You may be a business owner with student employees or a college professor teaching hundreds of students a day. We recently talked about how students can recognize their teachers and professors for a great year! Now it’s time to return the favor! While many schools have hosted ceremonies for their graduates, it’s also crucial to honor the rest of the students for a job well done. With the school ending for many and the excitement of summer plans starting, it’s a great time to recognize your students’ hard work during the year, whether they are those you teach or even employ.

We found some great ideas via UNCP.edu for holding a wonderful awards ceremony for your students, including awards suggestions!

• Hold your own awards ceremony and give out awards for unique categories (i.e. Best Attendance, Best Computer Skills, Most Organized, and Best Customer Service).
• Have the full-time staff members write notes to the students detailing how they assist them day-to-day and thanking them.
• Decorate a bulletin board for your student employees with pictures and notes from the staff.
• Give each student a framed photo of the entire office staff that they can take with them when they graduate. Decorate the frame to show your appreciation.
• Gather information on your student employees such as career goals, favorite movie, unique talents, etc. and post in the office break room. Many times, full-time staff knows very little about part time student employees.
• Draw an outline of your hand on a piece of paper. Photocopy enough copies for all students in your office. On each hand write a note that tells the student why they deserve a “Pat on the Back”.
• ‘Good Egg Award’ – Buy plastic Easter eggs, fill with goodies and give out with “Good Egg Certificates”. List what the students did to deserve this award.
• Take pictures of your student employees and post around the workplace, listing what makes them great.
• Send a note to the family of your student workers, letting them know what the student does and how it impacts your department.
• Send e-cards to show appreciation.
• Make certificates of appreciation and have them framed.
• Make a banner to hang in your office.
• Use your imagination! A simple “thank you” goes a long way!

As always, displaying any awards given out to your students in our beautiful plaques is the perfect way to show your appreciation, without spending loads of time and money. Stock up on our easy to assemble plaque kits today and consider displaying any awards given out during the year to other company employees or your future students to emphasize your appreciation.