How to talk with a Principal

Sometimes, as you’re starting a group on your campus, it might be important to meet with the principal. Principals are often encouraged when students take initiative to do something positive at school. If you find yourself needing to set up a meeting, here are some tips to help you feel confident and prepared:

Pray first. Ask God to go ahead of you, give you peace, and open the door for a good conversation.
Set up a meeting. Don’t just show up. Email, call, or stop by the office to politely request a time to meet.
Bring support. Sometimes it can help to have the right person with you. If you’re a student, maybe it’s a friend or a teacher who wants to be a teacher sponsor. If you’re an adult, maybe it’s a supportive parent or a key student leader.
Dress and act respectfully. You don’t need to wear a suit, but looking neat and being polite goes a long way.
Be clear about your purpose. Tell them you want to start a Christian club called Cru to help students grow in character, leadership, and faith.
Be ready to explain. Talk about what Cru meetings might look like: games, discussion, small groups, service projects, or guest speakers.
Be flexible and humble. If your principal has concerns, listen carefully and be open to working with the school’s policies.
Ask about next steps. Find out what the school needs from you to move forward—like a teacher sponsor, a club form, or a meeting time.

Helpful Tools for the Meeting:

Download a brochure you can bring to help explain what Cru is.

Visit cru.org/highschool to share more with your principal.

“Principals are often encouraged when students take initiative to do something positive at school.”

Next Step

Set up a meeting with your principal. Before you meet, prepare with these simple steps...

Download and print off a brochure.
Visit cru.org/highschool to get familiar with the site.
Pray for your principal before your meeting (he/she is a person too!).
Talk to a friend or teacher who could go with you.

cru high school

Cru Logos

Your logo is often the first thing people see. Using the official Cru logo keeps your materials looking credible and connected to the bigger mission.

Download your Cru Logos Here!

Get more Logo options at cru.org/brand/logos.

Cru Colors (Main color palette)

Cru’s colors aren’t random—they’re chosen to reflect who we are. Using them helps your flyers, slides, and social posts feel unmistakably Cru. For more options, be sure to check out the full color selection at cru.org/brand/color.

Cru Fonts

Fonts shape how your message feels. Stick with the Cru fonts to keep your materials clean, readable, and on-brand—without overthinking it. Our Cru Fonts are Sora and Inter. Click the name of the font to download it. Below are some basics of how to use them but you can learn more about how to match our brand at cru.org/brand/typography.

Next Step

Explore more branding tools at cru.org/brand

Learn More

A Letter To The Principal

Dear Principal,

We know your job is one of the most important and demanding roles in your community. As leaders with Cru, a faith-based student organization, we want to support your school in a way that is respectful, helpful, and fully aligned with your policies and values.

Cru has been working with high school students since 1969, helping teenagers grow in character, leadership, and purpose. We’ve learned over the years that students thrive when they have consistent, caring adults in their lives—something your staff works tirelessly to provide. We want to complement that effort, not compete with it. We come alongside schools by equipping student-led clubs, serving where there are needs, and building safe relationships that encourage positive development.

Research backs this up. According to the Search Institute, “nothing—nothing—has more impact in the life of a child than positive relationships.” Cru is committed to creating those relationships through our presence on campus, always under the supervision of school administration and in cooperation with a teacher sponsor or staff liaison.

In most of our locations, Cru is an official school club led by students and supported by teacher sponsors. We recognize your responsibility to protect and guide the students under your care, and we work within your guidelines to ensure all activity is appropriate and beneficial.

Our program provides support for students to meet—either on or off campus—in large groups or small groups, to grow in leadership development and in their faith. These environments give students a place to belong, discuss real-life challenges, and encourage one another to make positive choices.

Nothing shapes a student more than a caring relationship—and that’s where Cru shows up.

Here are just a few ways Cru has supported schools around the country:

Hosting student leadership workshops in partnership with student government
Facilitating student mentor groups using The Priceless Project curriculum (developed for public schools)
Organizing family-friendly community events that bring people together in positive ways

We believe every student should have at least one place on campus where they feel seen, safe, and valued. As Principal Michael Halt of Estancia High School shared:

“It’s important that every student have one place that they can turn to. To feel safe. To know that they belong and to feel valued. For a lot of students, it’s our sports programs. For others, it’s some of our extracurricular programs, such as band or drama. And for a large number of students here at Estancia, it’s Cru.”

Thank you for the work you do to lead your school. We would love to be one of the many supports you can count on to care for students well.

Sincerely,
The Cru Team

Next Step

If you're a leader at your school, we'd love to meet with you. CLICK HERE to see if Cru is in your area.

If you are a student or adult wanting to start Cru at your campus, set up an appointment with your principal to talk about it. Check out our How to talk with a Principal article.

how to talk with a principal

A Letter to Local Churches and Ministries

At Cru, we deeply value the role of the local church. We’re not here to replace it, compete with it, or distract from its mission. We’re here to partner.

High school campuses are full of students who are asking deep questions, navigating pressure, and searching for purpose. As a church, you care about those students. So do we. That’s why we want to link arms with you to help reach students where they are—right in their schools.

Cru has been helping caring adults and students go to their campuses since 1967. We provide the tools, resources, and encouragement to come alongside what your church is already doing. Not every church has the capacity to run full-blown student ministries, and even those that do often find schools hard to access. That’s where we can help.

The best way to reach students is through partnership, not competition.

We’re not trying to bring a program to your church. We’re inviting you to join us in bringing hope and care to schools in your community. Whether you send a volunteer to encourage students on campus, help students launch a club, or co-host a local event, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

And we don’t do it alone. We train, background check, and support every adult who works with students. We follow school policies and lead with humility and respect. Our heart is to be a positive presence on campus that supports the school’s goals while also helping students grow in character, leadership, and faith.

We believe churches have something unique to offer students—and so do schools. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing it together.