Category: Student Awards

Incentive Program Package #3: Seven Summits and Beyond

(This post contains some affiliate links.)

As my incentive programs have developed over the past 20 years, they’ve expanded and become more graphics-heavy. Each year’s theme now includes a large wall display that tracks individual student progress towards meeting their (minimum) 10 annual MusiQuest Goals. So this third incentive program I’m going to share with you comes with more printables!

“Seven Summits And Beyond” is a mountain-climbing theme that celebrates the indomitable spirit of the world’s greatest mountaineers. Living where I do in the Pacific Northwest, the familiar sight of Mount Rainier dominating the skyline is always breathtaking. Since it’s a training summit for prospective Everest climbers, it was the first “destination” for my students. The theme continues through the highest summits on each continent (the “7 Summits”) leading to Mt. Everest as #10. Students who completed more than 10 goals went on to “climb the 8000’ers” — the Himalayan peaks over 8000 meters high. Continue reading “Incentive Program Package #3: Seven Summits and Beyond” →

Incentive Program Package #2: Out Of This World

star trophyMy second incentive program theme is literally Out Of This World! You could also call it Space, The Final Frontier; Into Space; or even Blast Off! I get ideas for my incentive programs from the variety of economy-priced awards I can purchase from Crown Awards. A star trophy like this one is perfect for a space theme. Crown Awards has dozens of insert graphics too, from generic “music” pictures to specific instruments. Some are embellished with glitter and others glow in the dark.

The downloadable Progress Chart has 23 spaces for logging student progress towards a variety of music study goals. See Package #1 for the downloadable/printable list of MusiQUEST Goals and the Practice Tracking Card.

Posted in Incentive Programs, Printables, Student Awards

Incentive Program Package #1: Knight’s Quest

Posted on by J Melin

cup trophyThe first incentive program theme I ever designed had a Knight’s Quest motif. Students mark their progress towards completing ten or more musicianship development goals on a chart designed to look like a map to find mythical beasts and medieval objects. The prize at the end of the year was a cup trophy like this one.

Printable Downloads for you include: Progress Chart (pictured at right), Practice Sticker Cards for tracking practice each week, and editable MusiQUEST goals list that you can fill with your own ideas. I print the goals list on the back of the Progress Chart, on sturdy card stock so it will last through the whole year.

Mark the students’ completion of the goals by putting a sticker or stamp on each number from 1 to 10 or beyond on the Progress Chart. It’s even more fun if you can find stickers to match the theme of the incentive program.

My favorite small stickers in lots of different theme designs are made by Trend Enterprises.

Beware the Knights who say Ni!

Posted in Printables, Student Awards

DIY S’mores Kit and Labels

Posted on by J Melin

diy smores kitA Do-It-Yourself S’mores Kit is my “teacher’s choice” award for my best practicers at the year-end recital.

practice card previewStudents who met their practice goal for 30 out of 36 weeks of the lesson year get this award. So do students who consistently practice over and above their minimum practice goal; usually, 15 to 20% above or more.

I used to order medals for this award, until I decided that what kids really want is something yummy to eat. So, now I make DIY S’mores Kits. The instructions are here; I modify the contents depending on the packaging I can find.

I top it off with a punny label like this one. Here’s a whole sheet of labels you can print out to create this. Use white address labels, 1″ x 2-5/8″, 30 per sheet (Avery template 8160). Stick the labels on black card stock and cut them out with about 1/4″ of card showing around each edge of the label. Punch a small hole in the upper left corner, and feed a piece of twine or raffia through it. Center the label on a length of twine long enough to tie the kit shut, with some left over for a nice bow.