Letting students take a central role in your character initiative is a great way to cultivate leadership skills and autonomy. Here are some Promising Practices that schools have used to engage students:
Mt. Olive Middle School in Budd Lake, NY‘s Character C.R.E.W. program is designed to help students understand core values and to promote caring and responsible behaviors. Twice a month, the principal meets with the sixth, seventh and eighth grade CREWs during their lunch period to discuss positive character traits and to identify individuals who demonstrate core values through their words, deeds, or service. CREWs nominate community members who exemplify these positive traits to serve as guest readers of the morning message. Guests are greeted in the morning by their CREW who provides the nominee with a message that they have selected for them from the Project Wisdom binder. The message, which is read over the PA system, encourages staff and students to think about topics such as integrity, courage, honesty, respect, and compassion.
Oakhurst Elementary in Largo, FL developed a version of CEP’s 11 Principles of Character Education for students. Each year, Model Mustangs, a group of 50 plus students in 3rd-5th grade who spearhead many of Oakhurst’s character education initiatives, rate the school’s implementation of the student-centered 11 Principles. Model Mustangs meet monthly to review the results of the Student CEP Self-Assessment and reflect on Oakhurst’s CE practices: both areas of success and areas that need improvement. They then use these results as a springboard to plan student-led character education initiatives with the entire school.
West Springfield High School in Faifax County, VA‘s Senior Capstone Project allows students to combine their creativity and leadership skills to develop a character program for underserved individuals in the local community. Through this project, the seniors are putting their good character into action in the community by applying core values such as responsibility, respect and compassion to a real-world project. They are also gaining the opportunity to actively experience and reflect on teamwork and service to others.
