Role models from Friendswood High School too numerous to count made a stop at Westwood Elementary bright and early Wednesday morning to help kick off our Character Counts! and Red Ribbon Week celebration. The early birds signed autographs, posed for pictures, and gave out stickers to reinforce today's theme: Character Keeps You In The Game! Our pep rally began with the pledges and a moment of silence, followed by some character cheers, led by our Mighty Mustang Varsity Cheerleaders. A pep band, under the direction of PAL Chandler Sager, then played a spirited rendition of the FHS Fight Song before PALs Brittany and Koby took the mic to have a character chat with our future cheerleaders, athletes, musicians, and PALs. Assistant Superintendent Thad Roher also spoke with the Westwood family to remind us that, though we each have our own favorite team(s), we are indeed all part of one bigger team connected by character. A prompt princess was crowned, the Golden Plunger award went to the girls, and our Character Celebration ended with the singing of the Westwood School Song. Our Hometown Heroes made Victory Tunnels for the students to exit through on their way to having a 'TRRFCC' day! We thank our Heroes from FHS for modeling character and leadership, friendship and fun!

If you live in Southern California, your next trip to the grocery store could be a character-building experience.

Ralphs is promoting CHARACTER COUNTS! in every single store. You’ll see a rack of our products and information, a sign at the door, kids’ lunchbox stickers, and advertising in the store flyers. You’ll even hear our own Michael Josephson’s “Food for Thought” messages over the sound system.

Be sure to see all the Pillars in store and check out our CHARACTER COUNTS! awareness and parenting products. Even if you’re not shopping, please tell the store manager how excited you are that they’re celebrating good character. And pass the word on to everyone you know.

If you’re rolling a cart down the aisle and hear, “There’s a Pillar in my produce!” you’ll know you’ve come to the right place!

Visit Ralphs.com to find a store near you.

The San Clemente CHARACTER COUNTS! in San Clemente, CA will be hosting their annual CC! Week Jamboree to celebrate the Six Pillars of Character. This year the Jamboree will feature a Wild West theme, including 70 educational booths, arts and crafts, games, and many western performances!

The Jamboree will take place at Vista Del Mar Middle School on Saturday, September 26 to celebrate CHARACTER COUNTS! and National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week. For more information about the events taking place in San Clemente, please call 949-361-8368.

The Urbandale, Iowa, Little League All-Stars became one of eight U.S. teams to make it to the 2009 World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, last month. All the kids grew up in CHARACTER COUNTS! schools and were engaged with the Pursuing Victory With Honor sportsmanship program through their Little League experience.

After their 5-3 triumph over Mercer Island, Washington, in the quarterfinals, Urbandale became the first Iowa team to win a World Series game since the field expanded to 16 teams in 2001 after four previous clubs went winless.

Unfortunately, they were eliminated 8-3 in a semifinal game with Staten Island before 16,900 fans at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.

“The boys battled,” said Urbandale manager Scott Grau. “We were looking for that spark to happen, and it never came. I couldn’t be prouder of the way they conducted themselves.”

Darline P. Robles, Ph.D., Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, joined Josephson Institute’s Board of Governors last year. As executive officer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, she leads the nation’s largest regional education service agency, serving 80 K-12 school districts and 1.7 million students.

We asked her opinion of the new Administration cutting character education, how schools can deal with shortages of staff, and how to get re-motivated after summer vacation.

CHARACTER COUNTS!: What drew you to Josephson Institute? What are the most significant challenges facing our organization, and what do you hope to bring to the table?
Darline P. Robles: Being part of Josephson Institute provides me with the opportunity to share its goals with our 80 school districts and within my organization and to eventually have more districts adopt the CHARACTER COUNTS! curriculum.

Continue reading "Darline P. Robles Q&A" »

Last month the Character Education Partnership recognized ten schools as winners of the 2009 National Schools of Character competition, and seventeen finalists. For a full list of winners, finalists, and honorable mentions, visit the CEP site.

We were thrilled to be able to interview three schools to find out more about their sustainability strategies for summer and beyond. Those schools are:

• Westwood Elementary School, Friendswood, TX – winner
The Westwood staff and community have created an extraordinary school large in its size and impact, yet small in its feel. The strength of its initiative is so great that past graduates have made a tremendous impact on how things are done. Students recently traveled to Washington to lobby Congress on behalf of service projects close to their hearts.

• Alta S. Leary Elementary School, Warminster, PA – winner
The “common goal of goodness” that envelops the school is the result of 15 years of conscious character-building. Students practice global citizenry: respect for all, ability to settle disagreements amicably, and helping those in need. Despite undergoing demographic changes, its academic achievement has continued to soar.

• Walnut Street Elementary School, Uniondale, NY – finalist
Walnut Street Elementary’s theme is respect and staff and students strive to live up to this daily. Character is an integral part of what they believe it takes to achieve excellence.

Continue reading "Character Education Partnership 2009 NSOC Award Winners and Finalists" »