Senior display table...update, picture

[Cindyg]

Can you give me some ideas for a senior display table?  I've seen plenty of them.  They're all cheerful, accomplished, artistic, social, and adorable.  

 

My son is not any of those things.  He is private, introspective, sarcastic, and pessimistic.  Also, the folks attending the event have not known him since childhood, so he doesn't feel obliged to show them cute baby pictures. And, he figures they already know what he looks like now.   :)

 

I've looked online and can't find any display ideas for these kinds of kids.  

 

Some things to work with:

 

His favorite color is red.  He is going to college next year.  He plays chess and has mad computer skills. He would love to share an ironic saying that would leave people scratching their heads. He has favorite online characters and an adored dog and cat; but doesn't see any point in *introducing* them to people at his graduation.  He can make origami things and stuffed animal characters, but again, he sees no point in *introducing* those things at this point.  He definitely wants something minimalist but something that doesn't scream "loser."

 

Help!

Edited June 5, 2016 by Cindyg

[Jenny in Florida]

It's not an actual requirement have a senior display table, right?

 

If your son isn't into the idea, then why worry about it?

[Cindyg]

No, he's going to have to do one.  Nobody wants to be the only kid who doesn't do one.  His dad will want him to do one.

[marbel]

My son would find a display table pure torture to put together.  He'd probably refuse to participate in a graduation ceremony that required such a thing.

[KarenC]

Snacks are always good.  A book for people to sign?  What are his plans next?  Something showing what next for him?

[Cindyg]

What college is he going to next year?

 

UTD (University of Texas at Dallas).

[purpleowl]

Can he use those computer skills to make a comic showing his plans for the future? First panel showing him graduating (his pic photoshopped into a pic of a huge graduation ceremony), next couple showing him at his college and studying or doing something related to his major, then a couple with him working in his field...that sort of thing. These would be very obviously photoshopped things, maybe with silly things like him having an expression that doesn't match the setting.

[Cindyg]

Love that idea, Purple Owl.  I also love purple.

[TravelingChris]

He doesn't have to have a lot on his display board.  He can make the things he have be big with space around them.  Items like a chessboard and something with computers and the college name with maybe a logo of the mascot along with his name on a red display board would be okay.

[MercyA]

If he's sarcastic and pessimistic, maybe he could add a despair.com print to his table. Some of them are really funny. (If he wanted to buy a smaller sized print or prints for his table, he could use the "Build Your Own Calendar" feature on the website.)

 

I'd include a chessboard, maybe a laptop running or displaying something (code? slide show? IDK), his senior picture, and something from UTD.

[Eliz]

A table I saw recently had T-shirts from the student's high school and the college she would be attending. Together the items took up a quite a bit of space on her table.  Another had a photo album of recent (not baby) photos.  As others have mentioned, I would include a chess set with a game in progress.  It would be a fun draw for others who enjoy chess.   Does he have any other interests or books / movies he enjoys that could be incorporated into the design.

 

My daughter's graduation is the 11th.  She's doing her own table, thankfully because I have zero design or artistic ability.  She did a blacksmithing workshop and will be demonstrating some of the items she made.  

[Jenny in Florida]

No, he's going to have to do one.  Nobody wants to be the only kid who doesn't do one.  His dad will want him to do one.

 

Ah, well, in that case, I like a couple of Karen's ideas.

 

A book for people to sign?  What are his plans next?  Something showing what next for him?

 

At my daughter's graduation party, we put out a pretty jar and a selection of blank greeting cards and colored pens and stickers and such and asked guests to write notes and put them in the jar for her to take to campus. For my son, I created a "yearbook"-style scrapbook (Shutterfly), including autograph pages, and provided Sharpies so people could sign it. So, something "interactive" like that might be fun.

 

Also, if it were my kid, I would totally let him display his quote. Maybe buy a dollar store frame and put a print-out of the quote in it, then stand that up on the table?

 

And what about a picture of/brochure about the college he's attending next year?

 

That seems like enough, right?

[Cinder]

I just did a display board for ds2. (BTW ds1 refused and was the only grad in his class not to have one. And one of the grads in ds2's class also didn't have one this year.) We didn't have much to put on ds2's board but he did want his League of Legends ranking and a couple other goofy "awards" like that. To make the board look less empty I covered it with wrapping paper first and backed the few pictures and "awards" on black paper.

 

One of the girls had a window frame with strings across and pictures hung with mini clothespins. One boy had a wooden board with a saying painted on. It must have been magnetic paint because he had a few pictures stuck on with mini magnets. These stuck out to me as they were unique and not just the standard display board with loads of pictures and stuff.

 

I hope you're able to come up with something that reflects your son's personality!

[Bambam]

Put a chess board out. Make an origami figure or two.

 

I'd be tempted to put out several copies of favorite comics.

 

Would printouts of any computer programs be possible?

 

Or maybe a laptop computer with a game up that he wrote?

[MEmama]

I've never heard of such a thing. What is it? Where does it go? What purpose does it serve?

[TammyS]

My son would find a display table pure torture to put together.  He'd probably refuse to participate in a graduation ceremony that required such a thing.

 

Mine, too.

 

Well, as it turned out, he refused to participate in any graduation ceremony at all, even though he had a couple of options.

[TammyS]

  He plays chess and has mad computer skills. He would love to share an ironic saying that would leave people scratching their heads.

 

Ok, because I'm weird:

 

A chess set in the middle of the table, with a game set up as "in progress".  On each side, the players: A Comodore 64 and a Tandy 1000.

[Tita Gidge]

Can you give me some ideas for a senior display table?  I've seen plenty of them.  They're all cheerful, accomplished, artistic, social, and adorable.  

 

My son is not any of those things.  He is private, introspective, sarcastic, and pessimistic.  Also, the folks attending the event have not known him since childhood, so he doesn't feel obliged to show them cute baby pictures. And, he figures they already know what he looks like now.   :)

 

I've looked online and can't find any display ideas for these kinds of kids.  

 

Some things to work with:

 

His favorite color is red.  He is going to college next year.  He plays chess and has mad computer skills. He would love to share an ironic saying that would leave people scratching their heads. He has favorite online characters and an adored dog and cat; but doesn't see any point in *introducing* them to people at his graduation.  He can make origami things and stuffed animal characters, but again, he sees no point in *introducing* those things at this point.  He definitely wants something minimalist but something that doesn't scream "loser."

 

Help!

 

Can he find an old computer monitor (like, OLD old) and break the screen out? He can use the inside as a staging area for [ideas to follow]. It'd be a small enough staging space that it won't look empty and desperate, just "minimalist" .... plus it's a bulky enough item to take up decent table space. It could stand out as being different-in-a-good-way in a sea of garden variety, nearly identical tables. He could even spray paint the outside red :D .

 

Ideas for the monitor - he can make a scroll, like that old school kids' toy? It can be a timeline of sorts. Since he's a private person it can be basic blackline of world history, of art history, of computer history, of anything that interests him. He can pepper it with a few dates of his own relevance - things they probably know anyhow, but maybe don't and that he won't mind them knowing. E.g., if he chose a timeline for the History of Pokémon (or whatever online characters, sorry I'm way out of the loop LOL) he could have 10-20 important dates (introduction of specific characters, intro to the US, founder's birth day, etc.) with his own things thrown in where appropriate (his bday, his first Pokémon card, etc.)  Or he can do the same for the history of computers (first mainframe, his first laptop, first computer he built, first bank he hacked, etc.)

 

Or, even if he doesn't love the idea it's better than an empty table - he can use the hollowed out monitor as a place to display his interests - a diorama of origami, an art display of various computer bits and parts, or a generic graduation themed diorama. Hopefully someone else has ideas for the monitor. It only occurred to me because I have one waiting to be turned into a nesting box for my sister's hen LOL.

 

I know he doesn't care to introduce his origami now, but maybe if he did something subtle? He could do 2-0-1-6 or "UTD" to display.

 

We put some candy on my son's table, which was a hit.  Like your son, we're sarcastic and cynical people so we skipped the clever sayings "Smarty Pants" for Smarties candies, etc. and just left out the candy LOL. We had a few different kinds.

 

Against my son's wishes I did put out his senior picture in an 8x10 frame. Half-way through the party one of my kids, they won't come clean, drew a mustache and eyebrows on the glass with a wet erase marker. It horrified some of the other adults there, but we're used to being THATFAMILY.  If you and he are more socially aware and adept than we are, skip this suggestion. But it was funny.

 

My son's friend had a white tee-shirt and Sharpie marker on his table - what he didn't have was cardboard inside of it - but other people signed and commented on the shirt. There were several tables with similar ideas - canvases, photo frame mattes, etc. I doubt your son would care for it, but he can toss it later or you can hold on to it. Maturity is knowing when to play the game, you know?

 

Since he's private, what about something involves other people sharing THEIR info so he doesn't have to share so much of his ... like a map or globe with a sign that asks where his peers are off to? A small bulletin board or science project foam board with a map and some map pins (or if laminated, a wet erase marker). Let other grads pin or write the schools and cities they're headed off to. Trash it when you get home, since he doesn't care anyhow.

 

As for a sayings, here are some I've seen:

 

- Success isn't the result of spontaneous combustion; you must set yourself on fire.

- It doesn't matter HOW you graduated, only that you DID.

 

Or maybe a parody of Oh The Places You'll Go ... I'm sure there are tons!

 

I guess my best bit of advice would be to convince him that something he'd rather not introduce now is going to better than having nothing or not much at all.  And to work around the privacy issue by realizing most people are the opposite and LOVE to talk/share about themselves, so to use that to his advantage.

[Evergreen State Sue]

I'd somehow use red and black as the color theme, maybe even checks to be like the chess set.  Maybe something that says, "My next move . . . University of Texas at Dallas."  Don't know their school colors, but if it's red and black that would be tie it in nicely!  I agree with putting a laptop out with it running a slide show of pictures.  I love looking at what a kid looked like as a baby and how he matures into the graduate, especially if I didn't know him when he was younger.  I've seen slides shows of graduates who show what they have accomplished on the computer, like a game they developed or computer graphics work.  Love the idea of displaying some of his origami work.  That is very unique!

[Artichoke]

Lots of homeschool graduations let each graduate have a "brag table" where the kid can display items that show what they've done through their lives, or what their passions are, or what they plan to do, or loads of baby pictures, etc. They are usually on display in a reception hall or at the graduation ceremony itself. It's a nice way for attendees to reflect on the graduates and their personalities & accomplishments.

Senior tables are popular where we live. I've seen everything from hiking boots to dressmaker dummies. Kids usually have a selection of pictures, hobbies, favorite books, etc. The tables are always fun to see.

[fairfarmhand]

My daughter's table held a pair of her glittery high heeled shoes, favorite stuffed animals, favorite books,

 

Make a mobile of his origami stuff.

 

Set up a chess set.

[Cinder]

My son would find a display table pure torture to put together.  He'd probably refuse to participate in a graduation ceremony that required such a thing.

 

I should have mentioned in my earlier post that we called this "Parent Homework" as the parent was supposed to put it together to brag on their child.

[Cindyg]

Y'all are great.  So many good ideas.  Thanks.  

I love the idea of making a comic of him doing something.  Love the t-shirt idea.  He actually has a t-shirt bleaching hobby and has many made up, so that's very doable.  The chess set seems like a no-brainer.  Also, he does have a retro Atari-like playstation that he made himself.  Maybe he'd like to set that up.  

 

I'll let him read this thread.

[Erica in OR]

No, he's going to have to do one.  Nobody wants to be the only kid who doesn't do one.  His dad will want him to do one.

 

But he does want to be someone who doesn't do one. At that age, I'd let him decide, not someone else or what people feel is expected. How would anyone there know he didn't do one? Is it a small group? Will it be an empty table that somebody labels with his name? Just don't put up a table for him.

 

If he does have a sarcastic streak and was forced to do the display, I'd print out "This space intentionally left blank" for the board and leave it at that.

 

Erica in OR

[Cindyg]

But he does want to be someone who doesn't do one. At that age, I'd let him decide, not someone else or what people feel is expected. How would anyone there know he didn't do one? Is it a small group? Will it be an empty table that somebody labels with his name? Just don't put up a table for him.

 

If he does have a sarcastic streak and was forced to do the display, I'd print out "This space intentionally left blank" for the board and leave it at that.

 

Erica in OR

 

It's a small group, and his grandparents are going to be there.  Oh, and, yes, there will be a table with his name on it.  (We don't supply the table, so we can't "forget.")

 

I LOVE your idea of "This space intentionally left blank"!!  Ha ha ha!  Maybe he can work with that.

[ElizabethB]

It's a small group, and his grandparents are going to be there. Oh, and, yes, there will be a table with his name on it. (We don't supply the table, so we can't "forget.")

 

I LOVE your idea of "This space intentionally left blank"!! Ha ha ha! Maybe he can work with that.

That could be fun...a mini chess board and another small thing or two one one side and a giant left blank card. I like the sarcastic poster idea, too, but maybe a small postcard one. My favorite is the stormtrooper with his head in his hands, "Those were the droids I was looking for."

[laundrycrisis]

It sounds like one of those hellish pointless Pinterest crafty type things + social expectations ... blech!!! I would make a minimalist statement. Black tablecloth. Single chess piece, either white or black. And a perfect quote... Something about authenticity and the future. Leave them scratching their heads. At that age, there is nothing that could have convinced me to participate in something like this.

[Cindyg]

It sounds like one of those hellish pointless Pinterest crafty type things + social expectations ... blech!!! I would make a minimalist statement. Black tablecloth. Single chess piece, either white or black. And a perfect quote... Something about authenticity and the future. Leave them scratching their heads. At that age, there is nothing that could have convinced me to participate in something like this.

 

Well, you would love my son.  :)  

[J-rap]

How about a red and white checkered table cloth with the table decorated with a sprinkling of chess pieces (over-sized ones would be fun), and a small photo board that included some favorite photos of him over the years and favorite witty quotes that he likes.  Then take up the rest of the table space with food trays.  Hang some red and white streamers from the ceiling.

 

 

[Pippen]

How about a red and white checkered table cloth with the table decorated with a sprinkling of chess pieces (over-sized ones would be fun), and a small photo board that included some favorite photos of him over the years and favorite witty quotes that he likes.  Then take up the rest of the table space with food trays.  Hang some red and white streamers from the ceiling.

 

I was thinking along these lines, only with a slide show on a laptop. I've seen kids go this route instead of the typical photo display.

 

My oldest son was very low key about graduation--really didn't seem to want much or care much about what I planned so I kept plans to a minimum. Late in the afternoon of the day before the youth group senior banquet I realized he REALLY cared about the photo display. I pulled an all-nighter on that one, but he was really pleased with the results. 

[Rebel Yell]

But he does want to be someone who doesn't do one. At that age, I'd let him decide, not someone else or what people feel is expected. How would anyone there know he didn't do one? Is it a small group? Will it be an empty table that somebody labels with his name? Just don't put up a table for him.

 

If he does have a sarcastic streak and was forced to do the display, I'd print out "This space intentionally left blank" for the board and leave it at that.

 

Erica in OR

This space intentionally left blank

 

I love that idea so so very much. ðŸ˜

but I also have a viciously sarcastic sense of humor.

 

Congrats to your son!

[mamiof5]

Have never heard about it. What is it? Congratulations to your son!!!

[Tsuga]

Ok, because I'm weird:

 

A chess set in the middle of the table, with a game set up as "in progress".  On each side, the players: A Comodore 64 and a Tandy 1000.

 

That is so clever but I know I couldn't let my kid steal your idea. 

 

OTOH "This space intentionally left blank." is simply too good to pass up.

[Tsuga]

Well, you would love my son.   :)

 

I like him already. :) And also, he does like things. Just not marketing. I consider that a huge plus.

[momto10blessings]

I've seen a senior board with candy wrappers and fast food containers glued to it. So I wouldn't take it too seriously.

[KungFuPanda]

What about a fake yearbook. Maybe through snapfish or something? A few pages of him doing stuff he likes, then a page where you repeat the same photo of him over and over but with different labels underneath like Valedictorian, Class President, Most Likely to Succeed, Best Hair, Chess Club, etc. You could do it all drop n drag on the computer and not have to produce any actual art.

[TechWife]

My sons display was his art. His project board had one of his senior pictures and about six or seven photos that he had taken. One of his chalk art pieces was on the table as well. We had an album of his school years and another one that functioned as his portfolio, in a way. It had photos he had taken and digital images of some of his other art. Office Max had a large scanner, so we took the larger pieces there to be scanned. The rest we did at home.

[Tsuga]

What about a fake yearbook. Maybe through snapfish or something? A few pages of him doing stuff he likes, then a page where you repeat the same photo of him over and over but with different labels underneath like Valedictorian, Class President, Most Likely to Succeed, Best Hair, Chess Club, etc. You could do it all drop n drag on the computer and not have to produce any actual art.

Ah, the pros of homeschooling. Valedictorian AND salutorian. Beat THAT.

[KungFuPanda]

Ah, the pros of homeschooling. Valedictorian AND salutorian. Beat THAT.

 

YES!  He can be voted Most Likely to Succeed AND Most Likely to Feed the Dog!

[Cindyg]

Here's how it turned out.
 

[TechWife]

That's great! I hope he enjoyed it after all! 

[Tita Gidge]

Turned out perfect!

[Guest]

Well played.

[Eliz]

That's great!  Congratulations on his graduation!

[Rebel Yell]

CONGRATULATIONS SETH!!!

[Cindyg]

That's great! I hope he enjoyed it after all! 

 

Oh, he did.  He got a lot of laughs and attention for this "brilliant" board.  It was very different from the others.  He was very pleased with it.

[Baseball mom]

Love it! :thumbup:

 

Congratulations Seth :party:

[emzhengjiu]

Perfect!  Congratulations Seth!!!

[Cinder]

I love it!

[mamakelly]

That is hilarious!! I love it. Great job Seth.