Whether it’s time for your annual athletics banquet, a night to celebrate academic achievement, or you want a special day for your elementary school class, an awards night can be a fun and memorable occasion for your students.
However, it also presents an opportunity for the opposite as awards nights can fall flat if there’s not enough excitement. To make sure that’s not the case, here are a few suggestions that will help your awards night win accolades of its own:
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- Have a Cool Theme
Now a themed awards night can be cheesy and forced – no one needs another 80s themed night!– but something unique or original can add to the fun.
Try something creative like a meme themed awards event where awards are paired up with popular online memes! Think along the lines of the “Chemistry Cat” award for top mark in sciences or “One does not simply make it on the honor roll.”
Don’t be afraid to be topical with your themes either as you don’t need to repeat them again for next year. Feel free to play off that song everyone keeps blasting through their headphones in class or a current event everyone is talking about.
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- Make an Exciting Award
Granted, we might have a bit of a vested interest in you taking this piece of advice, but giving out something a bit slicker than your standard medal or plaque is a sure-fire way to leave a positive impression from your awards night.
Try a glass art or crystal award, or an eco-friendly plaque made out of reclaimed wood. Hoult and Hellewell offers plenty of ways to customize your awards to make them perfect for your occasion!
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- Don’t Take Yourselves too Seriously
Winning an academic or athletic award can be a major accomplishment for a young student but remember, there’s a lot of sitting around and waiting for your time to shine at an awards night.
Try interjecting some fun or ironic awards into the mix. Give away an award for the teacher that tells the corniest jokes or who gives the meanest quizzes. If you’re feeling daring, give a student the “future comedian” award, AKA – class clown. Use your creativity and every few awards interrupt the bland process with something humorous or lighthearted to perk everyone back up in their seats.
An awards night should be an opportunity to showcase the top students your academic institute has to offer, don’t disappoint them with an unmemorable night! Use these ideas to spark excitement with the students.
