Almost two dozen Los Angeles area Catholic elementary and high schools will add CC! to their curriculum in 2005-06.

"We would like to be the first diocese in the country where the program is totally integrated," said Nancy Coonis, the archdiocesan superintendent of secondary schools.. "Each school is free to integrate CHARACTER COUNTS! the way they want. Some schools focus on a different Pillar each week.

"The reason we like the program is because the Six Pillars of Character are universal. They are values we can all agree on," Ms. Coonis told Tidings. Since January 2005, 77 teachers and administrative staff from 23 schools have attended CDS's with a Catholic version of CC!, offering Catholic moral instruction, Biblical passages and quotes from saints.

Dan Horn, principal of St. Genevieve High in Panorama City, has seen big improvements in students after five years of CC!. "Having a character education program has transformed our school. The students see the atmosphere of the school as just as much their responsibility as the administrators'," he said, adding that CC! has bred a climate unconducive to hazing or bullying.

This summer, seven St. Genevieve students took part in a national "Operation Respect" forum in Washington D.C. "It was a life-changing experience for them," said Mr. Horn. "More and more, the students want the opportunity to be leaders." He is grooming two more groups of students who will go to Atlanta and San Antonio this fall to speak on character education.

"I'm passionate about CHARACTER COUNTS!," said economics teacher Ron Rishagen of St. Bernard High, who integrated the Six Pillars in his classes after attending the January CDS. He says CC! has improved kids' academic performance and behavior, including their relations with parents.

"The students enjoy it so much. They learn social graces and how to respect each other. They also learn the consequences of such actions as cheating and lying. I personally am a changed person and I'm 62," said Mr. Rishagen.

CC! will become part of all St. Bernard classes in the next school year. Over the summer of 2005, Mr. Rishagen produced a CD for his fellow teachers with CC! exercises they can use in the classroom. The CD also contains essays from students about the impact of CC! on them. For instance, one wrote, "The program has changed my character because I am nicer to others and I think about their feelings." Another said, "I have become more responsible and [I] began trusting other people more." Still another stated, "'Responsibility' has changed me because my grades are way better. Before I wouldn't do my homework and I would be worried the next day because I would try to do it in other classes but now I go home and do my homework and feel much better knowing I am prepared to be in class."

"I would encourage every educator to get into the program because it works and life is so much more pleasant for everyone in the classroom," said Mr. Rishagen.

Storytellers were everywhere in Oakdale Elementary fifth grade in 2004-05, and they were writing about CC! and bears.

Each fifth-grader first created a bear at the Build-A-Bear Workshop, then wrote a CC!-based story about the animal, and donated it and the story to needy kids.

The decision to make the bears came from the children themselves, and the teachers added and structured the fiction assignment. "We kind of spurred the idea along, but they had the original idea," fifth-grade writing teacher Darlene Short told a reporter from Warrick Publishing.

Teachers provided guidelines for the youngsters, asking each to craft a tale in which:

1. The bear has a problem
2. The bear loses a Pillar out of its character.
3. Five events occur.
4. The bear receives a Pillar (the absent one or another) as a gift.
5. The student shows how the bear used the Pillar to make a difference.

"The fact that it was tied to CHARACTER COUNTS! was kind of neat because they would have a problem and they would identify a character trait that maybe they lost," said Ms. Short.

Almost all the stories showed how the bear grew from its experience. For instance:

Austin Baker wrote about a bear in the military whose gun accidentally fired. He lost the Pillar of responsibility, but took a class in gun safety and earned it back.

Haley Dillingham wrote about a bear named Twinkle whose pet died. She lost caring and, angry and bewildered, defaced school property. Later Twinkle fixed the damage, apologized, and won her caring back.

Kyle Ingram wrote about an animal named Beary who joined a friend in jumping on a couch. Beary's friend got hurt, but he didn't tell his mother because he knew he'd get in trouble. So he lost trustworthiness. Eventually, Beary confessed and sought to atone by aiding his classmates, obeying instructions and helping his mother. At the conclusion, his mother gave him a medal that reminded him to always be trustworthy.

Citizens for Safe Schools (CFSS) is "dedicated to making the development of character a top priority in our schools, homes and community by promoting trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship." CFSS exists to “connect kids and community" and has been very active in three broad areas:

1. Fostering trust between generations. Its "Kids in the Middle" mentoring program connects at-risk youth in grades 4-8 with caring adult mentors who model and encourage relationships built on the Six Pillars. As of July 2005, the program served 57 mentor/mentee pairs. The goal is to match 50 pairs yearly.

2. Reducing anti-social behavior -- especially substance abuse and bullying. Its CC! campaign provides guidance, resources, events, ideas and financial assistance to all local K-12 schools, both public and private, and helps educators integrate the Six Pillars into their curricula and school climate.

3. Partnering with other agencies to create a fabric of support, intervention and prevention. These alliances let CFSS pool resources and offer greater opportunities to more of the community. The Six Pillars inform all these efforts, such as:

• The Klamath Youth Harvest -- a partnership between Rotary First Harvest of Oregon, Inc., Klamath Master Gardeners, the Oregon State University Extension Service and CFSS -- gives mentors and mentees the chance to work collectively in a community garden. Together, they recently donated 4,500 pounds of produce to the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank.
• On the first anniversary of 9/11, over 5,000 people paraded down Main Street in an effort spearheaded by CFSS.
• Youth lodged at JDH attend the “In Search of Character” program, a six-week series in which participants discuss the Six Pillars in an informal forum with counselors, and learn to apply these principles to their own lives in order to make better choices.
• Other events and partnerships include “CHARACTER COUNTS! in the Workplace” presentations offered to the community, elementary and middle school assemblies featuring Primary Focus and numerous motivational speakers, an annual indoor garage sale with seven other youth-serving agencies, "Youth Blast" parties at the Riverside Community Center (organized with the Youth-Adult Partnership), the Pursuing Victory with Honor campaign at the Sports Complex, the School Violence Prevention Committee with school officials and law enforcement, and the Project Wisdom series in the high schools.
  

The Rotary Club of Bloomington Daymakers works in partnership with several schools and community organizations to promote CHARACTER COUNTS!. In addition to producing materials to raise awareness in the community, the Daymakers provide classroom materials, conduct workshops and address educational leaders on the issue of character education. They have received the support of the Bloomington City Council, and the Bloomington Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA), and are conducting community-wide activities in coordination with Healthy Communities – Healthy Youth, the Minnesota Center for Corporate Responsibility, and the Minnesota Alliance With Youth.

In the summer of 2005 the children at the Beachwood School Age Center enjoyed activities involving respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, trust and bullying prevention. They spent time with the local 4-H branch and learned about sign language with guide dogs, showing visitors how a guide dog responds to its companion. The children also worked with their families overseas and with all aspects of the world peace effort.

July was safety month with outdoor and water play. The Center sought to use children's input to help keep playgrounds and equipment safe, and the children made posters about different aspects of safety.

On August 7, the children represented their 4-H clubs at the annual Fort Lewis Country Fair, which also included National Kids Day. "The wonderful gifts these children possess as being military children include diversity and their willingness to help their community," said Deborah Shepard, CC! coordinator assistant. "This summer so far has allowed them to relax and play."

Students at Middletown Elementary School sponsor various programs to benefit the community though their CHARACTER COUNTS! program. The school raised more than $7,000 for the American Heart Association though its annual Jump Rope for Heart. Students also participated in the Heart Campaign for Homeless Children and Youth by collecting school supplies and toiletry items. Newsletters are sent home monthly from the school counselor highlighting current CC! activities and goals.

What does Fort Lewis do with CHARACTER COUNTS!? "What don't we do with CHARACTER COUNTS!?" replies CC! coordinator Cynthia Kaaiwela.

The Fort works with five elementary schools, and each month the schools and Fort highlight the same Pillar. The kids regularly perform skits tied in with the Pillar of the month. Posters are everywhere. There is a notebook in which kids describe what the Pillars mean to them. Fort Lewis has set up a "Peace Table" for conflict resolution with a mentor. On "CHARACTER COUNTS! Friday" the kids can't leave until they name all the Pillars and specify the one highlighted that month.

A CHARACTER COUNTS! awards ceremony takes place every month. Teachers submit the names of kids who have best demonstrated the Pillar of the month, and the top two children receive a certificate and a pin. Parents attend the ceremony where a high official on the post praises the winners.

"The kids talk the talk and walk the walk everywhere - in their discipline cycle and on the playground," said Ms. Kaaiwela.

The numerous activities at the Beachwood School Age Center over the last few years have included:

• October 2001 - During CHARACTER COUNTS! Week, children at the Center worked with staff and parents to gather food and clothing for families of the armed forces at a local Army post, and for the homeless.
• January 2002 - To raise money for youngsters in Afghanistan, the kids sold flag pins and rocks they painted, as well as key chains. Overall, they brought in $700 from the effort. In addition, they sold cookbooks for the Fort Lewis Childcare Givers Association, an organization to assist teachers and help them attend workshops and conferences.
• Spring, 2002 - Youngsters at the Center pursued summer studies from April through June, 2002, through the Center's enrollment in the Washington State University cooperative extension in 4-H. While planning summer camp, the Center organized its clubs. There were eight modules - in science, citizenship and photography, technology and computers, cooking and sewing, sports, fine arts, woodworking and drama. At the end of summer each child earned a 4-H pin.
• November 2002 - Students mounted the largest food drive on the post. Parents, staff, children and visitors all collected, and the preschoolers expressed amazement at the amount of food donated. One said, "Wow! That's a lot, just like at my grandma's house."
• Winter 2003 - Students formed a CHARACTER COUNTS! Round Table, to help children who have a parent deployed to the Middle East. The students had talked about what they could do, and their answer was to reach out to these children by hanging out with them, playing basketball, going on field trips. The children also wrote letters to the troops and the families of their loved ones.
• March 26, 2003 - Special visitors from sca.org gave the children an educational presentation on the Middle Ages. They showed a shield, costumes and a handmade tunic. The "baron" awarded CHARACTER COUNTS! pins and certificates, recognizing the youngsters for fairness and other Pillars.
• April 2003 - On April 16, to celebrate the "Month of the Military Child," two officers presented the Beachwood children with CHARACTER COUNTS! awards. The kids also received art awards from the Boys and Girls Club. On April 17, the youngsters held a "KidsFest" with the theme of "Rollin' on Washington."
• June 2003 - In June the choir added sign language to the songs, and performed in conjunction with the drama club.
• July 2003 - The children in summer camp promoted CHARACTER COUNTS! by mentoring the younger children with 4-H. Their two-hour sessions began June 30. Some of the newer clubs included hip hop, apparel, gardening, bugs, puppetry, stitchery with canvas, biking, sports, cooking and scrapbooking. The children also took part in 4-H training and helped as junior camp assistants. Trustworthiness was the Pillar for July, and kids focused on all the Pillars. They also mentored new students in summer camp. "What a great summer we're having!" said Ms. Shepard.
• August, 2003 - Summer activities included field trips, gymnastics and soccer. The students of Beachwood Summer Camp entered the Fort Lewis and Graham Fairs and won yellow ribbons. The children received the fairness award and a character pin on August 16. They also worked on a news kids' team. They gathered information on the Sports Academy, volleyball, wrestling, rock climbing and other activities, and planned September's "Character on Parade."
• October, 2003 - On October 9 the March on Heroes took place, in which each child dressed up as his or her favorite hero or friend and marched across the post to the housing areas. "Parents, staff, teachers, and children walked the March with us," said Ms. Shepard. The children also created murals and posters for their CHARACTER COUNTS! Hero on Parade. Later in the month, children created friendship cards for soldiers, working with Operation Bright Lights to add a moment of cheer to their days. The goal was to send a greeting card to all soldiers. Children also drew pictures for the upcoming Art Fair of the boys and girls clubs.
• January and February, 2005 — Tsunami relief was on the minds of students at the Beachwood Center. They raised $500 for victims of the disaster and donated it to the Red Cross. The children also made posters depicting the waves, water and people, and decorated cans and bottles. They reflected regularly about what it would be like if a tidal wave struck in Washington state, if their homes were lost, their families gone. "Through this they are learning about life skills, character in their lives, community efforts, how they make difference," said CC! coordinator Deborah Shepard.
• Summer, 2005 — The children at the Beachwood School Age Center spent time with the local 4-H branch and learned about sign language with guide dogs, showing visitors how a guide dog responds to its companion. July was safety month with outdoor and water play. The Center sought to use children's input to help keep playgrounds and equipment safe, and the children made posters about different aspects of safety. On August 7, the children represented their 4-H clubs at the annual Fort Lewis Country Fair, which also included National Kids Day.

In August 2005 the Metro Los Angeles YMCA held its first annual “Y’s World of Kids Day,” and 726 youth day camp, child care, and teen participants attended. The theme was character development, and as Christine Watts says, "We celebrated and enriched the lives of YMCA youth participants by gathering together to build friendships and fun in a day that built character."

The event featured astrojumps, booths with "character bucks," and friendship bracelets with “CHARACTER COUNTS!” on them. In addition, a YMCA branch spirit/character stick competition took place. The branch with the most spirit took possession of the Character/Spirit Stick until next year. "It was a great event and enjoyed by all," says Ms. Watts.

Over 50 needy families will enjoy a real Thanksgiving dinner in 2005 -- with turkey, gravy mix, potatoes, rice, vegetables and pie -- thanks to Terri Judah.

As part of CC!, for the last five years Ms. Judah has mounted a Thanksgiving food drive at the Early Childhood Education Center. She handed out food baskets to 19 families in the first year, and to 53 in 2004.

She and her aides are accepting food and cash donations until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. At that point, Ms. Judah told the Current-Argus, the serious labor begins. For hours, she and Center staff members sort through the donations and fill the baskets.

"I'm very passionate about it." Ms. Judah said. "Every year [the number of families] gets larger, and I get crazy and worry if we'll have enough donations. But each year, we have enough. When everyone comes to get their baskets, that's when I know it's all worth it."

At Fairmeadows Elementary, Ronald McDonald entertained students in grades two through five, in a September 2005 assembly promoting CC!. The friendly clown conveyed the Pillars with magic puppets, skits, and songs, according to the Des Moines Register, and kids got into the act as well.

At Sacred Heart, eighth-graders presented a CC! assembly, describing the Pillars to the student body.

Among the September 2005 CC! events at Urbandale schools, according to the Des Moines Register:

• Summit Middle. Students learned about the U.S. Constitution and began using the Six Pillars to develop a constitution for the school. All students will help, and should therefore have a sense of ownership about it and responsibility for applying it.
• Dallas Center-Grimes High. The school added Student of the Week to its Student Pillar of the Month program. Peers or teachers nominate students who display the Pillars, and workplace readiness teacher Scott Heitland will reveal the boy and girl who win either front-row parking spaces for the week or a ticket to go to the head of the lunch line. The first four CC! winners were Andrea Cain, Nathan Comes, Katie Minnich and Aaron Stover.
• St. Joseph. The CC! kickoff rally took place Friday, September 23 in the gym. Respect is the Pillar for October, and parents, staff and students can nominate young people "Caught Being Good." Students also donated $1,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief.