Many school-based programs teach students important life skills such as empathy, problem solving, and responsibility. A program does not need to be labeled “character education” to have the end result of teaching students to respect themselves and each other. The following are examples of programs across the country that are not character education initiatives per se, but go a long way toward helping students build the elements of good character.

Alabama Builds Champions

The Alabama Builds Champions (ABC) program is an after school tutorial and mentoring program that provides at-risk students, grades 3-8, with academic remediation, homework assistance, and life skills instruction three days a week, while also allowing students to develop one-on-one relationships with University of Alabama volunteer mentors.

The Tuscaloosa County Board of Education, the Tuscaloosa Family Resource Center, and the University of Alabama work together to provide the ABC program to two area schools. At each school, ABC meets 3 days a week for 2 hours, with approximately 12 students in each of 4 classes. Teachers provide tutoring and homework assistance, while ABC volunteer mentors deliver life skills lessons that are derived from several different character education resources.

Through lecture, small groups, and experiential learning, students learn to develop teamwork and communication skills as well as respect, responsibility, and self-esteem. The program is funded through an Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools mentoring grant.

Monthly progress reports and an annual Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) evaluation measure results and improvements within the program. ABC has found that connections can be made between character education and behavior and attendance reports in school.

Students participating in the program have exhibited a dramatic decline in absences and behavior problems, experiencing a nearly 75 percent drop in the average number of suspensions. Participants’ grades also have improved in social studies, science, math, and reading, with the greatest increase occurring in reading and math, where the average participant’s grade increased a full letter grade.

For more information about the ABC program, please contact Ken Leistico at (205) 462-1000 or leistico@etfrc.org.

Santa Paula CARES

The Santa Paula Elementary School District of California developed the CARES (Comprehensive Assistance and Resources for Elementary Students) project, an elementary school counseling demonstration program that creates safe, positive learning environments for students and improves children's social and emotional adjustment.

As part of the project, the district provides counseling services to any student experiencing social or emotional difficulties as well as group counseling to those struggling with anger management or social skills problems. These services are geared toward teaching children appropriate ways to cope with everyday problems or conflicts. Children learn techniques to relax, self-monitor, and recognize how their behavior affects others.

In addition, each school site within the district utilizes a multi-disciplinary Coordination of Services Team. This team meets regularly to address the needs of the students who are referred to counseling services. The team reviews each request for student support services and provides prevention and early intervention services, case management, and links to community resources.

Parents, teachers, administrators, and counselors also worked together to institute the Too Good for Drugs/Too Good for Violence program for grades K-5 and Project Alert for grades 6-8. These programs help students develop skills such as goal setting, decision making, coping skills, communication, and peer refusal.

The combined effect of these initiatives is to develop a healthy, positive school environment in which students practice skills such as problem solving, making appropriate choices, resisting peer pressure, and developing positive friendships—which develop good character.

For more information on the CARES program, please contact Frida Goldstein-Friend at (805) 933-8836 or ffriend@spesd.org.