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The Best School Spirit
Promotional Items & Giveaways

updated: February 21, 2024
Group of cheerleaders wearing red, white and black uniforms while shaking red pom poms

A stronger campus community and tons of exposure — sounds like a pretty killer combo, right? With customized promotional items designed to raise school spirit, it can be a reality.

Just as the first football game of the season can get students pumped to represent their school, customized school spirit giveaways help create a sense of school pride and identity that everyone can participate in.

With the right school spirit promotional items, you can boost your school’s exposure while helping to create the kind of environment that students need to succeed.

Read on to learn how you can use promotional items to send school spirit (and your school program’s exposure) skyrocketing.

How Do Promo Products Improve School Spirit?

Imagine a pep rally, with all its cheering, branded gear, and up-beat music. Such events can give students a sense of belonging and strengthen the campus community.

With that sense of belonging comes higher academic performance, too. According to a recent study in the Journal of School Health, a positive school climate promotes academic success and reduces absenteeism.

School spirit promotional items can help you accomplish the same thing every day of the year. With the ability to rep their school logo or team everywhere they go, students can enjoy a sense of school spirit and community, all while showing off your brand to thousands of people.

As an added bonus, school spirit promotional items for high school students, university students and elementary schoolers are all equally effective.

5 School Spirit-Boosting Activities

Here are some of the best spirit-boosting activities, complete with fun school spirit promotional items:

  1. Back-to-school cookouts
    At a back-to-school cookout, students, parents, and faculty can come together to get excited about the upcoming school year. These events are also perfect for welcoming new students into the community.

  2. Pep rallies
    Usually held in anticipation of upcoming sporting events, pep rallies are a fantastic way to get students excited for extracurricular activities. What’s not to love about some pre-game hype?

  3. Spirit week
    An annual school spirit week can give students the chance to show their creativity and have fun, all while building school spirit. Many schools celebrate Spirit Week by creating themed dress-up days.

  4. Movie nights
    Movie nights are a fun and affordable way to bring the school community together in a way that everyone can enjoy. To create a more engaging experience, try letting attendees vote on the movie choice.

  5. New mascot contests
    Switching things up with a new mascot contest can be a great way to get students involved in creating a fresh school identity they can be proud of. Get them rallying behind their new mascot with these mascot temporary tattoos or mascot stress relievers!

These activities are ideal places for students, parents, and faculty to show off their school spirit giveaways. From apparel to tech accessories, all types of promotional items can make any school event even better.

Which School Spirit Promotional Items are Best?

As you’d expect, items like backpacks and customized water bottles are always excellent choices for boosting school spirit in your community.

Looking for the perfect school spirit giveaways for your students? These are some of our favorite school spirit products for every occasion.

Blue and black backpack with white logo

Back-to-School

For many students, back-to-school time represents the end of a carefree summer and the start of early mornings and daily homework.

However, you can get students excited for the school year with a variety of fun and useful promotional items. For instance, the Stylin’ Backpack shown below can make school prep easier for students and parents.

Here are some more awesome back-to-school items:

Personalized water bottles

With a durable, reusable water bottle, students can stay hydrated throughout the school day. We love the sleek 16 oz Vigo Stainless Insulated Bottle.

Stress balls with your school logo

Help students relieve stress at any time with whimsical, squishable stress balls in a variety of shapes. We’re fans of this brightly-colored star-shaped stress ball.

Customized T-shirts

Make it easy for students and parents to show their school spirit all throughout the year with branded school spirit shirts. The Bella + Canvas™ Modern Fit T-Shirt is a foolproof choice for everyone.


Green silicone tech pocket with white logo

School Stores

A well-stocked school store can provide students with items they’ll love and use, all while raising money for the school and generating plenty of school spirit.

For example, the Silicone Tech Pocket shown below makes it a breeze for students to store their student ID and lunch money right on the back of their smartphone.

Other great school spirit promotional items for school stores include:

1. Apparel

All types of school spirit wear can be sold at on-campus stores to increase school spirit and meet students’ needs. We love the ultra-comfy jogger sweatpants and personalized hoodies like the Gildan® Heavy Blend™ Hoodie.

2. Tech accessories

Today’s students are nothing if not tech-savvy. Knowing that, it’s no wonder that convenient tech accessories like the Engraved Aluminum PopSockets® are always a big hit.

3. Customized Snacks

Students of all ages need an afternoon snack or pre-practice fuel to perform their best. Stock your shelves with these Mini Tasty Snack Bags or Single Serve Butter Popcorn Bags.


Red camp chair with black trim and black logo

Sports and Outdoor Events

Sporting and outdoor events present the ideal opportunity to provide students and parents with customized school spirit swag.

A prime example is the Camp Chair pictured on the left. With a matching carry bag and built-in cup holders, it’s perfect for games, barbecues, picnics, and movie nights alike.

Whether you’re looking for pep rally ideas or game-night items, these personalized items will fit the bill:

1. Caps and hats

For daytime outdoor events, you can’t go wrong with custom-imprinted caps and hats. One fan favorite is the Classic Ball Cap. Available in a rainbow of colors, it can be customized to suit any school color scheme.

2. Sports and outdoor promotional items

Specifically designed for sporting and outdoor events, items like the Soft Touch Sport Towel can be used by both athletes and game attendees.

3. Flyers and fans

With easy-to-use flyers and colorful fans, students and parents can enjoy some family-friendly fun while showing their school spirit. We love the Custom Handheld Fan, which comes in an array of amusing shapes.

4. Drawstring bags

Crafted from lightweight materials, drawstring bags are perfect for storing a water bottle, snacks, and sneakers at an outdoor event. We’re fans of the Zip-Front Drawstring Backpack, which is complete with a handy zippered pocket.


Of course, these ideas are only the tip of the iceberg. From lip balms and awareness bracelets to tote bags and writing instruments, the possibilities are limitless.

Don’t stay on the sidelines this school year. Take the opportunity to promote school spirit, build a stronger community, and support your students, all while gaining exposure at a low cost.

Want even more ideas? Check out our full selection of promotional products for education.

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