This Week

In this message:

• Light The Night Champion For Cures
• AHA Student Travel Scholarships
• National Day of Reason

Light The Night Champion For Cures

Become a Champion For Cures for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and cancer patients everywhere by participating in the Light The Night Walk. There are many ways to get started after you create or join a team:

1. Chocolate for a Cure
2. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Store
3. CafePress

Keep in mind that LLS will regularly send specific local opportunities to your email as you register. Also make sure you see their list of prizes for raised funds, and if you have a smart phone, download their fundraising app.

Learn more about the Light The Night Walk at our Light The Night page.

AHA Student Travel Scholarships

The American Humanist Association welcomes high school and college students to their 72nd Annual Conference! Student registration is just $25 and includes access to all events and sessions during the conference from May 30th-June 2nd.

The AHA Conference is a great opportunity to learn more about the work of a national freethought organization, meet secular celebrities, and network with leaders in the movement!

They also have hotel rooms at discounted rates. The deadline for reservations is April 26. Check here for more information.

National Day of Reason

The National Day of Reason was created in response to the National Day of Prayer, which is a federally designated day of observance. The NDoR was started by the American Humanist Association and is observed the same day as the NDoP.

The constitutionality of the NDoP law has been challenged by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The FFRF is currently appealing an appellate court's decision to dismiss the case.

Find the National Day of Reason page on Facebook. You should also check out our Activity Packet for great ideas on how to celebrate the NDoR. Look at the events people are posting about the day on the website or create your own!

Group Photo of the Week

Members from the Secular Student Alliance at the University of Arizona at Sabino Canyon.

Send us your photos!

In this message:

• Light The Night Pizza Promo
• IFYC Leadership Institutes
• SSA Design Exchange

Light The Night Pizza Promo

Want to end the year on a really good note? Then register for a Light The Night Walk by creating a team. You can also join the national Secular Student Alliance Team. All SSA affiliate teams who hold their first fundraiser and tell us about it, via a Brag It Up form, will be entered into a drawing for a pizza party for their entire group. Hold the fundraiser, fill out a form, tell us how much you raised, send us a photo and let us know your Light The Night team information.

The winners will be announced May 15th. So make sure to get everything in before that date.

Learn more about the Light The Night Walk at our Light The Night page.

IFYC Leadership Institutes

Our partner and friend, the Interfaith Youth Core is having Interfaith Leadership Institutes (ILIs) across the country. ILIs equip undergraduate students, staff, and faculty with the skills to engage diverse religious and non-religious identities to build the interfaith movement on their campuses.

Upcoming ILIs - The standard fee to attend an ILI is $299 (lodging and travel not included). Make sure to check the registration pages for discount and scholarship information.

1.     Chicago ILI: June 21-23, 2013
   •     Early Bird Deadline ($50 off): April 16, 2013
   •     Final Registration Deadline: June 6, 2013
2.     NYC ILI: August 11-13, 2013
   •     Early Bird Deadline ($50 off): June 6, 2013
   •     Final Registration Deadline: July 30, 2013
3.     Atlanta ILI: January 31, 2014 - February 2, 2014
   •     Los Angeles ILI: February 15-17, 2014
   •     *Official Registration Launch on August, 15, 2013

SSA Design Exchange

The Design Exchange is our library of flyers, tabling supplies, advertisements, t-shirt designs, and more that students in freethought groups like yours across the country have successfully utilized on their campuses. Use these resources for catchy and eye-grabbing material you can post all over your campus.

If you would like to submit one or more of your designs to the Exchange, feel free to use our flyer submission form or e-mail your design to [email protected]. Please remember that while a PDF is lovely to look at, it is difficult to edit - please send us the original file format whenever possible so that borrowers may make the most of it!

Group Photo of the Week

Members from Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics at Louisiana State University with Dan Barker.

Send us your photos!

In this message:

• Participate in SSA Week
• 2013 Light The Night Walk
• Group T-Shirts

Participate in SSA Week

Hey Students! Coming up April 29th-May 6th, the SSA is holding SSA Week! During this time, members of the secular community will be coming together online to celebrate the awesome work you all do and show their support of secular students and the Secular Student Alliance.

We want you to be involved! If you write a secular blog, participate in blogathon! We also have a bunch of images—Facebook and Twitter banners and profile pictures—for you to use to help us spread the word as it gets closer. If you want to participate by blogging, or have another idea to help the SSA raise awareness and funds, please contact our Development Associate Jessica Kirsner for more information.

2013 Light The Night Walk

Last year, the Secular Student Alliance allied with Foundation Beyond Belief to participate in the Light The Night Walk for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Our teams raised over $430,000 in that first year, the largest amount ever raised by a first year non-corporate team and the 4th largest amount raised by any team in the nation in 2012, including corporate teams.

We're back in action for 2013, providing awesome ways for you and your group to get involved in the largest fundraising activity in the secular movement!  There are several ways you can get involved:

• Find a walk near you and register your affiliate as a team
• Partner with an off-campus group or a nearby campus group to register a joint team
• Register a "virtual" team if there's no walk nearby
• Join the SSA's National Walk Team 

Group T-Shirts

An awesome way to build group recognition and interest is to have group t-shirts. Group t-shirts are also a great way form a greater bond between your fellow group members. There are many ways to make your group shirts clever, intriguing and get other people's attention but not all groups have the time and skills for that. If you are a branded affiliate, you have the option of ordering our own shirts for your group for just $5 each (plus shipping) with the SSA store. If you have any troubles accessing the store read the instructions here.

Group Photo of the Week

Members from Loyola Chicago Secular Student Alliance after watching the Jesus Camp documentary.

Send us your photos!

In this message:

• Last Day for Affiliation Renewals!
• Ask-An-Atheist Day Supplies (Last Chance!)
• SSA Board of Directors Elections

Last Day for Affiliation Renewals!

Is your group on this list?  Then you need to renew today! If we don't hear from you, your group will lose its SSA affiliation - bad news, bears!

If your group is already renewed and you want to lend us a hand, pick a group from that list and give them a nudge to renew.  The more groups that renew, the more staff time we have to focus on things like booking speakers, developing resources, and helping you run your group.  Thanks!

Ask-An-Atheist Day Supplies (Last Chance!)

National Ask-An-Atheist Day is coming up fast - less than three weeks!  To be sure you have all your tabling supplies, stickers, and other gear ready to go, place your orders this week!

There are lots of ways you can celebrate National Ask-An-Atheist Day: hosting a speaker or a panel, tabling on your campus, proudly wearing your Ask-An-Atheist Day stickers, or many other ideas.  Join the Facebook event and share your plans and ideas!

Evan Clark, Chair of the SSA Board of Directors

SSA Board of Directors Elections

The SSA is a democratic organization led by a Board of Directors elected by our paid membership.  Our board elections are happening right now!  If you're an active supporter of the SSA (only $10/year for students!), you should go cast your votes.  The voting period ends this Saturday, April 6!

If you are a Free Student Member, this is a great time to step up and become an active student supporter.  Affiliate members also have the opportunity to become active student supporters, so take a moment to share this opportunity with them.  This is a great way to get involved in the high-level direction of the organization you love!
 

Group Photo of the Week

The Society of Open-Minded Atheists and Agnostics at KU from their first meeting of the spring semester - board game night!

Send us your photos!