As the final days of school approach, it’s time to think about how you want to wrap up the year. I know energy levels really dip at this time of year for teachers and students, but I always think it’s important to honour the positive community that’s been built in your classroom all year long. End of year awards are the solution you need (and want)!
And I’m here to tell you that you can celebrate ALL of your students without expending the last bits of energy you have before the summer break.
I love end of year awards because you can be creative in how you pay tribute to all of the characters and personalities in your classes. There are many types of awards you can share and I’m happy to share some insight about how this works in my classroom so keep reading!
End of Year Ceremony/Celebration Ideas
Beyond just handing out the awards on the last day there are different ways to create a real celebratory atmosphere to make the moment special. As with all things at this time of year, it will all depend on the time you have available (and are willing and able to invest).
If you want to be low-key but still meaningful, try a Digital Awards Ceremony in class This can take the form of digital certificates in a slideshow. But spice it up! I love Canva for this because it’s easy to add in music or even a fun confetti effect.
Save your time and grab this ready-made digital slideshow that presents the award first, then does a drumroll with confetti on the next slide when the student’s name is revealed. You can have students guess who will win the award to make it more fun and engaging for your older students.
Create a Themed Award Show! Add a red carpet, get students to dress the part, and have some ‘paparazzi’ to snap some candids. There’s always at least one student whose personality would be a perfect fit for an award show host. The student can have the full list of categories for the end of year awards but you as the teacher can pass them an envelope (a sticky note could work) to announce the winner!
Have great weather and want to include food as part of your celebration. Conduct an Outdoor Ceremony and Picnic for the whole class. This is a more casual option but could be the best option to suit the learners in your classroom. Print the end of year awards certificates, share them outside, and then spend some time chatting and snacking with a class picnic.
Want to make each day and award more meaningful? And have the time to do it? Then I love the idea of a Student of the Day Celebration where you celebrate ONE student each day. Use this to countdown to the last day of school. Give the day’s student their award and dedicate a small bulletin board to them. Have students write a little positive/kind note to that student each day to add to the display. At the end of the day put the notes in an envelope for the student to take as a memory.
And if you really want to make it memorable and have some time, create a Yearbook or Memory Book for the class. Give each student a page with their photograph and end of year awards title on it. Then dedicate a day so students can sign each others’ pages.
Class Voting: End of Year Awards
To get your students involved in the process, you could also have them vote on the 30+ student end of year awards included in this digital and printable resource or you can brainstorm other awards.
Here are some examples:
- Best Attitude Award
- Most Creative Award
- Best Leadership Award
- Best Team Player Award
- Most Improved Award
- Most Reliable Award
- Best Sense of Humour Award
- Outstanding Citizenship Award
- Most Helpful Award
- Best Problem Solver Award
- Most Enthusiastic Learner Award
- Most Curious Award
- Outstanding Athlete Award
- Best Listener Award
- Most Artistic Award
- Best Public Speaking Award
- Most Technologically Savvy Award
- Best Bookworm Award
- Most Inclusive Award
- Best Scientist Award
- Most Organized Award
- Best Writer Award
- Best Historian Award
- Kindest Heart Award
Most Likely to… End of Year Awards
Do you remember any of the superlatives – you know the “Most Likely To” Awards – that were handed out to students in your high school class, likely around graduation? I have to admit some of these stuck with me because of how spot-on they were in the moment (and for some, they remained accurate these many years later!).
So another option is to get students to brainstorm and vote on “Most Likely To” Awards. Here is a list to get you started, but taking student suggestions is always a good idea to make these more personal to the students in your classroom.
- Most Likely to Be President/Prime Minister
- Most Likely to Travel the World
- Most Likely to Invent Something Amazing
- Most Likely to Write a Bestseller
- Most Likely to Be a Professional Athlete
- Most Likely to Start a Charity
- Most Likely to Become Famous
- Most Likely to Win an Oscar
- Most Likely to Become a Teacher
- Most Likely to Change the World
- Most Likely to Be a Scientist
- Most Likely to Be on Broadway
- Most Likely to Solve a Mystery
- Most Likely to Be a Math Genius
- Most Likely to Be a Tech Innovator
- Most Likely to Be a Doctor
- Most Likely to Win a Nobel Prize
- Most Likely to Host a TV Show
- Most Likely to Be a Famous Photographer
- Most Likely to Start a Business
- Most Likely to Be an Astronaut
- Most Likely to Be a Peacekeeper
- Most Likely to Be a Famous Chef
- Most Likely to Make People Laugh
- Most Likely to Create a Masterpiece
- Most Likely to Be a World-Class Musician
- Most Likely to Be a Fashion Designer
- Most Likely to Be an Environmental Activist
- Most Likely to Win a Gold Medal
- Most Likely to Write a Hit Song
- Most Likely to Discover a New Species
- Most Likely to Be a Social Media Influencer
- Most Likely to Be a Famous Dancer
- Most Likely to Develop a Video Game
A Positive End to the Year
The school year is always filled with both good moments and not-so-good moments and the last days of school can carry some bittersweet feelings. The goal is to have as positive an end to the year as you did a start to the year (or in some cases a more positive ending)!
End of year awards are a way to celebrate the community of learners that has developed over the whole school year. So taking some time to celebrate your students with these fun end of year awards can turn the bittersweet into just sweet!
Looking for more end-of-year ideas? Check out these posts:
