Choir Awards: Creative Tips for Teachers 🎶🏆

Confession: Around mid-March, I begin counting down the days until summer break☀️. Then, I think about all the things left to do before the end of the school year 🎓 and I begin to feel panicky 😅.

I’ve decided to dedicate the month of March to organizing myself and end-of-the-year stress so that I can enjoy the end of the school year, instead of dreading it. Also, selfishly, I have a graduating senior 🎓❤️, and I would like to enjoy our last couple of months together.

Today, we are focusing on end-of-the-year choir awards! 🎤🎵 It’s time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of your choir students. Whether you're wrapping up with a sigh of relief 😌 or wondering where the time went ⏳, honoring your students with awards can be a meaningful way to recognize their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

Why Awards Matter 🏅

Having seen the impact firsthand with my own sons, I can attest to the importance of end-of-year awards for choir students. A certificate or trophy 🏆 serves as a sweet reminder of their accomplishments in the choir program. In fact, I still have former students send me pictures 📸 of their choir awards they’ve come across years after they graduate. Also, it is fun to see their choir awards displayed at graduation parties 🎉.

Award Strategies 🏅✨

When it comes to awards, there are different approaches. Some schools opt to recognize only a select few, while others believe in honoring every student. Personally, I believe in celebrating the efforts of all students because everyone deserves recognition for their contributions to the choir program 🎶💙.

Middle School Award Ideas 🎤🎶

🎗️ Choir Certificates and Ribbons: In my school, each middle school student receives a choir certificate and a school choir ribbon to commemorate their year in choir.

🌟 Special Recognition: Acknowledge students who have excelled at events like Solo and Ensemble Contest and other Honor Choir activities throughout the year.

🏆 Consider investing in special award trophies, plaques, or certificates for standout leaders in the program to highlight their exceptional contributions.

High School Award Ideas 🎶🎓

🎖️ Varsity Letters: In my program, students earn a Varsity Letter after their first year. I order them through my Athletic/Activities Director. Check with your school before ordering to be sure you are following guidelines set by your AD and school board.

🎵 Music Pins: Award each grade level (9-12) with a different music pin, which they can proudly display on their Choir Varsity Letter.

📜 Personalized Certificates: Provide each student with a personalized certificate listing all the choir-related events and performances they participated in during the year. Certificates can be made using PowerPoint or save time and hassle by checking out these Editable Choir Award Certificates.

Senior Recognition 🎓🎤

I’m lucky enough to start my choir students in sixth grade, which means I see them through their entire choir career 💙. It is bittersweet to see the students graduate, and I like to make their send-off special. Here are some of my favorite ideas.

🖼️ Framed Pictures: Present framed pictures of senior choir members, capturing cherished memories from their time in the program.

🎶 Favorite Choir Song Frames: Survey seniors for their favorite choir song 🎼 and frame single copies as a special memento.

🏆 Trophies: Ensure every senior is recognized with a trophy at the final spring concert. I purchase my trophies from Jones Awards 🏅 and have always had great luck with them. They are affordable and easy to customize. (Please note: I am not an affiliate.)

🎖️ Special Awards: Since the late 1980s, our school has given the “National School Choral Award” to a deserving senior choir member. Additionally, their name is engraved on a plaque that hangs in the choir room. This prestigious award can be pricey, but I believe it is well worth it and a great honor to receive.

🎵 Senior Song: Allow Seniors to sing one final song together at their last choir concert 🎶. My students enjoy choosing their favorite song from each grade, and I create a mashup medley. I like this option because they already know the songs, so it takes less prep, plus the students find it fun to walk down memory lane! 🥹💙

Additional Ideas for Fun and Celebration 🎉🎶

The end of the year is time for celebration, right?!?! 🎊 Take time to celebrate together and build memories 💙. Here are some of my favorite ideas for the end-of-the-year fun.

🏅 Choir Superlative Awards: Add humor with awards like "Most Likely to Sing in the Shower" or "Most Likely to Conduct the Choir in Their Sleep". Want to save time? Click here for 40 Choir Superlative Award Certificates 📜, ready to personalize and print! (Don’t worry, I have 40 fun Band Superlative Awards too! 🎺🥁)

🍽️ Choir/Music Department Banquet or Picnic: Invite parents to join in a celebratory banquet or picnic 🧺 to honor the achievements of the choir students. Host in your cafeteria or a local park 🌳. We have a great stone shelter in our town, and it made for the perfect picnic destination. Bring your favorite yard games and ask parents/students to provide a dish to share. Want to simplify? Create a SignUpGenius link for parent sign-up.

📽️ Slideshow Presentation: Compile a slideshow of choir pictures from the year to showcase at the final concert or banquet, and share on social media.

🎭 Brown Bag Awards: Encourage upperclassmen to create humorous brown bag awards  incorporating inside jokes and fun memories. Hand them out on the last day of choir or at a picnic.

📱 Senior Spotlight on Social Media: Highlight a senior each day leading up to the final concert  or end of the year on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Ask them to share a favorite choir memory or song 🎵.

🏳️ Senior Banners: Create banners featuring senior choir members' photos, displayed prominently in the auditorium lobby alongside banners for other senior groups 🎶🎓.

As you wrap up the school year, take the time to celebrate and honor your choir students' achievements 🎶👏. Whether through awards, banquets, or fun activities, these gestures of recognition will leave a lasting impact and foster a sense of pride within your choir community 💙🎶.

Happy celebrating! 🏆🎶🎤✨