facebook.com/worldprematurityday to find
out how you can help.
•Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely
worldwide. Nearly 1 million of them die before
their first birthday.
•In the United States, about 380,000 babies are born too soon each year — that’s 1 in 10. The premature
birth rate in our country is higher than that in most other developed nations.
•In November, the March of Dimes releases its eighth annual report card that scores the nation and each
state on its rate of premature birth.
•Premature birth is the #1 killer of babies in the United States. Even babies born just a few weeks too
soon can face serious health challenges and are at risk for lifelong disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, lung
problems, and vision and hearing loss.
•Premature birth means a baby is born too early. Babies aren’t fully developed until at least 39 weeks of
pregnancy. Important development of their brain, lungs and eyes occurs in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
•If a pregnancy is healthy, it’s best to let labor begin on its own instead of scheduling a delivery. Babies born
after 39 weeks have fewer health problems than babies born early.
•Mom’s health is the best indicator of her baby’s health. Early and regular prenatal care is very important to
monitor mom and baby to identify problems before they become serious. Every mom-to-be should know
the signs of preterm labor and what to do if she has any of them.
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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MARCH OF DIMES
NATIONAL SERVICE PARTNERS
Through the years, local and national organizations have worked hard to make sure that babies get
the best start in life. From community educational programs to fundraising events, these partners
continue to raise awareness and raise funds to help us find answers to infant health problems. The
following national service organizations have chosen the March of Dimes as a national charity for
their members to support and invite you to join them to help fight premature birth.
•Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
• Circle K International
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
• Future Business Leaders of America – Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA – PBL)
• General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)
• Jack and Jill of America
• Key Club International
• Kiwanis International
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
• Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. - Top Teens of America
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority
marchofdimes.org
© 2015 March of Dimes Foundation
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