Character Education
Character education is about celebrating and teaching positive human qualities, qualities that lead to productive lives and a thriving
society. Good character doesn't just happen; it must be taught and modeled. Many states, in fact, mandate the teaching of character
education in schools.
Uncommon Friends Foundation is dedicated to character education and has as its mission instilling ethics, moral values, and a sense of purpose in tomorrow's leaders. The foundation's character education program teaches such traits as honesty, integrity, friendship, cooperation, and perseverance.
Our curricula for grades 3-8 and for high school and beyond, Lessons Learned from the Uncommon Friends, are based on stories and incidents found in James Newton's book, Uncommon Friends and were written by teachers with extensive classroom experience. They provide teachers and students with activities that instill ethics and positive character traits and can be integrated into all academic subject areas. Both curricula are aligned with the Florida State Department of Education's Sunshine Standards and thus are easily aligned with the standards in other states across the country.
Character Education Curricula
The foundation publishes a curriculum for grades 3-8 and another for high school and beyond. These Lessons Learned from the
Uncommon Friends curricula are disseminated through teacher trainings and classroom encounters. The curricula meet the Florida State Department of
Education's Sunshine Standards and thus are easily aligned with the standards in other states across the country. The curriculum is
currently being taught in a number of states throughout the country.
| Character Education Award Nomination Form | Curriculum Grades 3-8 |
Curriculum High School/Adult |
2011 Character Education
Teacher Award Recipients
of the curriculum and character education lessons with their students.
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Nancy Beatty ~ Guidance Counselor Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary School North Fort Myers, Florida Nancy Beatty is a champion of Character Education. She has worked as a Guidance Counselor for 26 years. In her current position at Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Elementary School, she works tirelessly to instill ethics, moral values, and a sense of purpose in tomorrow's leaders. She has the unique opportunity to interact with all students, pre-K to Grade 5, and her lessons are always unique and engaging for every level. She demonstrates commitment to the students with her ability to sense their needs and provide the appropriate lesson or intervention. In addition, she never misses a chance to assist the students with discovering their individual purpose and helping them to set the stage for unending personal growth. She involves the students in a variety of community service activities, including the Ronald McDonald House, and her efforts have resulted in a number of students being recognized by the Lee County Sheriff's Department “Do the Right Thing” award program and the Kiwanis Club. Nancy states, “Character Education is about the vision and possibilities that can be realized in every student. They can be taught to respect others, and it is up to us to teach this every day.” |
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Trudi O'Grady ~ Fourth Grade Teacher Hector Cafferata Elementary School Cape Coral, Florida Trudi O'Grady is a dedicated educator who epitomizes the qualities of the Uncommon Friends. Her career in education has taken her from the Montessori pre-K environment to working as a special needs paraprofessional. During those years,Trudi found that she was especially drawn to the students with disabilities, and admired their ability to overcome daunting personal challenges in order to succeed. The lessons she learned from these courageous students inspired her to complete her education and become a teacher. Once in college, Trudi displayed a high level of scholarship, creativity, and perseverance, and was awarded a scholarship from the Uncommon Friends Foundation in 2008. All this was accomplished in spite of the challenges of her own serious health concerns, and a very busy family life with her husband and three boys. Trudi's Assistant Principal Mr. LaMar writes that Trudi has “a natural gift to bring out the best in each of her students, and that she goes above and beyond to ensure that her students are learning and growing every day!” |