# An elementary school wall of fame kids can explore themselves

> Create an elementary school wall of fame that celebrates students, classes, staff and former students, with big photos little hands can tap through.

Source: https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/elementary-school-wall-of-fame · HistoryShowcase · Updated 2026-10-26

Young students love finding a face they know. Put class photos, student honors, beloved staff and former students on a touchscreen in the front hall, with big pictures and short, friendly stories.

## What is an elementary school wall of fame?

An elementary school wall of fame is a display near the front hall that celebrates students, classes, staff and former students with photos and short, friendly notes young children can follow. HistoryShowcase turns it into a picture-first touchscreen site where children tap a familiar face to see more, and families can open the same site at its own web address.

- Made for: elementary principals, PTO leaders and front office staff
- Where schools put it: Front hallway, Outside the library, Gym or cafeteria
- Layouts: Portrait gallery, Photo gallery, Timeline
- Visitors can filter by: Grade, Year
- Cost: Free to use. No payment details required.

## Little students, big moments

Elementary schools celebrate constantly: reading milestones, kindness awards, the student who won the district art contest, the class that collected the most canned food. Most of it goes on a bulletin board for a month and then into a drawer. Parents at pickup never see it, and five years later nobody can remember who won the first school-wide spelling bee.

An elementary school wall of fame keeps those moments in one bright place. Children recognize classmates and teachers in the photos and tap to see more, so keep the summaries short and the pictures large. Over time it becomes a record of the school itself: every class photo, every retired teacher, and the former students who come back to read to classes or help at the spring carnival.

## How does an elementary school wall of fame compare with a bulletin board?

| What matters | A bulletin board | HistoryShowcase |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How long honors stay up | Usually changed out each month | Every honor stays in its collection |
| Class photos | One or two pinned at a time | Every class photo by teacher and year |
| Seeing it from home | Only visible inside the school | Opens from a link in the newsletter |
| Who can add to it | Anyone with paper and pushpins | Invited editors, with a publisher approving |
| Hands-on appeal | Bright paper and student artwork | Large photos children tap to explore |

## What goes on an elementary wall of fame

- **Student honors.** Kindness, citizenship, reading and attendance awards, with a photo and one or two sentences about each student.
- **Class photos by year.** Every grade’s class photo in a gallery, so families can find their child and their own old class.
- **Staff the children love.** Teachers, aides, custodians, cafeteria and office staff, with a smiling photo and how long they have been at the school.
- **School contests and events.** Art contests, science nights, field day and food drives, with photos from the day.
- **Former students.** Graduates who come back to visit, read to classes or volunteer, with a short note on what they are doing now.

## A picture-first layout for young visitors

Children read pictures before words. Use galleries for most collections and keep the filters simple.

Site: Wall of Fame

- **Student honors** (Portrait gallery): One profile per honoree, with the award in the subtitle.
- **Class photos** (Photo gallery): One entry per class, named by teacher and year.
- **Our staff** (Portrait gallery): Current and retired staff, each with a friendly summary.
- **Big days** (Timeline): Field days, contests and celebrations in order.

Visitors can filter by: Grade, Year.

## How do you set up an elementary school wall of fame?

1. **Try the Class Photos example.** Add the Class Photos & Composites example pack to see a finished gallery, then add your own class photos beside it.
2. **Let the PTO help.** Add PTO volunteers as editors so they can prepare entries in a private draft. A staff publisher decides what goes live.
3. **Refresh it each grading period.** Add new honorees as you announce them, preview the update on the touchscreen, and publish when it’s ready.

## Where should an elementary wall of fame go?

- **Front hallway.** Parents and students pass it at drop-off and pickup.
- **Outside the library.** Children wait there in line and love finding their teacher.
- **Gym or cafeteria.** Families see it at concerts, book fairs and open house.

## Elementary wall of fame questions

### Can young children use the touchscreen on their own?

Yes. Visitors browse by tapping pictures, and the touchscreen has visitor settings for larger text and reduced motion. Short summaries and large photos help early readers.

### How do we decide which student information to show?

Your school decides. Many elementary schools show a name, the honor and a photo only when families have agreed. Every change stays in a private draft until someone publishes it.

### Can families see it from home?

Yes. The published site has its own web address, so you can link to it from the school newsletter or website.

### Who keeps it updated?

Anyone you invite. Add staff and volunteers by email as editors or publishers, and choose who has the final say on what goes live.

## Related

- [Middle School Hall of Fame](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/middle-school-hall-of-fame): Honor the students, teams and staff who started here, and show today’s sixth graders where it can lead.
- [Class Composite Photos Display](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/class-composite-display): Every graduating class composite, photographed and searchable by name, including the frames in storage.
- [Student of the Month Display](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/student-of-the-month-display): Each month’s honorees with a portrait and the teacher’s reason for choosing them, kept for the whole year.
- [Retired Teachers Wall](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/retired-teachers-wall): Every retired teacher, the years they served, the room they taught in and what alumni remember.

Put your students’ smiles on the wall Free to use. No payment details required. Start building, no account needed: https://history-showcase.com/start