Act! Speak! Build! Week was initiated in 2002 by the Campus Chapters Advisory Board, a group of student leaders from across the country involved with Habitat. The event, then known as HabiFest, grew to involve 175 chapters in 2003, and more than 225 in 2004. In 2004, the event refocused itself on advocacy efforts and introduced the National Advocacy Campaign, a series of four nationwide advocacy events. The event continued to grow in scope in 2005, as more than 200 U.S. campus chapters and 11 international groups participated in the newly renamed and expanded week of activities. In 2006, groups of youth outside the Campus Chapters program were eligible to participate. More than 280 groups of youth registered from diverse organizations, such as scouting, religious youth groups, student governments and service organizations. Act! Speak! Build! Week 2007 focused on creating campaigns that included education, public awareness and advocacy. This is the first year that students were continuously driven to create letter-writing opportunities for students on their campus. By the end of the event, student groups across the world had sent more than 4,000 letters to their government representatives asking for their support in legislation that supports adequate, fair housing and sustainable development.
Schools that participate in Act! Speak! Build! Week and complete the outcomes survey are given the Participant Award.
Campus chapter participants
Abilene Christian University Barry University Bradley University Carroll College Carthage College Colville High School DePaul University Dowling Catholic Drexel University Eastern Connecticut State University Ferris State Florida State University Hollins University Independence High School Keene State College Kent School Loyola College Marist School Masconomet Regional High School McCallie School Mercyhurst College Michigan State University Mission Viejo High School Missouri State University Montana State University-Billings Mount St. Mary’s University North Carolina State University Northern Arizona University Northwestern University Oakland University Olin College Parsippany Hills High School Pinelands Regional High School Purdue University Quinnipiac University Saint Mary’s University Saint Norbert College Southern Connecticut State University St. Ambrose University St. John’s University State University of New York at Oswego Sterling College Susquehanna University Texas Lutheran Texas Tech University The Roxbury Latin School Truman State University University of Chicago University of Findlay University of Georgia University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kansas University of Maryland-Baltimore County University of North Alabama University of North Carolina-Asheville University of North Texas University of Pennsylvania University of Puget Sound University of Southern Indiana University of Toledo University of Wisconsin-Platteville University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Villanova University Washington University in St. Louis Western Kentucky University Wheaton College Winona State University International participants Association des Jeunes de la Sangha Mbaere pour la Solidarite et le Developpement Hong Kong International School United Youth for Success and Development Habitat for Humanity affiliate participants Habitat for Humanity of Orange County Oakland County, Mich., Habitat for Humanity-Youth United Warren County Habitat for Humanity School and youth group participants Drew Middle School First Congregational Church, Woodstock, Conn., Senior High Youth Group Fountain Valley High School New Horizon School West Side St. Joan of Arc School Second Grade Class Sunny Hills High School Towson University Family Studies Majors
Outstanding Overall Campaign University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. New Horizons School West Side, Los Angeles, Calif. Outstanding First Time Participant Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Ariz. St. Joan of Arc School Second Grade Class, Los Angeles, Calif. Outstanding Integration of the Community North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. Outstanding Advocacy Campaign Pinelands Regional High School, Tuckerton, N.J. Outstanding Integration of the Student Body University of Montana-Billings, Billings, Mont. Outstanding Collaboration With Affiliate Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas Outstanding Public Outreach Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Conn. Most Innovative Campaign University of North Alabama, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Participant Award winners for 2003 to 2007 are listed below. 2007: What a Difference a Home Makes 2006: Poverty Knows No Borders 2005: There’s No Place Like Home ... Unless You Don’t Have One 2004: Where Will You Sleep Tonight? 2003: It Takes More Than a Hammer
