Casey Park Elementary educators believe that developing life-long good character is a critical component of every student's education. Each month we study a different trait to enable our children to become well-rounded students. This character education initiative by the staff, community and students has had positive effects on general behavior both inside and outside of school.

The character education attributes that we study are respect (September), responsibility (October), thankfulness (November), compassion (December), acceptance (January), honesty (February), perseverance (March), self-discipline (April), friendship (May), and cooperation (June).

Each month we encourage involvement at home. Parents receive a calendar with suggestions of ways they can support the monthly trait. When a student has participated in 10 days of activities, he or she earns an ice cream treat.

Character education is also addressed in the classroom. Each morning the school is greeted by student-run announcements and the following pledge is recited:

"We pledge to think with our heads, feel with our hearts, and do with our hands what is right."

This pledge generally reminds everyone that good character is the same for all and is expected from everyone throughout the day. Through modeling behavior and writing in journals students learn how to reason out issues in an appropriate way.

Character education attributes are displayed throughout our building. One parent created wall paintings that serve as reminders to our students. The staff arranges a thoughtful display of the current character education trait in the front showcase. The entire school has adopted a student who is currently ill with cancer and sends a monthly sunshine basket along with notes of support. This unified staff is delivering the same message of good character to our students daily.

Each month family members are invited to celebrate at the Student of the Month assembly. Our fourth and fifth-graders stage the program and take turns presenting the awards to their peers. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the presenters towards their classmates while conducting the assemblys. The audience always is so proud of these students and their fine examples.

The assemblys are exciting for another reason. Casey Park has been very fortunate to receive generous support from local businesses that donate prizes for the students. Wal-Mart provides a bicycle and Bass Pro gives a fishing pole. The Auburn Police Department, Movie Plex, the Polish Falcons, and Villano's Corner Store also have provided prizes. Students become eligible for the drawings each time they demonstrate the monthly trait for an entire day. Often a sponsor is invited to present its award to the students. The excitement of winning and coming up on stage greatly motivates the students. Following the event, the winners write "thank you" notes to the sponsors.

Learning good character did not come overnight to our students. It has taken the support and dedication of our staff, our parents, and the school board. By following good examples, our students have become more thoughtful about their actions and kinder to one another. Referrals to the principal have significantly decreased over the past four years.

At the end of six years students leave Casey Park with good character education training. The one lesson we hope they all will bring with them to graduation is: "A person of good character does what is right when no one else is watching."

Judy Gelston is a reading teacher at Casey Park Elementary School