Grand Prize 2010 Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week Contest Winner

Farley Elementary School in Huntsville, Alabama, told its teachers and staff, “You Make A World Of Difference.” The school used puppets representing children of various nationalities, international flags, and lapel pins from Positive Promotions to help represent the theme. Children and adults were encouraged to dress in regional costumes from different areas of the United States as well as from around the world on the Wednesday of Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week. Huntsville restaurants provided various ethnic dishes for an appreciation luncheon. The printed program for the luncheon resembled a passport. Each guest received a “boarding pass” to write his or her name on and enter a drawing for door prizes. The school also gave out more than $4,000 in gift certificates donated by local businesses. Each day of the week, students brought in gifts for their teachers: flowers on Monday, fruit on Tuesday, etc.

Second Prize 2010 Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week Contest Winners

In Boardman, Oregon, Riverside Junior/Senior High School told its classified staff “You’re A Treasure” with pirate- and island-themed activities. The school held two meals with specially named food; the invitations were printed on paper aged by dipping it in tea, then drying it, and rolled into scrolls. A team of teachers decorated the staff lounge with palm trees, tropical flowers, and images of lizards. Each staffer’s photo was placed on a paper cutout of a pirate and assigned a pirate name. Students wrote up notes of appreciation that were delivered in envelopes reading “Well, ‘isle’ be thankful you’re part of our staff!” The staff received chocolate coins, luau rubber ducks, palm tree trophies, leis, neon sunglasses and Positive Promotions starfish tumblers.

Third Prize 2010 Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week Contest Winner

The Jefferson Social Club hosted the festivities at Jefferson Elementary School in Gary, Indiana. To show that teachers and staff members are the apples of their eyes, a bulletin board displayed paper apples, each with someone’s name. Apple-themed items appeared throughout the week: apple fritters, apple lapel pins, apple picture frames, apple-scented hand soap and lotion, apple certificates, and apple-shaped jumbo paper clips. Teachers also received Positive Promotions academic monthly desk planners. Every day, a poem of appreciation was read by a student during morning announcements. The highlight of the week was a Jacademy Awards luncheon (a spoof of the Academy Awards). Honors went out in comical categories, such as Most Like Dr. Phil.

Honorable Mention

In Baltimore, Maryland, Perry Hall Elementary School went “cruisin’ towards summer.” Each day of the week was based on a different port of call and featured a corresponding basket of prizes. Staff members were eligible for the basket drawings by correctly answering a daily trivia question. Positive Promotions lunch bags, coin purses, spa kits, 3-section plates, and diffuser sets were spread throughout the baskets. Decorations, food, and gifts made faculty and staff feel like they had sailed to Alaska, the Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean.