(ARA) – Are you a teen that is going to camp, hosting a neighborhood block party, or playing baseball this summer? Are you a parent who wants to encourage your child to do something good for others or get more involved in their community? This summer, join the Do Something 101 school supply drive: www.dosomething101.org.

Each school year, many students go back to school with little more than a plastic bag and a used notebook. It’s often the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference. By donating a pack of pencils, a spiral notebook or even a dollar, you can help a student start the new school year off right. It’s easy to get started. Ideas include encouraging fellow campers to start a school supply drive or hosting a movie night at your house and charging a school supply as the price of admission.

Launched in 2008 by DoSomething.org and Staples, Do Something 101 is a campaign to help students in need. Nikki Reed, star of the popular Twilight movie series, is helping to promote the cause this year. The campaign encourages teens to collect school supplies and drop them off at their nearest Staples store, from July through September. In addition, customers can get involved by donating $1 at any store with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting local teens in need.

“It’s so important that students have new school supplies to begin each year successfully,” says Nancy Lublin, chief executive officer of DoSomething.org. “Our goal with this campaign is to make it easy for teens to help a student in need. We’ve provided products to hundreds of thousands of students to date, and are encouraging others to get involved to help us continue to make a difference.”

Here are some tips on how parents can encourage children to get involved in community service projects:

1. Research available opportunities that your child will find interesting and fulfilling. Help guide them toward a volunteer experience that will get them excited.

2. Get involved in your own charitable cause. If they see you doing something good, they are more likely to want to participate in a similar campaign.

3. Make it a family event. By encouraging everyone in the family to join the cause together, everyone will be motivated by each other and will have fun at the same time.

New for the 2010 back-to-school shopping season, Staples is also launching a line of DoSomething.org-inspired products to help students get organized and learn about important issues impacting their communities. These new products – including planners and notebooks – inspire youth to take action and make positive change. In addition to the cool designs, they also include background on social issues and offer suggestions on how students can make a difference.

Courtesy of ARAcontent