Online Tool Store
Random Student Picker
Randomly pick a name from a class roster with an animated spin, fullscreen display, and no repeats until everyone has been picked.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Example shown — replace with your own roster, one name per line.
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How it works
- Paste your class roster, one name per line.
- Click "Pick a student" — the display spins through names before landing on the pick, and Fullscreen expands it for the projector.
- With "don't repeat" on, every name gets picked once before anyone repeats, even if two students share a name.
FAQ
What does "don't repeat" do?
When checked, each name can only be picked once until everyone on the roster has had a turn — once the whole class has been picked, it automatically starts a fresh round rather than needing a manual reset.
Can I edit the roster mid-class?
Yes — editing the roster resets the current round's picked-names tracking, so a name you just added is immediately eligible.
Is this fair — truly random?
Yes — it uses standard random number generation to pick uniformly from the eligible pool each time, the same fairness guarantee as drawing names from a hat.
Is my roster uploaded anywhere?
No — the roster and picks stay entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
What happens if two students have the same name?
Each still gets their own turn. "Don't repeat" tracks which line in your roster has been picked, not which name text — so two students both named "Sam" are treated as two separate people, each eligible until they've individually been picked.
Can I use this fullscreen on a projector?
Yes — select Fullscreen on the picked-name display to expand just that box to fill the screen, so the result is readable from the back of the room. Select it again, or press Escape, to leave fullscreen.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Popsicle sticks in a cup | Classroom management apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracks who's already been picked automatically | ✓ | Manual — remove sticks by hand | ✓ |
| No account or app install | ✓ | ✓ | Usually requires sign-up |
| Animated pick, not just a static swap | ✓ | Not applicable | Most do |
| One-click fullscreen for the projector | ✓ | Not applicable | Some do |
| Correctly gives duplicate names separate turns | ✓ | ✓ | Varies |
For a quick, no-setup way to cold-call fairly without maintaining physical sticks or signing up for a classroom app, this is faster.