RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - The long-running character encouragement program at Russellville Elementary and Middle schools has been converted to the Character Counts this year.
"The reason for doing so was recognizing more kiddos," Principal Tina Kauffman said.
In the past, one student from each grade was nominated for Student of the Month. This year, each elementary classroom names a student who will be recognized for portraying that month's promoted character trait. At the middle school, a boy and girl from each grade will be named.
"This doubles the number of students we recognize," counselor Cheri Williams said.
Also new this year, students will be recognized at a monthly assembly. Williams said parents have been responsive to the assembly idea, many attending when their children were selected.
Part of the brief program will be a student-designed skit highlighting the month's feature character trait.
The Russellville Lions Club has partnered with the school to support the students of the month with a certificate and a free pass to a Russellville school sporting event.
Then, elementary students each get to choose a friend to each with for an honorary luncheon, where they sit at a special table in the cafeteria.
And middle school honorees become student ambassadors, helping the principal greet arriving students at the front door in the mornings.
Finally, selected students will also be celebrated on the bulletin board at the school's front entrance.
"We hope this builds self confidence," Williams said. "This says we are watching and we want to applaud positive efforts."
Williams said the ultimate goal for the recognition is to model important character traits.
"So far, the feedback has been very positive," Kauffman said. "I just want our kids to know that we think they are great and would like to recognize them every chance that we get."