Continuously Doing More With Less

There are a lot of initiatives I'd like to start at my school and with my students, however the lack of compensation and support prevents such thing. There was a time in my career when I was hyped about having a Security team and Criminal Justice Club, creating a peer-principal discipline panel and so forth. I spent countless days and evenings giving of myself for the kids and nothing more until I begin to associate my tasks with that of an asst. coach or sponsor. After all we are essentially serving the same purpose. I took my concept to my administrator and ask for some sort of compensation / supplement since the school was benefiting from the service provided ( parking lot patrol, Student-Security during after school functions, escorts around campus, etc) only to be told there was no room in the budget. The flip side of that was shortly after my request, administration requested the services of my students and I for a w/e function....Hunh? I spent countless dollars on supplies, equipment, and uniforms to no avail yet there was no funding in the budget for my services. After burning-out, I placed the Security Team on hiatus until further notice. In doing so, many students have come to me asking "When is Club CrJ returning?" or "I want to be on the Security Team" . Administration even told me to have my kids in the parking lot writing tickets in an effort to crack down on illegal parking....go figure. In saying all of this, I feel our classes are the most discounted yet they need our services the most. Why is this? I only wish each teacher could spend a day in our curriculum (on a lab day) to see what really goes on on this side of the tracks. This would hopefully give them a true idea of what we do and how we feel when are classes are discounted until there is an immediate personal need.