The CC! program at Whittier Elementary is so moving that the State of Maryland honored it in September 2004.

Whittier is home to children from Fort Detrick, in the news recently for its work with anthrax and other biological weapons. Since 9/11 many of its families have had to deal with deployment. "Rather that giving in to negative, sad feelings, we decided to use these brave men and women as examples of character," says counselor Heather Quill. The school calls its character program "Whittier's Heroes -- Be a Hero to Yourself, Your Peers and Your Community." A committee developed lessons that tie each Pillar of Character to heroic behavior in daily living. The school is making monthly movies that focus on the Pillars and teach children to be "Everyday Heroes." The State of Maryland will honor the program in September 2004.

"Most exciting to us is the way this program has influenced our military partners and the children connected to them," says Ms. Quill. "We receive e-mails from all over the world telling us how our school and its support is making a difference to soldiers and to morale in their units."

One of its largest medical units, the 6th MLMC, is in Qatar. It coordinates medical care all over Iraq. "A member from Fort Detrick called to say they need our help with morale, particularly this upcoming holiday," Ms. Quill says. So for this year's CC! Week, Whittier will hold a schoolwide "adoption" program. The week before CC! Week a military member visited the school to provide a list of those who needed encouragement. Each class "adopted" a soldier (many had already adopted the units of parents serving abroad). Children spent the week preparing cards and letters to send to the adopted soldiers, and may continue corresponding throughout the year.

Additionally, this year Whittier Elementary will follow a good friend as he and his unit build a hospital in Northern Baghdad. The school has already received a blueprint of the hospital and photographs of the cleared grounds. It will monitor progress through photos and e-mails and will continue sending letters and banners of support.

"At a time where schools and the military are often in the media for negative reasons," Ms. Quill says, "we are proving that good can flourish when people band together."