Spelling Bee Trophies and Medals for Schools

Short answer

A spelling bee needs fewer awards than most contests: a champion’s trophy, a runner-up award, something for the other finalists, and a small keepsake for every speller who took the stage. Many schools add a perpetual that stays in the front office with each year’s champion on a name plate. We design the set around the school’s own name, mascot and colors, printed in full color on acrylic and wood. There is no minimum order, and you approve a design proof before anything is produced.

First, second and third place awards on wood bases with printed acrylic faces and cut metal numerals

A contest where every participant already won something

Every child on a bee stage won a classroom round to get there. That shapes the award list. The champion’s trophy should be clearly the top award, but the speller who goes out in the first round is still a class champion, and the awards should say so.

It also means the organizer is usually a teacher, a librarian or a parent volunteer doing this once a year. The practical advice is to settle the list of awards early, use the same design every year so there is nothing to redesign, and keep the wording free of names so the awards can be made before the bee is held.

For a set that repeats each year with the same artwork, semi-custom awards put the school’s design on a stock body. For a one-of-a-kind champion’s trophy, see custom awards.

The awards a bee needs

Champion

The largest piece, with the bee’s name, “Champion” and the year. The one that goes home and stays on a shelf for decades.

Runner-up

The same design, one size down. Some bees also recognize third place.

Finalists

A medallion on a neck ribbon for each speller who reached the final rounds.

Every speller

A pin or a small medallion that says “Class Champion” or “School Bee Speller.”

School perpetual

A wall plaque in the office or library with a name plate for each year’s champion.

Thank-yous

A small award for the pronouncer and the judges, who are usually volunteers.

Award lists by size of bee

Typical awards for a classroom-to-district bee
Level	Awards	What goes on them
Classroom	A pin or small medallion for the class champion	School name, “Class Champion,” year
School	Champion, runner-up, a medallion for each speller on stage	School bee name, placing, year
District or county	Champion, runner-up, third, a medallion for each school champion	District bee name, placing, year
Community or adult bee	Winning team awards plus one or two good-humor awards	Event name, cause, year

Adult and fundraiser bees are usually run in teams, so each placing needs an award per team member. Ask how many people are on a team before you count.

Wording that works before the winner is known

A bee’s champion is decided minutes before the award is handed over, so the trophy is made without a name. Design the wording so that it is complete without one.

Your School Spelling Bee
Champion
2026

District Spelling Bee
School Champion
2026

If the school wants the champion’s name recorded, the perpetual is the place for it. Ask about name plates when you request the quote. Perpetual trophies explains how many years of plates to plan for, and plaque wording ideas has more on keeping award text short.

Something for every speller

Whether to give every participant an award is a real question in most contests. In a bee it is easier, because every participant earned a place on the stage. A pin or a small medallion handed out as each speller is introduced, before the first word, means nobody leaves with nothing and the moment of going out stings less.

Participation awards looks at when awards for the whole field are worth doing. If the school runs other academic contests, the same design family can cover them, which is the idea behind matching award sets.

What to send us

The name of the bee and the school or district, with the logo or mascot artwork.
The list of awards and how many of each.
The date of the bee.
Whether you will hold it again next year, so the design can be reordered.

We send a proof of the whole set for approval before anything is produced. Request a quote with the date of the bee and we will answer against it. More school and community event pages are in the Recognition Library.

Spelling Bee Trophies FAQs

How many trophies does a school spelling bee need?

Usually two: champion and runner-up. Most schools add a medallion for each speller on stage and a perpetual plaque that stays at the school.

Can the trophy have the winner’s name on it?

The winner is not known until the bee ends, so trophies are normally made without a name. A school perpetual with name plates is the usual way to record each champion; ask about plates when you request a quote.

What should a spelling bee trophy say?

The name of the bee, the placing and the year. That is enough, and it lets the awards be made before the contest.

Should every speller get an award?

In a bee it is easy to justify, because each speller won a classroom round. A pin or small medallion for every participant is common.

Can we use our school mascot?

Yes. Send the school’s own mascot and logo artwork and we will build the design around it.

Can we use the same design next year?

Yes. The design can be reordered with the year changed, so each champion’s trophy matches the last.

Racer in a helmet raising both arms as gold confetti falls under stage lights

BEE DATE SET?

Send the school name and the award list

Send the bee’s name, the school artwork and how many of each award. We design the set and send a proof before anything is made.

Tell us the date of the bee and we will quote against it.

Request a Quote

Spelling Bee Trophies