How to Print Words onto a T-Shirt (For Kids)

One exciting moment that you will have in your lifetime is learning how to write. You first learn how to count to ten, and then you learn your ABC’s. Soon enough, you’re learning how to spell small words such as “dog” or “cat.”  The words slowly get bigger, and learn the trick of how to spell “Mississippi.” You have all of your spelling tests hanging on the refrigerator, and you get a high-five from Dad while Mom kisses your cheek with pride. You’re so happy that you want to show the whole world that you can write, and what better way to show that than printing on your clothing.

What you will need is a plain T-shirt of any color you choose, but remember the lighter color, the better. Find colorful fabric markers. Don’t forget to have a tablecloth. The last thing you want is getting in trouble for getting marker all over your nice kitchen table. Since you’re not old enough to drive, your mom or dad will need to drive you to the nearest craft store.

Step 1. Place the tablecloth on top of the kitchen table. Make sure it covers the whole table and doesn’t move easily.

Step 2. Place your t-shirt down and push those wrinkles away. A smooth t-shirt will work best.

Step 3. Pick out the words you want to put on the t-shirt. It can be anything you want.

Step 4. If you’re a righty, use your left hand to hold down the t-shirt. If you’re a lefty, use your right hand to hold down the t-shirt.

Step 5. With your writing hand, pick up the fabric marker and begin writing the words slowly and try to print the best you ever have done.

Step 6. Let it dry for about 5 minutes.

Step 7. Put the t-shirt on and be proud of your words on that t-shirt. 

One Action Can Start A Chain Reaction

People always use the expression “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But that’s not true. Words matter. They have the power to make our days great or completely destroy our moods. I have had many experiences with this word battle. Not only did I win the word battle, but I won the word war.

Being a fifteen-year-old girl is harder than it seems. Girls are constantly trying to fit it and compare themselves to others. For me, going to school every day was a struggle. During the end of my sophomore year, I was bullied verbally. Girls who thought they were better used words to tear me down.  They called me “fat”, “ugly”, “useless”, etc. It was their goal to make me feel horrible. For a while, they won. My life revolved around negativity and I didn’t try to stop it. But one morning I watched the sun rise. I then thought of the word “beautiful.” I went over to the mirror and repeated the same word. I then started a personal ritual. I would look in the mirror and say a positive adjective about myself: “Courageous, funny, confident, caring, loveable.” The words just flowed out. The positive outweighed the negative. The ritual showed me that all words may have power but encouraging words were much more powerful. This helped me overcome my bullies and I won this word war with pride.

My experience has helped me to never forget that words have an unstoppable power. Words can hurt, but they have the ability to heal and help. Only humans have language that captures emotion. With the world that we have today, positive words have the ability to make a huge impact and can turn anyone’s day around. Positive and encouraging words create great energy that everyone should have.

            Right now in the year 2013, America is going through tremendous struggles. With problems like a damaging economy to bullying in high school, people are looking for positive words and energy right around the corner. Positive words mean more to us now that ever. Foundation for a Better Life’s goal is to send positive energy and vibes to the American population by using simple words that easily captivate the human eye. The creators send motivational vibes through billboards and TV commercials that rely on a few words and a straightforward image to lift people up instead of knock them down.

            Philip Anshutz founded the Foundation for a Better Life in the year 2000 when he threw down 700 million dollars to start up the “Pass It On” campaign. The non-profit organization is all about promoting positive values. The employees of the Foundation for a Better Life want their viewers to pass on these amazing values to others. From the start, they wanted to simply make a difference in the world. Their messages are communicated through billboards, television, radio, and Internet. The first campaign launch was on November 9, 2001, a couple months after the September 11^th attacks. More than 10 million dollars was spent on the first campaign and 10,000 billboards, posters, and signs were put up all around the world. The “Pass It On” campaign became an instant hit and 12 years later the campaign still lives on and has now 55 billboard values and a total of 92 inspirational values. The Foundation for a Better Life has been recognized and received many awards and recognitions from non-profit organizations such as Cine, Creativity Awards, Gabriel, and Parents’ Choice Award. The organization has been growing with their advertisements and website, but the most effective form of advertisement has been their billboards placed on highways in America and Times Square in New York City.

            Even though the physical design of the billboards is simple, the meaning behind it is the opposite. On the left side, the designers put a picture of someone who is a role model. It is usually someone who is famous. But the campaign doesn’t use celebrities just because they’re famous. The campaign wants to make people see that the celebrities go through daily struggles just like everyone else. Not only do the celebrities take on those challenges, they work through them and conquer them. On the right of the billboard is a very short caption that describes an achievement that particular celebrity has accomplished.

Underneath the caption is a single word or a few words that sum the whole billboard up. The word is outlined in red and stands out. That word is the most important part of the billboard because it brings everything together. That single word or few words has the ability to make the viewers have a more positive outlook. The best part about it all is that it makes the viewer think. The whole idea of adding a word in each billboard is to help the viewers realize all of the good they have in them and what they can accomplish. It emphasizes just how important words are and how they help us really believe in ourselves. On the Foundation’s website, The Outdoor America Association stated that the “Pass It On” campaign billboards are “...the most successful public service campaign in the history of outdoor advertising.”

One billboard that has 38,871 views is a picture of Mia Hamm in mid scream, with a caption to the right saying, “Kicked her way to the top.” The value that was chosen for that billboard was “passion.” That value really does bring the whole billboard together. With Mia Hamm’s facial expression and the caption, it is clear to see that passion is the word that fits best. The website quotes Hamm’s words. “Her wise words to live by are simple… ‘If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion.’”

What is fabulous about the Foundation for a Better Life is that they have resources that their viewers and supporters can use to get more involved with the “Pass It On” campaign. Their website offers people to write their own inspirational stories and create their own billboards with personal values that are important to them.

Values must be actionable, freely given, and internal. Values are morals that inspire behavior. What must be on every viewer’s mind when they see the billboards is why do they choose those certain values? Well, I wondered that very question, too. I took the liberty of emailing the Foundation, and I received a very thorough response from a Foundation employee who would like to remain anonymous. “Our goal is to select values we feel most individuals will find inspiring and relevant. These values reflect the input of a large and diverse group of people. The Foundation does not have any political or religious agenda, so that people from all backgrounds might feel uplifted by these messages of encouragement and hope. Our objective is simply to promote a wide spectrum of values by providing an uplifting message around each one.” The anonymous Foundation employee’s overall point is that they want the values to relate to their viewers in a really positive way. Also, when reading this e-mail, the words that stood out were “inspiring,” “relevant,” “encouragement,” and “hope.” Those four words are what the Foundation wants to pass on to their supporters and viewers.

The main message of this campaign really struck home for me. As a girl who has conquered her demons and is beginning a new journey in life, I sometimes forget what my main values are. The Foundation for a Better Life’s “Pass It On” campaign helped remind me about the positive aspects about myself. In fact, I did a little exercise that really helped me discover my core values that I will have for the rest of my lifetime. I went to the Foundation for a Better Life’s website and looked through the list of values they chose. I chose twenty-one values that stood out. Next, I narrowed down the list to seven. After, I chose one that really described me. That value happened to be “believe.” I wasn’t surprised. If you believe in yourself, you have confidence, and if you have confidence, then you can overcome your personal challenges. When I was in front of my mirror listing all of my good qualities, it was because I started to believe in myself. I believed that I could do anything that I want to do.

The campaign clearly has great energy and has impacted many people, not just me. People have posted YouTube videos about their own take about the “Pass It On” campaign. Others posted videos sharing the idea of the campaign and made their own commercials. The videos are either very professional or not professional at all. But the message of the videos is the same, which is to pass on all of the positive values to everyone.

Whether through radio, Internet, television, or billboards, the Foundation for a Better Life has made their mission the world’s mission. The “Pass It On” campaign has clearly been very influential and is continuing to spread. The campaign’s positivity shines through and has already helped me in a very short time. I hope more people will seize the opportunity to become more involved with the Foundation for a Better Life because the world could always needs more optimism.