# A student of the month display that keeps every month’s honorees

> Run a student of the month display that’s easy to keep current: each month’s honorees, a portrait and why they were chosen, kept all school year.

Source: https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/student-of-the-month-display · HistoryShowcase · Updated 2026-10-26

Post each month’s honorees with a portrait and a few lines from the teacher who nominated them. Last month’s students stay on the screen too, so by June the whole year is there.

## What is a student of the month display?

A student of the month display is a school board or screen that features the students chosen each month, often with a photo and the reason a teacher nominated them, usually by the main entrance or cafeteria. HistoryShowcase keeps every month in its own collection, so the year’s honorees build up on the touchscreen instead of being taken down.

- Made for: principals, counselors and teachers
- Where schools put it: Main entrance, Outside the cafeteria, Monthly family email
- Layouts: Portrait gallery, Honors ledger
- Visitors can filter by: Month, Grade, Year
- Cost: Free to use. No payment details required.

## One month on the board, then gone

Student of the month usually means a photo pinned to a bulletin board for four weeks. Then the next student goes up, and October’s honoree is taken down and sent home. The reason they were chosen, which is often the best part, rarely makes it onto the board at all.

A student of the month display keeps each month in its own collection, so the screen fills up over the year instead of resetting. Each student has a portrait and a short note about why they were nominated. Your school decides what to publish about each student, prepares the next month in a private draft, and publishes on the first school day of the month.

## How does a student of the month display compare with a bulletin board?

| What matters | Bulletin board photos | HistoryShowcase |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Last month’s honorees | Taken down for the next month | Stay in their own month’s collection |
| The teacher’s reason | Often left off for space | Written in each student’s profile |
| Preparing next month | Pinned up on the first day | Built in a private draft, then published |
| Browsing by grade | Look across the whole board | Filter by grade or month |
| Sharing with families | Photos sent home one by one | One web address in the family email |

## What to show for each student of the month

- **A portrait.** A school photo or one taken that week, approved by your school, at the top of each student’s profile.
- **Why they were chosen.** A few sentences from the nominating teacher about what the student did, written for the student and their family to be proud of.
- **The month and grade.** Shown in the subtitle so visitors can browse one month or one grade at a time.
- **The theme, if you use one.** Some schools pick a trait each month, such as kindness or perseverance. Put it in the month’s collection title.
- **The whole year.** Every honoree since September, kept in place so students can find classmates from earlier months.

## How to set up student of the month

Create a folder for the school year with a sub-collection for each month. Portrait galleries suit short lists of honorees.

Site: Student of the Month

- **This month** (Portrait gallery): The current honorees, featured first on the home screen.
- **Earlier this year** (Portrait gallery): One sub-collection per month, in order.
- **Past school years** (Honors ledger): Previous years’ honorees as compact rows once the year ends.

Visitors can filter by: Month, Grade, Year.

## How do you set up a student of the month display?

1. **Collect nominations as you do now.** Ask teachers for the student’s name, grade and two or three sentences on why they chose them.
2. **Add the month in a draft.** Create the month’s collection, add each student with an approved photo, and preview the screen privately.
3. **Publish on the first school day.** Publish the new month, and the earlier months stay right where they were.

## Where should a student of the month display go?

- **Main entrance.** Families see it at drop-off and pickup.
- **Outside the cafeteria.** Students point out their friends on the way to lunch.
- **Monthly family email.** Link to the published display instead of attaching photos.

## Student of the month display questions

### What should we publish about each student?

That’s your school’s decision. Many schools use a first name, grade and the teacher’s note, and only use photos the school has approved. Everything stays in a private draft until someone with publishing access publishes it.

### Can each grade level pick its own student?

Yes. Add one honoree per grade to each month’s collection, and visitors can filter by grade to find their own class.

### What happens at the end of the year?

Keep the year in its own folder, switch it to a compact ledger, or archive it. Archived stories stay hidden from visitors.

## Related

- [Digital Honor Roll](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/digital-honor-roll): Each term’s honor roll by grade and honor level, updated in an afternoon and archived when the term ends.
- [Athlete of the Month Display](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/athlete-of-the-month-display): This month’s honorees up front, every past winner kept, with the reason each athlete was chosen.
- [Student Community Service Recognition](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/community-service-recognition): Students’ service projects and hours milestones, with the people and places they served.
- [School Hallway Display Ideas](https://history-showcase.com/use-cases/school-hallway-display): Hallway touchscreen ideas matched to each wing: science, arts, athletics and history, built for quick stops.

Celebrate every month’s honorees Free to use. No payment details required. Start building, no account needed: https://history-showcase.com/start