Well after much stressing, abd getting real close to the time we needed them my family and I made all of them,7 total, one for each grade leval in one weekend. Our school colors are black and gold so we started with a wooden dowel painted gold. In the meantime my two girls painted the wooden letters to spell out our school name in black while my son painted the wooden balls black(that my husband drilled holes in and screwd on one end. While they were busy I made some big bows in black and gold and usedsome black and gold tulle behind the bows wrapped the poles like a barber pole using black ribbon,glued the school name on the gold streamers and to finish off i used the sme color curling ribbons and tied jingle bells at the end. The kids loved them and that was what counts, although I think they probalbly would of loved anything that they win as a whole class, they went over great with the teachers and fellow volunteers as well. some of the teaachers in the lower grades told me the kids think that they have won a magic wand. Thanks for asking and for all the input i love this site!
I just wanted to Thank ya'll for all the wonderful ideas for the spirit stick. This site has been a life saver. Being a new Pres. I have had alot of questions and have had all answered by the nice people that visit thiis site> Thank again.
you can take a dowel rod. You can buy them at Wal-mart or any craft store. color it with markers or paint. Spray with clear varnish. (to protect from moisture)
Keeps for along time.
Good Luck. We have a spirit plaque. Moves once a month after each PTO Meeting. Class with most parents wins.
We did a spirit stick at my son's scout camp this summer. Every day a different den would earn the stick by showing scout spirit. On the first day of camp it was just a 6 foot tall walking-stick with no decoration. Each den that earned the stick had to add an item to it. By the end of the week it was heavily decorated and some of the decorations were really clever. That might work for your school if your doing it weekly.
I've seen them at sporting events and camps and such made out of just about anything - usually a piece of a tree limb or a broom stick. I think the concept got its start from children's summer camps borrowing from the idea of Native American spirit sticks.
For elementary school, I think softer is probably better, so the wrapping paper roll is a good idea - plus the sound part would be fun. I'd suggest reinforcing the whole thing with tape - maybe duct tape- before you start decorating if it's not a really firm cardborad roll. It would probably last longer. The ones I've seen are heavily deocrated, usually with ribbon or fringe attached. Sometimes they have jingle bells, feathers, just about anything you want to put on them.
[This message has been edited by JHB (edited 09-03-2001).]
