A History of Awards and Prizes in the House of Ravenclaw

Gather round students, Isis is going to tell you all a story about how the Great House of Ravenclaw came to give awards and why.

Imagine back to the past. I was a First Year the second term at the House Cup. I believe the House of Ravenclaw numbered about 40 (this term we were 136). This is why I have a hard time remembering who was here before me (other than GazeboGal and bobbilicious who really made me feel special welcome and CMelvin who was our HoH). Before term started I actually had time to read close to the entire first term, classrooms, common rooms, Great Hall and all, to get an idea how things worked and how they got started.

Back then all there was award-wise was the official prize thread. If you made something ambitious you had a good shot at being nominated. The professors gave much more feedback as well. But remember the entire number of students handing in projects for anyone class was smaller than the House of Ravenclaw is today. Things were much more personal.

The I was a Professor. The old system was still working but I can tell you acknowledging every thing in Herbology was grueling and there were always double the amount of projects that deserved that prize thread nomination.

When I stepped up as HoH it was clear to me that many people were not getting recognized that should have been so I began giving out The Bronze Star. It was only verbal at that point until Anathemdevice of Slytherin made me a badge to use. She also did versions that had the name of the class they were received for on them. It seems there might be some confusion that they were given to everyone that did the class. That was not the case. At the end of the first month I decided that everyone that did all 6 classes deserved a Bronze Star and could snag that one for themselves.


This last term I decided that since the House Awards were so personal to me that I wanted to make some hand drawn badges for them. At this point I took the Bronze Star and split it in two. The Star of Isis I give for anything. It can be a great project (and presentation really counts for this) or service to the House (a few non-Ravenclaws have gotten them too). The Raven's Heart was an automatic award for completing all six classes in the month. I ended up doing one for the Convocation because I felt that anyone who was willing to take on that level of challenge deserved to be recognized for it. I have ideas for some others...someday.


This term there have also started to be awards given by other people like the Love Yourself First one that Silverwing 26 did. I was so proud to get one of those myself.


The other thing I did as HoH was start the Ravenclaw Pride drawings to more people would have a chance to win a prize since in my experience it isn't the size of the prize it is just the specialness of getting a token. With the size of the student body winning or even being nominated for the main prize thread is a rare occurance. The prize for that always has a peweter eagle that is dead on the one from the Ravenclaw crest. I'm sending out my last one tomorrow and I'm having a problem sourcing more so that may not happen next term but I'm sure something fabulous will take it's place. I've heard a good idea already.

Other people do contests with prizes as well such as DevonC's planning challenge. This is always welcome and is something anyone can do for their housemates. I appreciate having it run past me first since I typically know what else it planned and might have good suggestions but I love to let others run with their ideas.

Now this system is not perfect. It is really too personal to me to ever be perfect and that isn't the goal. The real reward is the fun we have, the friends we make and the beautiful objects we craft.