CC! began at Chamisa Elementary in late October 2004, when principal Kate Thomas and counselor Diane Tuttle launched it at a kind of pep rally, announcing the vision "Put Your Best Foot Forward in Scholarship, Character and Life!"

The Pillar of the Month for November was citizenship, to tie in with the elections, and Chamisa students held a mock election.

In December they focused on caring and gathered items for the needy. The class put together a Christmas tree graced with items needed by families in northern New Mexico. Their efforts brightened Christmas for children from Alcalde Elementary School, infants from Hope Pregnancy Center and elderly residents from Sombrillo Nursing Home.

They gathered food and donated it to the Los Alamos Cares Food Bank, and collected and gave two needy families a week's worth of food, gifts for the children, a set of clothes and toiletry items.

The Los Alamos Monitor noted that the Pillars would be in these elementary kids' "tool box" all their lives.

"The 'tools' are extremely important in their personal life," Ms. Tuttle told the paper. "But also for the future of our community and society as a whole. I think we have seen all too vividly how the lack of these character traits in many areas of our society has seriously impacted all of us."