End of the School Year Awards and Celebration Ideas

End of the School Year Awards and Celebration Ideas to Finish the Year Strong

By: Jacqueline Ortiz, May 2025

As the school year winds down, there’s no better way to wrap things up than with meaningful celebrations and moments of reflection. Whether you’re planning a classroom End of the Year Awards ceremony, slideshow, or just a fun last-day sendoff, it’s important to make the end of the year memorable for your upper elementary students.

From student awards to photo booth signs, here are some creative and easy-to-use end of the year celebration ideas that will help you finish the school year strong—and stress-free!

Host a End of the School Year Awards and Celebration

One of my favorite traditions is celebrating each student with a personalized award. It’s a powerful way to recognize every child’s unique personality and growth. Whether it’s the “Wow Writer,” “Future President,” or “Team Player,” students light up when they receive their special moment of recognition!

In my shop, I offer a variety of editable End of the Year Awards that are perfect for upper elementary classrooms. They come in different fun themes so you can match your classroom vibe:

• Traditional Theme – Classic, clean, and perfect for a more formal ceremony.
• Camp Theme – Ideal for end-of-year campout days or outdoor-themed parties.
• Emoji Theme – A hit with students and full of personality.
• Superhero Theme – Empower your students to feel like the heroes they’ve become!
• NEW: Coloring Theme – Let students color their own award for a creative twist!

All sets include printable, digital, and autofill options, so you can easily adapt them for any classroom setting—whether you’re doing in-person events, virtual celebrations, or a combo of both.

Create an End of the Year Memory Slideshow

Celebrate the year by showing off your favorite classroom memories with a Memory Slideshow Celebration Template. Add student photos, class projects, field trips, and silly moments that made your year unforgettable. You can even play this during your awards ceremony or share it with families.

Tip: Let students choose one word to describe their year and add it to their slide. It adds a personal and reflective touch!

Set Up a Last Day of School Photo Booth

Say cheese! One fun and interactive way to say goodbye to the school year is by setting up a Last Day of School Photo Booth in your classroom. I’ve created Picture Signs and Photo Booth Props that are ready to print and use.

Use them for:

• End of year class photo ops
• Classroom parties
• Keepsake photos for student memory books

Students can pose with signs like “5th Grade Graduate,” “Last Day Vibes,” or even a personalized message. These photos are perfect to send home as a keepsake or add to their end-of-year reflection pages.

Bonus Ideas to Celebrate the End of the Year

Memory Books or Time Capsules

Invite your students to pause and reflect on their school year by creating a Memory Book or Time Capsule. These keepsakes are a wonderful way for students to capture their favorite memories, lessons learned, and dreams for the future.

You can include prompts like:

• “My favorite moment this year was…”
• “This year, I learned how to…”
• “Next year, I hope to…”
• “If I could give advice to a future student in this grade, it would be…”

Add in pages for drawings, classmate autographs, or even a fun page titled “My Teacher’s Top 3 Memories of Me.” If you’re doing a time capsule twist, seal it in an envelope or decorated folder and have students open it at the end of next year—it adds an exciting touch of mystery and nostalgia!

10-Day Countdown Activities

Build anticipation with a fun and easy-to-implement 10-Day End of the Year Countdown! Each day, celebrate with a themed mini-event that your students will look forward to:

Here are some ideas:

• Popcorn & Pajamas Day – Watch a short video or read aloud while enjoying popcorn in cozy clothes.
• Game Day – Bring out board games, classroom trivia, or digital learning games.
• Compliment Day – Have students write kind notes or compliments to classmates.
• Creative Arts Day – Let students draw, paint, or color a favorite moment from the year.
• Letter to Future Self Day – Write a note to next year’s self or incoming students.
• Talent Day – Give students a few minutes to showcase a talent or share something they’re proud of.

You can write each day’s surprise on a balloon, card, or hidden envelope to build excitement and make the countdown part of your daily routine.

Enjoy these options for End of Year Celebrations, make sure to grab this end of year freebie in the shop!

Click the image to grab this fun End of Year and Summer Themed Freebie (Word Search, Coloring Bookmarks, and Color Writing Prompts) perfect for your upper elementary students!

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