If you are trying to make elders out of just one or multiple villagers I use a system that helped me out.

I dress all the men in white and the ladies in red (the short outfit) and the ones I plan on making Esteemed Elders are dressed just the opposite.

This saves time in tracking them down (they stand out) when they are not at their stations and does help in getting them quickly to another station when they've mastered one.