Every year, our Student Service Program students spend months learning what it means to be a servant leader. They attend monthly sessions, volunteer in the community, and build relationships with mentors and peers who push them to think bigger. And every year, the culmination of all that growth takes the form of something truly special: A service-learning trip to a community beyond their own.
This spring, we’re inviting YOU to be part of it.
Introducing the 2026 Bowl-A-Thon
On Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, the Ryan Nece Foundation will host its annual Bowl-A-Thon. This is a fun, community-filled fundraiser that brings students, supporters, and families together in support of this year’s two service-learning trips. Students will bowl two games, and every pin counts toward something bigger than a high score.
This year’s trips will take our students to two incredible destinations:
Juniors → Atlanta, GA (early June 2026) Our junior class will spend three nights and four days serving multiple causes within the Atlanta community. Atlanta is a city with deep roots in social justice, civic leadership, and community resilience, which is a fitting backdrop for students who are learning to lead with both purpose and empathy. The fundraising goal for the Atlanta trip is $850 per student, with a total campaign goal of $10,750.
Seniors → San Juan, Puerto Rico (late June 2026) Our senior class will return to San Juan for another meaningful four-day immersion serving the local community. Past students who’ve made this journey describe it as perspective-shifting, a reminder that the power of giving extends far beyond our own zip code. The fundraising goal for the San Juan trip is $1,000 per student, with a total campaign goal of $15,000.
Why These Trips Matter
Service-learning trips are critical to our mission of empowering the next generation of servant leaders, because they give students the opportunity to better understand the needs of a community outside of their own. When our students roll up their sleeves in Atlanta or San Juan, they’re not just volunteering. They’re growing into the kind of people who know how to show up for others, wherever they are.
For many students, these trips represent a first: The first time they’ve traveled without family, the first time they’ve used power tools, sorted food bank inventory, or planted trees in a reforestation nursery. Those firsts have a way of sticking with you.
How to Support a Student
There are two easy ways to get behind our Bowl-A-Thon students:
Option 1: Make a One-Time, Fixed Donation via Zeffy You can sponsor a day (or multiple days!) of a student’s trip, or simply give whatever feels right. Every dollar goes directly to supporting a student’s service-learning journey. Through Zeffy, the Ryan Nece Foundation will never incur any fees, meaning 100% of your donation supports the student.
- Donate to support a Junior traveling to Atlanta →
- Donate to support a Senior traveling to San Juan →
Option 2: Make a Pledge Per Pin Want to add a little extra excitement? Pledge a set amount per point scored in the student’s highest game. For example, a pledge of $0.25 per point on a score of 80 = a $20 donation, sent to you automatically after the event. Pledges are set before the student bowls and apply to their highest score out of two games.
All donations are 100% tax-deductible. A thank you letter and tax receipt will be issued following your donation or pledge.
Have Questions?
You can reach Director of Community Programs Krystle Pitts at [email protected] with any questions.
Whether you bowl with us or cheer from the sidelines, your support sends a student on a journey that will stay with them long after they return home. We hope to see you on May 2nd, and we can’t wait to share what our students discover along the way.
Let’s bowl for something bigger.
