As part of a local CC! program, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth spoke to 380 Robert Frost Elementary students in January 2005 on the Pillars of responsibility and respect.

She said responsibility was just as important at home and school as in Washington, D.C. Responsibilities run the gamut from the small, like cleaning one's room, to the large and important, like sending aid to victims of the great tsunami.

Regarding respect, Rep. Herseth said people have to listen to others, even when they disagree. In Washington, disagreement seems a way of life, so it's vital for individuals to listen. "We need more people in Washington treating each other with respect, treating each other the way we want to be treated," she said, according to the Associated Press.

Julie Hartmann, principal at Robert Frost, said her students learned about caring in December by donating new socks to a Sioux Falls charity. She noted that the Six Pillars imbue daily life at the school, but that administrators also often bring in speakers to talk about them.