The perfect 3-month timeline to start an initiative.

A good project takes time.

There’s no shortcut—success comes from answering your why and how you’re going to achieve your mission.

The hardest part? Starting.

Many high schoolers overthink, obsessing about doing something impressive instead of taking action. The key is to focus on what excites you and make steady progress every day.

We’ve worked with hundreds of students to launch successful initiatives like this one.

Here’s a simple, proven 3-month timeline to kick-start your initiative.

Stay until the end of the article to access our detailed Month 1-3 Checklist. This includes a list of exercises for each section.

In this article...

• Month 1 - Define

• Month 2 - Test

• Month 3 - Refine & Grow

• Download our extensive Month 1-3 Checklist here.

• Student Resources

Month 1 - Define

Most of Month 1 will be researching different causes you’re interested in, brainstorming ideas & testing what works.

Your Goals

• 1) Self Discovery. Determine your “why” & be able to pinpoint a meaningful experience that inspires your project.

• 2) Research. Identify and research the specific cause you’re advocating for. What have previous organizations done? What are the different solutions you know of?

• 3) Create Your Mission. Create an outline of your project structure, mission, goals, and actions.

Month 2 - Test

Now you that you have a broad idea of your project, Month 2 is when you’ll start to test your ideas.

Your Goals

• 1) Create Project Pillars. Project pillars are the activities your project will organize on a regular basis to achieve your goals. For example, this could be hosting fundraising sessions, organizing educational seminars, or workshops.

• 2) Plan Your First Initiative. Out of your brainstormed project pillars, pick one that is the most feasible to try. For example, if you want to fundraise through bake sales, begin that first bake sale.

• 3) Build a Team. Bring 3-5 students together to test your first initiative. These team members can be friends, but they need to genuinely care about your mission. These people could become your long-term team down the road.

Month 3 - Refine & Grow

Month 3 is all about continuing to test and get the momentum going around your initiative.

Your Goals

• 1) Reflection. Host your first initiative. Take a step back and see what is initially working and what isn’t. Did no one show up to your event? Was the event ran smoothly? What worked well and can be done again for your next trial run?

• 2) Test Again. Incorporate what worked and change what didn’t for your next iteration of your first initiative.

• 3) Look for Stakeholders. Stakeholders are any person who invests time into your initiative. They have resources that you may not. Reach out to teachers, nearby clubs, or external groups to share your ideas.

The first 3 months of your project are challenging. Many students have had to restart or pivot due to logistical issues or misalignment with their larger goal.

Stay flexible and focus on specific impact—avoid vague goals like “supporting all visually impaired people.” Start small, targeting a specific group.

Progress beats perfection—focus and effort will turn your idea into lasting impact.

Download our extensive Month 1-3 Checklist here.

Student Resources

Free Extracurricular Consultation Call!

Unsure if your academic and extracurricular portfolio is strong enough? Book a call with a member of the Porte’s admission team. On the call, we will:

• Learn about your post-secondary goals & school list

• Assess the strength of your portfolio in relation to your major

• Share additional & personalized resources you can use.

Upcoming Webinar: How to Create Impactful Extracurriculars

On Dec 4 from 6:00-7:00 pm PST, our team is hosting an informative webinar where we show you exactly how to create impactful extracurriculars. We tell you: