California Department of Education
Taking Center Stage – Act II

Effort/motivation celebrations

Motivational celebrations seek to encourage those students who may not get top honors for academics. For example, some schools celebrate the number of books students read,1 hours of community service, school cleanup, or nonacademic pursuits such as drama and music.

In the Spotlight

Millikan Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District, a 2005 Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage Model School
In an effort to encourage parents and students who are learning English to "reclassify" as fluent English proficient (RFEP), Millikan staff members host large ceremonies to celebrate when students reclassify. The events double as parent education, and show both students and family members the benefits of working toward proficiency. In addition to the fun of the ceremony, one of the benefits that motivates the students is the ability to take electives.

Rio Norte Junior High School, William S. Hart Union High School District
Rio Norte has a “red flag/green flag” system after each lunch hour to designate whether or not the campus was clean. A week of green flags earns five extra minutes of highly prized time for games on the following Friday.

Previous
Academic celebrations

Next
School spirit celebrations


Footnote
1 Suzy Elliott, Lunch Limos for Literacy (Outside Source), Decatur Intermediate Learning Center, 2006.

Back to Top