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Virtues Program
 
A Character Education Program
 
 Every grade has its own Virtue word
 
            Kindergarten:        Friendship
            Grade 1:                Honesty
            Grade 2:                Perseverance
            Grade 3:                Responsibility
            Grade 4:                Compassion
            Grade 5:                Self-Discipline
            Grade 6:                Courage
Whole School Virtue Word:     Respect, Honor, Effort
 
Each minimum day, as well as other days, every class conducts a lesson related to their Virtue word.  The goal is to thoroughly teach children the meaning of each word and how to best demonstrate it.

Each month, one student from each class, is awarded the Virtues award for their clear demonstration of their grade level's Virtue word.

Since it began in Summer of 2001, the program has proven effective.  Students know their grade level word, its meaning, and how to demonstrate it.

 
School Virtues

By Sarah Steiner, writer for the GATEway Press
(A publication of Ben Franklin GATE program)
 
 
At our school, every grade has a virtue.  Every day, most of the students try to do something that has to do with their virtue.  I talked to some kids about their virtue, and this is what they said.
 
The 6th grade virtue is courage.  I talked to Sara Berryman from Mrs. Kleveno’s class, and this is what she said, “Courage is when you stand up to bullies.  It is about doing something right when everyone around is doing wrong.”
 
Self-Discipline is the virtue for 5th grade.  “Self discipline is having control over yourself.  Having control over what you do,” says Ashley Molen from Miss Riordan’s class.
 
The virtue for 4th grade is compassion.  Happy Gill from Mrs. Vasquez’s class said, “Compassion is being kind to people and kissing your mom on the cheek.”
 
Responsibility is the 3rd grade virtue.  As the kids are getting older, they need responsibility.  Sarah Guberman from Mrs. Maki’s class said, “Responsibility is cleaning up your stuffed animals and putting things away when you’re done with them.”
 
2nd grade is getting hard and the kids need perseverance to keep trying.  Perseverance means to keep on trying and never give up,” said Shane Murray. 
 
Honesty is the 1st grader’s virtue.  I talked with Brooke Steiner from Miss Cade’s class and she said, “Honesty means never lie, cheat, and always tell the truth.  Honesty is very important.”
 
Kindergarten’s virtue is friendship.  As they’re getting older and going to school, they need friends.  Friendship means being nice and honest to other people.
 
I took a poll on who tries to use their virtues every day.  Here are the results.  70% use their virtue, 20% sometimes use their virtue, and 10% don’t.

 

 
Last Modified on February 2, 2010