The Power of Connection: How Schools Thrive When Students Create Together

There’s something special about this time of year in schools.

Yes, the hallways feel cozier, the bulletin boards get a little brighter, and there’s a buzz of excitement in the air…

But let’s be honest - this is also the season of missing glue sticks, tinsel stuck in the laminator, and at least one teacher asking in the workroom, “Wait, what day is it?”

Still, through all the beautiful chaos, something real and meaningful happens: students create, collaborate, and come together. And when their work is shared and celebrated visually like on walls, classroom doors, display boards, and digital screens, it strengthens the sense of connection that makes school feel like a community.

At Presentation Systems, Inc. (PSI), we’ve seen this firsthand. When students help shape the spaces around them, they don’t just decorate the school; they belong to it.

The Impact of Being “Seen” at School

One of the most powerful things educators can offer students is visibility, the moment a child recognizes that their work matters and deserves to be shared.

A printed poem on a hallway board. An enlarged piece of artwork by the library. A “Student of the Month” poster greeting families at the front entrance.

These aren’t just decorations. They’re messages:

You matter here. Your ideas matter here. Your contributions matter here.

Research backs this up, too:

• The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) notes that when students feel seen and valued, engagement, motivation, and pro-social behavior all increase.

• A 2020 Edutopia review reported that displaying student work, especially in shared spaces, boosts confidence and reinforces a sense of ownership in the learning environment.

• And the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research identifies student belonging as one of the strongest predictors of academic success and persistence.

So when schools use their ecolor+ poster printers to enlarge student art, celebrate milestones, or showcase learning, they’re doing far more than printing. They’re helping students feel rooted in their school community.

When Students Create Together, School Culture Thrives

Some of the most memorable moments in a school year are the ones students build together:

• A collaborative mural designed by a fifth-grade class

• A hallway display celebrating a reading challenge

• A set of club posters made by student leaders

• A banner created to welcome families to a winter performance

Shared projects strengthen school culture because they give students ownership. They turn hallways into galleries of student voice, and classrooms into buzzing hubs of creativity.

Collaboration also has real academic benefits. Education researcher John Hattie’s meta-analysis ranks cooperative learning as a high-impact practice (effect size 0.59), showing that students deepen understanding and retain more when learning with others. When they work together on visual projects, they’re not just designing. They’re communicating, problem-solving, and building relationships.

And in STEP schools, this collaboration expands even further.

Students aren’t just creating for themselves. They’re designing for their entire school.

One teacher shared:

“We absolutely love our poster printer from Presentation Systems Inc.! As a teacher, I can't say enough about how much this purchase has impacted my students. They use the printer to run our school-based business, and it has completely transformed their sense of ownership and creativity. The joy on their faces when they see their designs displayed around school and throughout the community is priceless.”

That joy matters. It’s the spark that turns students into leaders, collaborators, and creators.

Why Visual Projects Bring People Together

There’s an emotional element to visual work that’s easy to overlook. Behind every poster or banner, there’s a story:

• A student who learned a new design skill

• A team that brainstormed a concept together

• A class celebrating a milestone

• A teacher who wanted to make learning feel special

Visual projects give students a chance to contribute to something bigger than themselves. They see the impact of their work every time they walk past a poster they helped design. They experience the pride of knowing their ideas are visible—literally—in shared spaces.

And that pride becomes community.

STEP: Where Collaboration Meets Career Skills

PSI’s Student Entrepreneur Program (STEP) takes that sense of community collaboration even further by giving students the opportunity to run a real school-based business using the ecolor+ poster printer.

Students work together to:

• Brainstorm and plan projects

• Create and edit designs

• Manage orders from teachers, clubs, and community groups

• Operate the printer

• Deliver final products

• Communicate professionally with “customers” around campus

STEP helps students practice teamwork, communication, design thinking, and leadership. These same competencies are identified by PowerSchool’s Job Readiness Guide as essential for postsecondary success.

And STEP does more than prepare students for the future. It helps them feel connected, capable, and proud right now.

Celebrating Students by Celebrating Their Work

As the year winds down, schools are filled with moments worth celebrating:

• Winter concerts and performances

• End-of-semester showcases

• Artwork and writing exhibitions

• Academic and extracurricular achievements

• Community events and holiday drives

The ecolor+ poster printer helps teachers turn those moments into memories through:

• Concert and event signage

• Student artwork displays

• Seasonal hallway visuals

• Club and activity highlights

• Celebration boards and certificates

It’s simple, meaningful, and impactful. Students never forget the feeling of seeing their work featured front and center.

Connection Makes a School Feel Like Home

Schools thrive when students feel connected to each other, to their teachers, and to the environment around them. And creativity is one of the most powerful tools for building that connection.

Whether it’s a collaborative mural, a STEP-led business project, or a hallway of student creations, these visuals help turn a school into a place where students belong.

Looking Ahead to a New Year of Creativity

As we close out the year and look forward to new beginnings, one thing remains true: Students flourish when they are encouraged to create, share, and lead.

And PSI is grateful to walk alongside the educators, librarians, club sponsors, and STEP leaders who make that possible.

Here’s to more collaboration, more connection, and more student-made magic in the year ahead!