Parents and other adult volunteers are critical to making your school’s activities run smoothly. Be sure to show them how much you appreciate their donations of […]

A great way to recognize students for having good attendance, making progress in the classroom, or for completing assignments on time. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize […]

Create a connection between athletics and academics by rewarding the varsity team with the highest in-season GPA. School type: High School Activity goal:Create a strong connection between […]

It is important to thank everyone in your building for what they do. Here is a fun way to recognize the custodial staff in your school. […]

Recognize the cafeteria staff throughout the year by creating a bulletin board that celebrates who they are and all they do for their school community. School […]

Build classroom community by writing an encouraging message to students on the day of an important test or presentation they have been working hard on. School […]

Celebrate staffulty birthdays Jostens Renaissance-style by using the birthday ambush. School type: High School Activity goal:Recognize staffulty birthdays Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education

Put together packets filled with supplies that will help students prepare and perform well on state exams or other tests. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High […]

Inspire students to consider the benefits of graduation in a fun and engaging way that’s also backed up by hard facts. School type: Middle School, High School […]

Use these notepads to write fun notes to teachers, to show you appreciate what they do with students every day. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High […]

An “at-your-fingertips” message notepad that makes it easy and convenient for teachers to quickly express appreciation and encouragement to a student at a moment’s notice. School […]

Create a committee in your school that is in charge of decorating the school and making it look great. School type: Middle School, High School Activity goal: […]

Deliver your school’s “Teacher of the Year” award in an exciting and memorable way. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School Activity goal:Recognize the excellent work […]

Clean up the entrance to your school and make it welcoming so you can give a great first impression. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School […]

Provide special lunch seating and perks for students who earn it. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School Activity goal: Reward students for positive actions. Submitted by: […]

Tell a joke during morning announcements to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School Activity goal: Start […]

Create a positive vibe to kick off the day. Have students and staff at each door giving Hi Fives to everyone who enters. School type: K-12 […]

Students pay $1 to get out of class to participate in a gym event. School type: Middle School or High School Activity goal: Fundraising and fun Submitted […]

Create a feeling of belonging to the school community in the new class of students by having a pinning ceremony. School type: High School Activity goal: Welcome […]

Increase homework completion and recognize students who consistently turn in their homework with a prize incentive program. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Increase homework completion Submitted by: […]

Celebrate students that are continuing their education by having a college signing event. School type: High School Activity goal: Recognize the achievements and commitments of students […]

Have a rally for parents and their students to get them involved in the school community. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Involve parents in the school […]

Provide food for certain support staff members to show that you appreciate their hard work. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Show appreciation for the support staff […]

Provide personal and public recognition of character qualities you want to encouragein students. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize more students with different strengths Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance […]

Place these clings in various locations around the school as a visual reminder to keep a positive attitude and share it with others through compliments and […]

Establish a “Staffulty All-Star” or “Student All-Star” recognition and provide this pennant as a visible award. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize staffulty or students with a […]

Allow graduating seniors to give an honorary diploma to any teacher or staff member throughout their school experience who has made an impact and helped them […]

Make it easy for students to write a meaningful message of thanks to an adult who made a difference, or for faculty and staff to express […]

Bring a splash of color and inspiration to your stairways. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Brighten up your school with inspirational expressions Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education […]

A fun ceremony that celebrates the accomplishments of the graduating class and the advancement of underclassmen from one grade to the next. School type: Elementary School, Middle […]

Have a competition among staffulty to decorate the bulletin boards to create a better school aesthetic. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Decorate the school and foster […]

Recognize the theatre programs in your district or region with an award’s ceremony. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Provide recognition for theatre programs Submitted by: Robinson Secondary […]

Set the tone of your school as a welcoming, fun place where everyone belongs. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Welcome students to campus with positive messages […]

A great way to display your positive culture in the hallways School type: K-12 Activity goal: Show your students some recognition easily and inexpensively Submitted by: Jostens […]

Recognize your graduating seniors and their postsecondary plans! School type: 9-12 Activity goal: Promote and encourage postsecondary opportunities Submitted by: Andrea Henry

Recognize and thank your school board for their contributions to making your school a better place. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Provide recognition and thanks to your […]

Add color, life, and pride to your school. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create a fun, colorful atmosphere in your school. Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Add color and life inside your building School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create a colorful environment inside your school Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Recognize your graduating seniors as they are accepted to postsecondary opportunities School type: 9-12 Activity goal: Encourage and promote postsecondary opportunities Submitted by: Sunrise Mountain High School

Recognize students that graduate from your high school and serve in the military. School type: High School Activity goal: Recognize graduates that serve in the military. Submitted by: Tara […]

Recognize students for achieving the honor roll (or other selected criteria) School type: K-12 Activity goal: Provide recognition and ownership in your school Submitted by: J.W. Wiseman Elementary […]

Add some fun to your staffulty meeting! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Add fun and excitement to your staffulty meeting Submitted by: Dwight Carter

Brand your school with the ultimate goal in mind: GRADUATION!!! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Keep your school’s ultimate goal in front of your students and staffulty […]

Brand your building with the ultimate goal in mind: graduation! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create constant reminders of our ultimate purpose for our students and staffulty […]

Recognize various staffulty members throughout the school year. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Provide recognition to staffulty members throughout the school year. Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Add fun and life outside on your campus! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create a fun and uplifting tone outside on your campus Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Increase school pride with entrance signs on your campus School type: K-12 Activity goal: Increase school pride Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Display and promote the future plans of your senior class. School type: 9-12 Activity goal: Encourage students to pursure post-secondary opportunities Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Raise funds for your renaissance program and create community involvement simultaneously. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Raise funds and build community involvement Submitted by: Tara Campbell

Entertain, excite, and involve your student body with renaissance School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize and reward students during a renaissance rally Submitted by: Andrea Henry

Promote kindness on a school-wide level School type: K-12 Activity goal: Spread kindness throughout your school building Submitted by: Joanna Schley

Help students learn how easy it is to be generous. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Teach students simple ways that they can be generous Submitted by: Joanna Schley

Help students learn how to grow into their greatness. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Help students learn how to attain greatness Submitted by: Joanna Schley

Build teamwork and camaraderie with your staffulty. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Build teamwork and unity with your staffulty in a setting outside your school building. Submitted […]

Add some energy and fun to a rainy day. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Set a positive tone on a rainy day Submitted by: Steve Bollar

Help students learn about people that have overcome the odds to achieve success. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Inspire students to never give up Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Help students learn about service opportunities within your school. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Expose students to service opportunities in your school Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Help your students learn how to be more kind to one another. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create more acts of kindness Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Help your students overcome challenges and obstacles they face. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Aid students in overcoming challenges Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Encourage your students to finish the semester and/or school year in a strong way. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Help students get “over the hump” at the […]

Recognize students that overcome adversity to excel in academics and citizenship School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize students that have overcome adversity to excel in your school […]

Recognize ALL of your staffulty members throughout the school year! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize all staffulty members with a prize at some point during the […]

Help your students celebrate the end of the semester or school year with a movie night School type: 9-12 Activity goal: Host a fun, safe event for students […]

Teach students the power of forgiveness. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Teach students how to forgive people for their wrongdoings. Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Create a sense of hope in your students for a better future. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Help your students set realistic and attainable goals for their futures […]

Teach students how to manage healthy and unhealthy relationships. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Aid students in developing and nurturing more healthy relationships in their lives Submitted by: Samantha […]

Encourage students to become more environmentally aware. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Teach students how to be more aware of the environment around them Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

Teach your kids how to use “pressure” in a positive way. School type: 6-12 Activity goal: Teach students how to use pressure in a positive manner. Submitted by: Samantha […]

An activity to help your staff and faculty ensure all students feel connected. School type: MS, HS Activity goal: Identify your “invisible” students so you can ensure all […]

Invoke students to think about the legacy they will create for themselves. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Creating a positive legacy Submitted by: Samantha Grimes

A great way to recognize students and staffulty during their birthday month. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Provide recogntion for all students and staffulty members. Submitted by: Tara […]

A great way to encourage and promote postsecondary opportunities. School type: High School Activity goal: Promote learning institutions beyond high school. Submitted by: Tara Campbell, Portland High School, Portland, […]

A great way to honor and recognize a very special group of students in your building. School type: High School Activity goal: Inclusion of All Students Submitted by: Tara […]

A special way to honor and recognize the retiring members of  your staffulty. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Schoolwide recognition for your retiring staffulty members for their […]

Set a positive tone at your staff meetings by getting things started with a monthly inspirational staff moment. School type: HS Activity goal: A way to help your […]

Just as you would give recognition to your students and staffulty, give it to members of the School Board. School type: K-12 Activity goal: To recognize School […]

Catch your students doing the things you want them to do. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by: Carol Trott, Oxford Intermediate School Buy tokens […]

Set a positive tone at your staff meetings by getting things started with a monthly inspirational staff moment. School type: HS Activity goal: Remind Sophomores that their Commitment to […]

Give students positive one-on-one time with administrators and reward them for good behavior. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize positive behavior by surprising your students with […]

This visual reminder of students’ commitment to graduate will also help display the “look of Renaissance” School type: K-12 Activity goal: To create a visual reminder of […]

There are different Commitment to Graduate activities for each high school year. This activity is generally done with 10th graders and helps them focus on their […]

The first episode of The Harbor discusses judgement, and the dangers of it. This activity will allow students to make flash judgements themselves and see how […]

Finding a relevant voice to teach character development is not always easy. The Harbor by Jostens builds character in the classroom and positive culture on campus. […]

Host a Homecoming Bonfire to build a community and raise funds for Renaissance activities. School type: High School Activity goal: 1. Fundraising for Renaissance program 2. Create […]

Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education Renaissance Rallies are a great way to celebrate all of the positive behaviors you look for in your students. Celebrate great grades, improving […]

Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education Renaissance Rallies are a great way to celebrate all of the positive behaviors you look for in your students. Celebrate great grades, improving […]

Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education Renaissance Rallies are a great way to celebrate all of the positive behaviors you look for in your students. Celebrate great grades, improving […]

Submitted by: Jostens Renaissance Education Renaissance Rallies are a great way to celebrate all of the positive behaviors you look for in your students. Celebrate great grades, improving […]

An opportunity for students to give thanks to all stakeholders in the building. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Give thanks, practice writing Submitted by: Steve Bollar  

Encourage your students to give teachers a pat on the back during American Education Week in November by nominating their favorite staffulty members. School type: K-12 […]

Set a positive tone at your staff meetings by getting things started with a monthly inspirational staff moment. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Set positive tone […]

An opportunity to give thanks to all stakeholders in the building and for students and staffulty to give thanks to those who are deserving within the building. […]

For the past five years, Grant Union High School has recognized and rewarded staffulty members with perfect attendance for the entire school year at our Staffulty Rally […]

In many schools, staff can nominate one student for “student of the month” recognition. This idea is to expand the criteria so that staff can nominate as […]

READ AN ARTICLE FROM MONROVIA HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT “SIGN ON THE LINE” The SIGN ON THE LINE ceremony is an academic play off of when high […]

An ongoing program that makes it easy to reward students on the spot. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by: Mary Allen, Yakima, WA

This is an activity that all students can participate in, whether they are 4.0 or .5 GPA students. It is called BUG, which stands for Bring […]

Recognize your students quarterly with a special breakfast with the principal, vice principals and school leaders. School type: Middle School, High School Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted […]

Renaissance Rallies are a great way to celebrate all of the positive behaviors you look for in your students. Celebrate great grades, improving grades, athletic achievement, […]

This idea is for Test Care Packages that Renaissance students can sell during lunch to any student that wants to give a little motivation to a […]

Empower students and staff by turning name calling into something positive. School type: Elementary School Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by: Tina Dietrich, Fountain Woods Elementary, NJ

A great way to get all students to care about their attendance. Because it matters! School type: Middle School, High School Activity goal: Improve attendance Submitted by: Alison Kramer, Bellefonte […]

A good example of a creative reward for good behavior: VIP, home-style seating at varsity games. School type: High School Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by: […]

Give students Attendance Bucks for good attendance. Allow them to use those bucks to enter a drawing for various prizes. For even more fun, allow teachers […]

A special ceremony for students to make a commitment to scholarship and high school graduation. School type: High School Activity goal: Commitment to scholarship and graduating from high […]

A large landscape boulder created as the C2G Rock – a visual. This idea is great to do during the summer or at a break for […]

“When people come into our lobby and see it for the first time, they are drawn toward it. If they do not have children in our […]

Create suspense and anticipation by spacing out each part of this project without giving away its goal until complete. This project is a little more expensive […]

Encourage kindness and compassion with a “Give Me a Hand” wall. School type: Elementary School Activity goal: Encourage kindness and compassion Submitted by: John McCullar, AL […]

Reinforce good behavior while creating visual reminders for other students by giving bracelets for good behavior. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Reinforce acts of good character […]

This idea hits a lot of goals at once—community relationships, inspiration for current students, and a way to create a “Look of Renaissance” for your school. […]

Invite your incoming 8th graders (or highest level grade) to a special workshop designed to help them be good leaders as they begin their final year […]

Raise money, visibility and give your staffulty a perk, too! One school raised close to $500! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create visibility for the Renaissance […]

One of the most successful fundraising ideas we’ve seen. Some schools have made between $3,000-$6,000 over Halloween. School type: High School Activity goal: Fundraising Submitted by: […]

It’s not always easy to know where to start, but educators have been using Renaissance ideals for decades. The following are some great tips to keep […]

As you get your Renaissance Card program started, you will need to have some great prizes to reward the students who are doing the right thing […]

As you develop your Renaissance program, you will want to engage more staffulty, as well as community members. Here is a program that tends to be […]

A good early step in starting Renaissance at your school is to form a Renaissance Committee. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create a committee for Renaissance […]

Introduce students to a typical Renaissance event at the beginning of the year with this easy event that can be scaled to accommodate the entire school. […]

Challenge a few “celebrity” contestants to a round of “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader” for little or no cost while charging admission at the […]