Building Your Program – Getting Started
Renaissance Cards
OVERVIEW
As you develop your Renaissance program, you will want to engage more staffulty, as well as community members.
Here is a program that tends to be well received by both.
School type: Middle School, High
School
Activity goal: Create a reward
system that will recognize positive
behavior and academic performance
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Talk with your administration about creating a school wide program that would reward good grades and/or
behavior.
2. Brainstorm with administration, staffulty and students on what types of achievement would be required to earn a
reward. (Ideas below)
Prep Time: 1-4 weeks
3. Next, brainstorm with administration and staffulty on what types of rewards students could earn.
(See “Renaissance Cards Prize Ideas” for suggestions!)
People required: Administrator/
committee to decide on behaviors to
reward. Someone to track students’
success (and who has made it to
which level)
4. Spread the word among parents and staffulty that you have opportunities for them to get involved through
sponsorships or donations for this project. Encourage them to share the information with their employers or anyone
who might be a good fit.
Space requirements: None required
Timing: Best at the beginning of
the year, but can start at any quarter
or semester
Materials: Renaissance Cards (3+
kinds of cards), Discounts sponsored by local businesses
Cost: Less than $1/student
Submitted by:
Jostens Renaissance Education
5. Determine the prizes and discounts associated with each level of card, and how often to award new cards (by
quarter, by semester, etc.)
6. You will want to secure prizes that are easy to obtain as you begin. As this program grows, you will be able to use
its stories of success to encourage outside sponsorships and donations. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks
or even months for a company to decide if it will sponsor a program, and how. Generally, the larger the company, the
longer it takes.
7. Once you’ve agreed on achievements, rewards and card value, start communicating the details of the program to
all of the stakeholders including Staffulty, Cafeteria or concession stand staff, Parents, Students, and any community
members who may want to participate by providing discounts for card carrying students.
RENAISSANCE CARDS BY GPA:
4.0 --Gold Honor Card
3.5 –Silver Honor Card
3.0-3.4 –Bronze Honor Cards
RENAISSANCE CARDS BY TARGET BEHAVIORS:
(Card colors could be based on school colors)
.5 GPA improvement – Purple Honor Card
Perfect attendance – White Honor Card
EXAMPLES OF ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE A CARD:
Student must not have any failing grades for the grading period.
Student can have no outstanding incompletes for the grading period.
Student can have no discipline reports or referrals for the grading period.
Student can have no unexcused absences for the grading period.
Student can have no more than three instances of tardiness for the grading period.