Motivating Students for Academic Coordinators
- As soon as the district contestants are decided, Make everyone a locker sign with their event and their name just like athletes get and put it up so that when they walk into school the next day, ta-da!
- The next school day after a contest, announce all winners over the PA system during announcements.
- Make cookies or buy goldfish or dessert mints and have them at the meet.
- Take coloring books and crayons, card games, Pictionary, Guesstures and other board games. It gives students something to do on down time. They aren't bored and they go back to school talking about how fun it was.
- As kids advance to Regionals and on to State, provide additional locker signs that reflect that. Laminate the locker signs so that they last.
- Write an article for the local newspaper for every meet (and even the SuperConferences) Make sure that everyone's name is in it and what and how they did. Also, make sure students get good coverage in the yearbook beginning in elementary.
- Make a memory book that has copies of all the articles, pictures from every meet, funny captions, pictures of winners, etc.
- Send hand written thank-you to all participants. Thank them for their time, and congratulate them on their victories.
- Award jackets. It doesn't cost the school much because in a small school most already qualify in athletics. But a few non-athletes each year get a jacket.
- Make spring banquets an All-Awards Banquet. Give UIL awards along with the athletic awards. Award two MVP awards for UIL academics, usually high point individual at district and/or state qualifier.
- Hangs permanent banners from the cafeteria ceiling for each year a district academic championship is won.
- Have businesses and organizations that sponsor local scholarships of $500 each for each area - business, science, math, speech etc. Put banners in the hallway with the academic event won and the name of the student and year.
- Establish a UIL Wall of Honor where the name of each student who competes at State Meet and their State Medal or ranking is posted. Anyone who walks your building is instantly aware of your UIL academic tradition of excellence.
- Decorate the regional and state bus with personal window signs for each qualifier.