After completing her Peace Corps service, Katie Zawacki sent this update of CHARACTER COUNTS! activity in St. Lucia:

Vieux Fort’s Education officer, District Counselor, Counselors, Principals, Teachers and Children from the St. Lucia's Education District VI presented a Gala Spectacular in February to demonstrate their commitment to CHARACTER COUNTS!. The Spectacular was timed to coincide with the departure of Peace Corps Volunteers who initiated the programs district-wide. It was more than two hours of song, mime, poetry, and dance; most of it original work celebrating the creativity and uniqueness of St. Lucian educators and children.

CHARACTER COUNTS! educators adapted their implementation techniques to suit the local culture in a way their children could understand. For example, the Character Carousel animals were unfamiliar to St. Lucian children, so some schools incorporated native species like frogs, bees, parrots, and donkeys to depict the traits. One school even used local flowers in Six Pillar colors. The children from one primary school said "thank you CHARACTER COUNTS! for the colors because they make it easier to remember what to do."

The sixth District is well-equipped to assist the rest of St. Lucia in creating CHARACTER COUNTS! programs. The Minister of Education, A Gala attendee, stated his commitment to the continued development of CHARACTER COUNTS! as a proven, and much needed, character education strategy.

McDole Elementary School Social Worker Vikki Moeller offered this description of a recent visit from the current Miss Illinois, Heidi Ekstrom:

Eckstrom, formerly Miss Kane County, made a special appearance at McDole to speak about the "six pillars of character" -- trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship -- highlighted in the CHARACTER COUNTS! program.

The students, ages 5 to 10, raised their hands and gave examples of how they live the six attributes of character, such as being nice to people and taking responsibility for their actions.

"Respect is the golden rule," Eckstrom told the students, adding that means accepting people for who they are.

Eckstrom shared how her younger sister once cried every day before school because she was afraid to tell anyone that others in her class were teasing her.

Principal Fran Eggleston said Miss Illinois was invited to reinforce the CHARACTER COUNTS! emphasis the school places in classrooms across the district each day.

Eggleston said teachers have weaved into their lessons how bullying someone at school is neither tolerated nor an acceptable form of behavior.

"We do not have an overly bullying problem, but by focusing on the CHARACTER COUNTS!, we are working to eliminate it," Eggleston said.

Fourth grader Marissa Morton was recognized at the assembly for developing a reward system to eliminate bullying. The youngster has given talks in classes about ways to handle bullying.

Miss Illinois has a full schedule of appearances throughout Illinois, so McDole was pleased to have her visit their school.

Since receiving the crown in July at the Miss Illinois Pageant in St. Charles, Eckstrom has logged approximately 10,000 miles for appearances at schools and speaking engagements at charitable events. Eckstrom's personal platform is enriching the lives of children with disabilities.

Tammy Linn

On the home page of the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame, a quote by historian Dr. Reba Grandrud serves as a fitting introduction to a dynamic force for change in Yavapai County who may one day join its ranks:

"Our Arizona Women's Hall of Fame honorees
have achieved greatness because they were determined.
If they saw a need, they filled it.
If they met an obstacle, they got around it.
One way or another, they met the challenge."

It is difficult to find anyone who has not been touched by Tammy Linn and her determination to connect the community.