Any student recognition has an impact on a school campus, but these are a few reasons why medals given directly by teachers during class makes a particularly strong impact on students.

  • It creates an authentic moment of celebration between staff and student.
  • It involves all staff members, so the entire school is full of individual moments of celebration.
  • It happens in small group settings, where celebration moments matter the most.
  • It empowers staff, because there is flexibility in why they give the medals.
  • It feels inclusive because it happens in every class period for all student populations.
  • It feels meaningful and selective since only two people per class period receive them.
  • It complements other award ceremonies, because it feels short and spontaneous.  
  • It involves medals, so students enjoy the presentation and the hardware.
  • It becomes highly visible because students can wear the medals around their necks.
  • It provides a "Wear Your Medal" opportunity the next Spirit Week.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. All staff members give Character Awards.
    (For example, teachers, office staff, lunchroom staff, custodians, and administrators all give Character Awards.) 
     
  2. Classroom teachers also give Academic Awards.
     
  3. Classroom teachers give one Character Award and one Academic Award per class period.
    (For example, teachers who teach six class periods would award 12 students over all.)
     
  4. Medals are personally delivered to each teacher by one of our Student Editors for the Newspaper.
    (Below is the distribution sheet that my students used to distribute 1,596 medals to teachers.)