It might be Red Carpet Week, but the star of today's show is White Paper Plates!
Working in higher education forces even a spendthrift to be frugal. While CEOs of companies such AIG and the auto industry are earning seven figure bonuses and flying from meeting to meeting in Leer Jets, folks in higher education are presenting awards made out of paper plates.
It's true. I've been associated with higher education for twenty-five years, that is if you count my undergraduate years. Many of those have been spent working with student groups who, though filled with hard working, motivated volunteers, also cannot afford extravagant awards. I'm not sure when I was first introduced to the notion of Paper Plate Awards, but the ritual of giving and receiving these heartfelt awards is as much a part of the school year as commencement, graduation, and beer at fraternity parties.
These awards are the source of today's creative idea, because they are a great way to get ready for both Valentine's Day (10 days and counting) and the Virtually Groundbreaking People's Choice Awards (2 weeks from TONIGHT).
Here's the idea.
Using only a white paper plate, your imagination, and whatever art supplies you can get your hands on, create an award to be presented to another member of a membership group. In our cases the awards might be presented to a family member; a friend; a relative; a colleague; or a member of your book club, mom's day out group, fitness group, or.... fellow highlowaha member!!!
If you've been playing along with me all week, you've already picked out your fancy outfit and glitzy jewelry, you've already sketched out your A-list of people to invite, and you've already decided where in your home you can lay (not lie) the red carpet. Now you have the perfect reason for each of your guests to walk the red carpet! Yes. On this night, you can live the real Spirit of 218 by seizing this completely fabricated (but fun nonetheless) chance to recognize someone for something as simple as a recent accomplishment or one of their "star qualities."
Better yet, how about letting everyone in the house create and present an award of their own? Or, seriously considering a Red and Pink clashes lunch or dinner with girlfriends? Paper plate awards will make it double the fun! Need a question for your Newlywed Game? "If your husband or wife was to present you with a Paper Plate Award, what would it say?" Still looking for a fun and inexpensive way to say "Happy Valentine's Day" to your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers? Paper plate awards are the perfect solution.
Here's the thing about these awards. Paper plate awards are NOT a dime a dozen. In fact, they cost less than a tenth of a penny, but in sentiment they are PRICELESS!
In anticipation of our upcoming People's Choice Award show, consider identifying a highlowaha reader(or readers) you would love to recognize and then making him/her a paper plate award. If you submit a photograph of your award by Monday, February 16 at noon, I will post it on the blog on Tuesday, February 17.
Signing off until tomorrow...
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12 comments:
I just learned of Paper Plate awards earlier this school year. One of my colleagues (our grad assistant) hung a few on her office wall, and I had to ask all about them. That's when I learned about the wonderful Paper Plate award... which I plan on using for our RA end of the year banquet.
Along the same lines my son went to a socer camp over the summer and the final even they have was the "Styro Cup". After their version of the World Cup each player on the winning team got a styro foam cup with the year on it and 1st place written on it. Very cute and it is the even that the campers look forward too at the end of the week and talk about the "Styro Cups" from the previous years.
Have a great day HLA!
JULIE: Remember the paper plate awards you gave your PT class and how they all went over really, really well except for the girl who got the "always running late" plate? she failed to see the humor there.
The above was a case where everybody was dressed in gowns and suits for a very formal dinner. Julie, who happened to be president of her class, made paper plate awards for everyone. People spent the rest of the night thinking back on memories that Julie had pegged to certain people. I had no idea what most of those memories were, but it was fun nontheless!
It seems the paper paper plate idea is clearly not new, but the stories about how the paper plate and cup awards have been used are great. Hopefully the testimonies are enough to turn some of you into believers.
Did anybody else hear a segment on the news this morning about the lavish annual conference hosted by Wells Fargo? It seems, in spite of the bailouts, the company was still planning for a conference chock full of luxury. Apparently pressure has mounted and the company finally decided to cancel the conference. I guess they thought better about the use of tax payer money.
I had never heard of Paper Plate awards but googled them and voila~ yes, lots of people have used them. What a fun idea.
I remember a student group giving the "You Rock" award which was literally a rock out of someone's garden which had the word "YOU" written on it. Another simple way to let someone know they are fantastic.
This year with my staff of RAs, we give out a similar award every week at our staff meeting. It's called the High 5 Award. I print off copies of the outline of a hand, and on each of the fingers, they are to write a reason why this person is getting the award for the week. It is given by one staff member to a different one each week, and gets passed around for many different reasons! I love this award, and is as simple as a print out of a hand!
Hello out there! Are we all busy making Paper Plate Awards?
My award goes to the next person who gives a shout out.
haha actually - yes. I am over at a friends house helping her entertain her 5 year old (who was home from school today...SNOW DAY!) and we were making paper plate awards for her family's vacation. She wants to give an award to her gma, gpa, and cousins. so we broke out the paper plates, markers, and glitter glue. it was AWESOME. will send pictures as soon as they dry and i get some pictures of them!
Stacie is getting my paper plate award! She's the VP of an org of which I'm president. She listens to me blabber for hours about taking over the world and keeps me calm and even keeled. I have the paper plate, I'll snatch it off the table before dinner - now, do I still have Care Bear stickers?
I've been trying to post this and typepad isn't working...
Grace just made a "prettiest princess" plate with finger paint, feathers and bows to give to her friend. Elizabeth finger painted a plate, we'll call it the messiest award and give it to Mike:)
KRISTEN :) Yes, of course I remember that whole night!
WHAT A FABULOUS MEMORY!!
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