Checklist

Ice Cream and Salsa PROGRAM CHECKLIST:

Assessment:

- Determine whether this program is a good fit for the needs and interests of your residents (this can be done through informal polling, observation, or formal surveys). Find out if there is a Salsa Club on campus.

Preparation:

- Decide on a date for your event. Talk to your residents and fellow staff to find out what time/day would be ideal. Ideally, you should provide yourself at least 2 weeks for planning and advertising.

- Determine a location.

- Locate a Salsa instructor. Check to see if there is a Salsa Club on your campus. If not, find a local instructor. Ask them to donate an evening of their time. If it is an instructor, emphasize that you can pass out their brochures, etc to people who attend. If you have the budget, you can also simply pay for a couple hours of time from this instructor.

- Buy Ice Cream. Price out some ice cream. If you have freezer space, you can purchase it early, otherwise, have it delivered, or purchase it right before the program (for obvious reasons). Purchasing large ice cream containers will help with the budget and with serving the ice cream.

- Purchase the toppings: Nuts, candy, whipped cream, fruit, etc

- Get your paper products and plastic-ware. Get plenty of bowls and plastic spoons.

- Start advertising as soon as possible, but use several "waves" of advertising. You may wish to use the sample flyers included with this program. You may also want to use a building email list, banners, door hangers, global voice mail (where available), and as ALWAYS, word of mouth, the most effective advertising format.

Implementation

- Arrive early & set up. If you have hired an instructor, ask him or her to come early and set up. Make sure ice cream is purchased and ready. Do one last wave of "recruitment" by knocking on doors, etc.

- Help! You will need help serving the ice cream. Be sure you have other RAs on hand to help you out.

Evaluation:

- This is a program that you may have requests to repeat. Make sure you provide an opportunity for formal or informal evaluation/suggestions/recommendations for next time you do the program. Find out how they found out about it, what they would recommend for next time, etc.