presentation night ideas

presentation night ideas

Presentation Night Ideas

1. Theme Selection

You should be imaginative and creative when considering possible themes. The overall theme should be appealing to the community and it should be something in which those attending can relate to. Consider past events, current trends, movies, books, and fads. It is advisable to choose a theme which the students have not already been asked to comply with by others. For instance, avoid something that is too similar to the concept of the high school formal or a costume party. A theme should be chosen with enough time to inform the students and for them to organize an outfit, if required. Theme ideas could be put in a ballot box and randomly drawn by those organizing the event or it could be chosen by the student council or form class. Theme creation should be a fun and stress-free activity but remember to be prudent and make choices that are sensible and cost-effective. This will determine the style of the theme; whether it is a lighthearted and fun theme, something more sophisticated and elegant, or something completely out of the ordinary. An example of a theme could be an elegant masquerade ball, a movie genre, a trip back in time to a past decade, a color scheme or even out of this world to a place like Narnia. No matter what the theme, make the most of it by turning it into a party atmosphere. Set the mood with decorations, background music, crowd involvement, and possibly a themed photo booth.

2. Presentation Format

2.2 Ballroom Presentation – Sit Down. This is a formal presentation format that is suited to a more serious research presentation. Four presenters will be suitable for this format, and there will be room for this presentation format at the start of the night in the plenary area. This is best held at a conference table in the area where the main dinner is served. Each presenter uses a microphone and briefly introduces their research. They then may show slides or a media presentation. They should leave a copy of their PowerPoint slides available to be viewed and picked up by others who are interested in their topic. The positive of this presentation is that it is less disruptive to the audience who are eating, the presenters are able to sit down and eat as well, and it allows the presenter a chance to communicate with a small group who are interested in their topic. However, this is not suited to all topics, can be too long, and may be boring for some students. In this case, it is best for the presenter to choose to do a different presentation.

2.1 The largest determinant of the format of presentation night is the catering available on the night and the budget. All of the following presentation formats may be combined or adjusted, and use a multi-media approach. This means there is something for everyone, and nothing that is too long! A common time allocation for each presentation is 1-2 minutes.

3. Engaging Activities

If your school is comfortable with a more relaxed presentation night, the main focus could be speaking with the teachers, students, and parents and your organization. You could set up a board in which you display information about your organization, the teachers, and the projects the students are going to participate in. Have people stand by with each section to explain the information and to answer any questions. You could hand out a sheet of questions that could be a sort of “scavenger hunt” for the parents to find out information about the class. As they find out the information, they could check it off and hand in their sheet for a small prize or a bake sale item. This idea is a good way to inform the parents about the program and it is a good chance for the students to show leadership and communication skills. An easy way to get the students involved in creating a presentation for presentation night is a PowerPoint presentation. This is a more relaxed way to present an idea about a travel or service learning project. The students can speak for about a minute per slide and provide parents with information about where the students will be going, what they will be doing, a cost for the trip, and fundraising ideas. The students could explain the positive learning experience, independence, cultural immersion, and personal growth that comes from these experiences. They could end the presentation with a question and answer period where the parents can ask more details about the trip.

4. Award Categories

Team of the Year: This is a team that has achieved great success in season 2013. Teams should nominate themselves with about 100-150 words stating the reasons for their nomination and what they have achieved through the season. The best team will be selected, showing results such as a high win/loss ratio, final ladder position, any achievements (e.g., winning a premiership), and displaying that AFL is creating a positive environment for the youth and developing the game. The winning team will be presented with a shield and have their team name engraved and displayed on it.

Coach of the Year: This is someone who has coached a team or teams in one of seven championships (veterans, seniors, colts, thirds, women, juniors) and has achieved success with the team. The coach should have provided a positive environment towards training, developing the players and the club, while showing good sportsmanship and upholding the values of AFL.

Employee of the Future (Rising Star): This person should be someone who, at the time of the scheduled awards, has not been employed with the club for more than four months but has shown potential and made an immediate impact on the club. A very enthusiastic employee, that although may need guidance, is a keen learner and is eager to take on different roles around the club. This award is similar to the Employee of the Year; however, the time frame is different, and the Employee of the Future is a stepping stone to Employee of the Year.

Employee of the Year: This person should be someone who, from the date of the last awards until the scheduled awards, has excelled in their position and been a role model to other employees. They not only perform their normal duties but also take on other roles and help out in the club. They should be a team player. If every employee performed like this person, the club would run very smoothly. This person must have been employed with the club for a minimum of four months. If they have been employed for less than four months, they should be nominated for “Employee of the Future”.

5. Event Logistics

For the smorgasbord, each group and their mentor has a table allocated to lay out their food. Each table will be numbered and this will be included in the confirmation email sent to students. Each table can be accessed from 5pm to allow groups to set up, and mentors and judges will be invited to arrive from 5.30pm to give time for mentors to talk with other mentors, teachers and visiting students. The official proceedings of the night will start at 6pm with a brief introduction of guests and an overview of what awards will be presented. The serving teams will serve the main course once proceedings have started. This is in hopes that some students may miss part of the proceeding as they come and serve the food, but will give them an opportunity to view some of the presentations and to eat some food. Desserts will be served after the main course; this is to avoid the main serving time and allow guests to have an alternative part of the evening to walk around and view the presentations. The presentations will commence after the meals have been cleared, with two venues allocated for presentations and a student guide will be located at each venue to direct guests to presentations. The first presentations will be held at 7pm and the second presentations will be held at 8pm, each running for 45 minutes. This will allow guests the option to view two presentations from two different subjects. Finally, tea and coffee will be served in the dining room. During servings, there will be a first aid station located in the biology prep room on the SMEST High side and an information and directions station located in the White room.