gratitude

School supply drive for homeless offers lessons about gratitude

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Students at Queensland, Australia’s St. Mary’s Catholic School recently learned about people in their community who struggle with accessing basic necessities like food and water, and they decided to do something about it.

“We were learning about how we should be grateful for the things we’re given,” third-grader Patrick Chopping told The Bulletin.

Chopping and his classmates spent several days scavenging for items to donate to the local Homeless Connect – shoes, clothes, blankets, and other supplies – as part of a project set in motion by Councilor Rose Swadling, who emailed teacher Ruth Coughlan about giving a helping hand.

The students didn’t disappoint.

“I gave the children a challenge to fill five Gormans moving boxes within eight days … they filled them in three days,” Coughlan told the news site.

In total, the students and their families donated enough to fill 21 boxes over the course of 13 days.

Patrick told The Bulletin the items should be enough to help 100 homeless people.

“The families of our students were simply amazing with their generosity of clothing, bedding, food and toiletries,” Caughlan said.

“Gormans Removals donated the moving boxes and we are extremely grateful for that,” she said.

Syracuse University philosopher Laurence Thomas wrote about the dynamic of “Gratitude and Social Equality” for The Hedgehog Review, a publication of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia.

Thomas explained that it’s through gratitude that people acknowledge the significance of each other to form basic social connections.

“When a person acts in good will towards another, then she or he is acknowledging that the other has moral value,” Thomas wrote. “Gratitude is a natural response to being so treated.”

The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham offers a teacher handbook to help educators grow gratitude in students to cultivate an appreciative outlook on life.

“Gratitude has been associated with a host of benefits, both individually and interpersonally. It has been found to play a role in increasing and maintaining subjective wellbeing or happiness, and satisfaction with life,” according to the handbook.

“From a more collective point of view, gratitude promotes pro-social behavior and strengthens social bonds. Gratitude has been shown to lead to improved mental health in clinical and educational contexts.”

The handbook provides activities that encourage youngsters to “cultivate a sense of appreciation for the network of people from whom they receive benefits,” and “to reflect on the meaning of gratitude” outlined in an associated workbook.

Alabama teen’s determination to graduate high school pays off in a big way

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Tarrant High School student Corey Patrick was determined to graduate, even if it meant he had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to catch a bus across town to a Birmingham, Alabama school.

Patrick attended Tarrant City School since the fourth grade but moved to the West End before his senior year and wanted to graduate with his friends. That required the early morning walks to the bus stop, followed by an hours long commute home every day after school, WBRC reports.

“Corey was getting up at 4:30 in the morning and had to be at the bus stop at 5:41 in the morning for the last year,” his mother, Felicia White, told the news site. “Even when he would get out of school he couldn’t get from that side of town until 5:19 when the bus runs back over there. So he doesn’t make it back this way until about 6:30 or 7 o’clock.”

The 2018 graduate was making his last trip in his graduation gown in late May when the bus driver snapped a photo and posted it online, prompting an outpouring of support for the determined teen.

The photo quickly went viral, and caught the attention of local radio host and comedian Rickey Smiley, who decided Patrick’s perseverance deserved special recognition. The 95.7 JAMZ host gifted the teen a $25,000 sport utility vehicle, the first vehicle the boy’s family has ever owned, WBRC reports.

“Little buddy wasn’t doing this trying to get no hype on the internet or trying to get no hype on the radio,” Smiley said, according to Yahoo! News. “He did it because he wanted his high school diploma.”

It is interesting how the media is trying to shape this narrative according to a utilitarian calculus. Close to  ten percent of young people operate within this moral compass according to James Davison Hunter, author of The Death of Culture. He writes, “The utilitarian moral culture regards personal self-interest as the focal point for moral decision making” (p. 159). It is a measure of Corey’s character how hard he worked to dispel this narrative.

Patrick could barely speak he was so overwhelmed with emotion by the generous gift.

“I just would like to thank everybody,” he told WBRC.

Smiley said he hopes the gift will send a message to all the kids working through adversity to stay on the right track.

“Even if there is another kid who caught the bus every day that didn’t get a car, let this inspire you because your blessing is coming,” Smiley said.

Patrick is now working to get his driver’s license, with the help of Smiley, and will attend Jacksonville University on a full scholarship. A separate Go Fund Me page set up to help cover expenses has raised more than $20,000, double the initial goal of $10,000.

All teachers want their students to learn to be resilient and persevere through adversity and be purposeful in the way they spend their lives.  Similarly, teachers want their students to make sacrifices to achieve worthy goals.  Resilience, perseverance, being purposeful and making sacrifices for what is good are crucial  building blocks for becoming a good and worthy person.  The UK’s The Jubilee Centre  has an excellent resource for teacher use in its lesson plans for teaching resilience here.

 

Veterans teach Georgia students valuable lesson about respect after American flag senior prank

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A group of students at Georgia’s Heard County High School recently defaced the American flag with the spray-painted message “Seniors2K18!” but instead of reaching for the student handbook, principal Brent Tisdale reached out to local veterans.

Tisdale spoke with the five students involved with the stunt and instead of suspension opted to create a “teachable moment” they won’t forget, Fox 5 reports.

“My initial thought was five days out of school, and no prom and all of that, but that, I don’t think, was teaching them what we want to do, which was to value and understand other people’s feelings,” Tisdale said.

The principal told the news site that the students didn’t seem to fully understand the connection between the flag and veterans.

“So I called Chief Hannah here at the Franklin Police Department and said, ‘Hey, do you have any vets that are on shift right now that can come up here and talk to the kids?’” Tisdale said.

Brent Tisdale’s actions align themselves well with the best research on moral formation of students. Researchers at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture emphasize the importance of modeling positive relationships with others. They write, “The importance of modeling the good is especially important in the public schools because explicit moral teaching is (or is perceived to be) fraught with disagreement, controversy, or legal challenges.”

A few firefighters and police soon arrived and took the boys to an empty room for a chat.

“We talked about how we chose to sign up and voluntarily defend that flag and their right to do what they did to it, as well as all of the family and friends and loved ones that have come home underneath that flag,” veteran Nikki Culpepper said, adding that she brought along a picture of Arlington Cemetery, where her grandfather is buried.

“Two of the young people – there were tears in their eyes – shook our hands, apologized, very remorseful,” Culpepper said.

In a Twitter message to parents, Tisdale wrote that while he doesn’t believe the students meant to offend veterans, they learned an important lesson about respect and community.

“I don’t believe their intention was to disrespect or insult the flag or country but that’s what happened,” he wrote. “Our community is great, all kids make mistakes, and it takes a village, folks. I hope we can work together, as a school and community, to continue to love our kids despite their mistakes.”

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students will find information, strategies and teacher lesson plans at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre.

Ohio teen skips prom to help veterans on ‘Honor Flight’ to Washington, D.C.

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An Ohio teen skipped her prom to help military veterans travel to Washington, D.C. as part of the Honor Flight Columbus program, because she believed in the cause.

But the trip turned out a little differently than she expected, with one veteran in particular going out of his way to give thanks for the girl’s dedication.

Gahanna-Lincoln High School junior Hannah Secrist accompanied Korean War veteran Herb Cunningham and 88 other veterans on a trip to D.C. in late April, and flew back to Columbus on the same day as the prom.

Cunningham learned that Secrist gave up the special night to help with the trip, and decided to take matters into his own hands to show he appreciated the effort.

“At that point, I made an offer to Hannah that since she missed her prom, that later on when we get back to the Columbus airport, we might have our little prom dinner of our own,” Cunningham told WCMH.

Cunningham called his wife and arranged to have her meet them at the airport with a meal, and Secrist later posted pictures of their makeshift prom date on the airport floor that quickly went viral.

There is some debate whether mandatory service projects are as effective as voluntary service. But few question the value of service when there is a meaningful personal cost as is demonstrated in this story. Rural midwest schools tend to place a high value on military service. In these schools, researchers at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture found that 1 to 7 percent of the student body enlists with the encouragement of teachers and administrators.

“I’m so grateful,” Secrist said. “I’m grateful for what they (veterans) did in the wars for us and to take the time for me was really sweet.”

Honor Flight Columbus teams war veterans with volunteers to take senior vets on no-cost trips to Washington, D.C. to visit monuments, memorials and cemeteries dedicated to military service members. Last September, the organization ushered its 5,000th veteran to D.C. from central Ohio.

Cunningham said he appreciates the program, and he felt it’s important to highlight young people like Secrist who volunteer to help out in such a thoughtful way.

“I think sometimes we have a bit of a negative impression on young people today,” he said. “You see so many things in the news that can be discouraging, but in this particular case there was clear evidence of a right heart and a right spirit and it just was something that I couldn’t pass up, acknowledging and expressing my thanks in a very crazy way for what Hannah was willing to do.”

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students will find information, Strategies and lesson plans at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre.

Week of Service connects students with local nonprofits to build community

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A “Week of Service” at Penn State New Kensington School put students in the community helping local nonprofits and other causes, from a no-kill animal shelter to serving patrons at a “pay what you can” café.

The student government at Penn State’s New Kensington campus initially planned to hold two service events in March, but numerous campus clubs and individual students helped to expand the effort to a total of seven projects over the course of a week, according to Penn State News.

Students visited the Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley, to help the animal shelter transition to a new 10,000-square-foot building by clearing out the site’s basement and sorting items for donations and the dumpster. Students also donated puppy rugs they crafted from old shirts during orientation.

“To help any organization in the community, it gives (students) a very broad view of all the things that go on in the community,” Phyllis Framel, board president of Animal Protectors, told the news site. “There are a lot of nonprofits, especially in this area, and they do a lot of good work. To get students exposed, I think, helps them form an idea of what’s done in the community, but also what they may want to do in the future in their communities as a professional or as a volunteer.”

Members of New Kensington’s Biobehavioral Health Club also went to the Knead Community Café to help clean and serve food, as did many other students who were not affiliated with the club. The Outdoor Adventure Club volunteered at the Murrysville Community Center March for Parks 5K, where they helped youth with craft projects at the event.

Others went to Seneca Place to host bingo for senior citizens at the nursing facility.

Students also collected toiletries to craft care packages for victims of domestic violence served by the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center, donated to a blood drive on campus, and held an event to raise awareness about efforts to fight childhood cancer.

“It really shows what Penn State is all about, helping our community and other people in general,” said junior Ian Callender, who helped at several events.

Michele Marcks, assistant director of student affairs, told Penn State News the “Week of Service” is one way the university inspires students to serve their communities throughout the year.

Hands-on experience is the best teacher. Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture sociologist James Davison Hunter explains that the communitarian strategy for moral development highlights that “individuals are social creatures inextricably embedded in their communities…. Experience was always a precursor to the possession of character and practical wisdom, for it schools the individual in the range of circumstances within which the virtues would find expression.”

“Just giving back is obviously very important, and it’s one of our Penn State values to make sure we’re part of the community, and we’re getting our students to really embody that,” Marcks said.

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students will find useful information and strategies at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre. The Jubilee Centre site also contains teachers lesson plans on character and moral formation.

OH schools host ‘Veteran Appreciation Game’ to honor military servicemen and women

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Two Ohio communities of Miamisburg and Bellbrook came together this month to honor military veterans with a Veteran Appreciation Game between high school baseball teams.

Some of the finest schools in terms of advancing moral character are found in rural public schools. Miamisburg and Bellhook have a population of 20,000 and 11,000 respectively. Here in the rural Midwest, researchers at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture found three spheres of moral obligation were common: immigration, religious responsibility, and military service. Here military service is appreciated. It’s a “clear expectation that people respect and honor those serving, those who had served, and those students thinking about joining.”

“It’s just a way for us to honor people what don’t normally get enough credit,” Miamisburg head coach Steve Kurtz told Dayton Daily News.

The April 21st outing kicked off at Miamisburg High School with players on both teams greeting veterans with a firm handshake, and a 21-gun salute. The opening ceremony also included taps, the national anthem, and a team of professional skydivers, who brought in the ball for the first pitch.

Gold star father Paul Zanowick, whose son Marine Cpl. Paul “Ricky” Zanowick II was killed in Afghanistan, did the honors.

“Not everywhere in the country is there so much care and concern for the military, but it is here,” Zanowick said.

His wife, Nanette, was also moved by the community support.

“I’m very touched and very proud of this community and what we do for veterans and they honored our son today to make it extra special,” she said.

Organizers sold commemorative t-shirts at the game and donated the profits to the Wounded Warrior Project, a Florida based nonprofit that works to help veterans who’ve served since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Nearly a half-million veterans suffer from physical injuries from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including as many as 400,000 that suffer from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“With the support of our community of donors and team members, we give a voice to those needs and empower our warriors to begin the journey of recovery,” according to the project’s website.

Kurtz told the Daily News he’s proud of his community’s support for veterans, and it was obvious at the recent game that it has a significant impact.

“It’s good to see that they smile and they know that we do care and are extremely grateful for what they’ve done for us,” he said.

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students can find information and strategies at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre. In The Jubilee Centre’s own words, the following illustrates how the centre views its work.  “The Jubilee Centre is a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing.  The Centre is a leading informant on policy and practice through its extensive range of projects contributes to a renewal of character virtues in both individuals and society.”

Student starts birthday tradition to help the homeless

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Fresno State University senior Jasmine Castillo started a tradition for her 21st birthday, and it’s since turned into a family affair that’s also inspired her 7-year-old sister to serve.

The public health administration major decided four years ago she would rather spend her 21st birthday helping others than celebrating by having her first legal adult beverage, so she launched a fundraiser online called “Jaz’s Birthday Wish” to buy toiletries for the Poverello House homeless shelter in downtown Fresno.

“For me growing up, people always wanted to drink,” Castillo told The Collegian. “And I was just like, it was never a thing for me. Why do we have to do that?” “How about we do something more positive?” she said. “More beneficial.”

For the first couple of years Castillo delivered supplies to the Poverello House on her birthday, simply dropping off the donations. But in 2017 she decided to take a more active role, and recruited family to personally hand out packages of toiletries, as well water and burritos.

This year Castello raised $356.25 to buy ingredients to make 290 burritos and make 284 packs of toiletries. She spent her birthday cooking up the burritos with an assembly line of family helping out, including her 7-year-old sister.

“I want to signify that I’m here to help, that I want to make a change,” she said. “I’m always telling my family I’m going to change the world.”

Dulce Sora, a friend of Castello’s from Edison High School, told The Collegian the birthday tradition is just one of several ways her friend reaches out to help the less fortunate in the community. Castello also volunteers with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Saint Agnes Medical Center, and was recognized by District 31 Assemblyman Henry Perea in 2012 as “Woman of the Year” for her efforts.

“It didn’t just start. She’s always been involved through programs like this, or she’s always tried to help everybody,” Sora said. “If they need help, she always wants to be the first one there.”

Researchers at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture asked, “What accounts for a diversity of moral commitments?” “Why would one youngster avoid the homeless person and another either help him with money or talk with him about his problems?” Social scientists typically favor a range of background factors, such as race, class, and gender to account for such differences. But against this, the child’s “underlying attachment to a moral culture was the single most important and consistent factor in explaining the variation in their moral judgments.”

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students can find information and strategies at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre. In The Jubilee Centre’s own words, the following illustrates how the Centre views it work.  “The Jubilee Centre is a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing.  The Centre is a leading informant on policy and practice through its extensive range of projects contributes to a renewal of character virtues in both individuals and society.”

Canadian bus crash survivor may never walk again, but wants to do his part to improve the world

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In mid-April, Humboldt Broncos hockey player Ryan Straschnitzki woke up to a devastating sight – dozens of teammates and others lying dead and injured in the wreckage of the team bus along a Canadian highway.

“It was pretty devastating seeing my teammates lying there, bloodied and whatnot,” he told CBC News. “My first instinct was to get up and help them, but I couldn’t move my legs.”

Over the next few days Straschnitzki learned that 10 of his junior college teammates, and six others on board the bus died in the collision with a semi-truck north of Tisdale, Saskatchewan. The tragic crash, which reverberated throughout the world, left Straschnitzki with a broken neck, back and left clavicle, and he’s now paralyzed from the neck down.

Doctor’s don’t believe he’ll ever walk again, but the 18-year-old defenseman said there was also another, perhaps more profound, change.

CBC News reports:

Straschnitzki views his survival as a second chance from God, an opportunity to do his part to improve the world in whatever way he can.

Hockey is the obvious answer, he said, adding that he has expressed an interest in continuing his sports career in sledge hockey. Becoming a public speaker is another potential avenue.

Straschnitzki told Global News he’s unsure when he’ll be able to head home to Alberta, but the support from his family and others since the crash is lifting his spirits and keeping him hopeful for the future.

James Davison Hunter in his seminal book, The Death of Character, found that a “child’s underlying attachment to a moral culture were the most important and consistent factor in explaining the variation in their moral judgments.” Even when subjected to rigorous statistical analysis, the conclusion is the same: the moral culture children were living within was the most important determinant of their behavioral predispositions.

“I’m pretty tired and pretty sore, but with the positive thoughts and with the support I’m getting I can pretty much deal with anything at this point,” he said.

During recovery, Straschnitzki said he’s simply focused on getting well and returning to hockey, while offering lessons from his experience to others going through struggles.

“I’m just going to not dwell on the past and do what my body is capable of doing,” he said. “Hopefully get on the ice again and play the sport I love, no matter what.”

And while Straschnitzki told the Calgary Sun he’s “just happy to be alive,” he’s already working toward a goal of one day making the Olympic sledge hockey team – a focus on the future he hopes will send a message to others struggling through life: “It gets better … Don’t give up …”

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students can find information and strategies at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre. In The Jubilee Centre’s own words, the following illustrates how the centre views it work.  “The Jubilee Centre is a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing.  The Centre is a leading informant on policy and practice through its extensive range of projects contributes to a renewal of character virtues in both individuals and society.”

American Legion connects students with local officials during County Government Day

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Veterans recently teamed up with the American Legion to introduce high school students to the intimate workings of county government, an annual tradition that connects students with public officials in their community.

John Brehm, director of Veterans Affairs for Scotts Bluff and Banner counties, worked with the American Legion to bring in high school civics students from Scottsbluff, Gering, Mitchell and Morrill into county courthouses and government buildings for introductions in March, the Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports.

The day-long field trip dubbed County Government Day included a flag presentation and remarks from former American Legion state commander Beth Linn, as well as a mock trial with county Judge Kris Mickey.

“Your local government is the foundation of this country,” Linn said. “Whatever happens at your local government affects you for the rest of your life and affects what happens at the regional level.”

Research at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture suggests the importance of this kind of hands on informal education in local civics. Experience is always the best teacher. Case studies consistently show, states Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture leaders James Hunter and Ryan Olson, “the importance of the informal articulation of a moral culture through the example of teachers and other adults in the school community.”

“We know that these guys are our future and we’ve got to get them educated,” Beth Linn told the news site. “We’re a non-partisan organization. We don’t care whichever way they vote, they just need to know the basics so they can be educated.”

Scottsbluff High School social studies teacher Matt Parsley told the Star-Herald the event offers a lot more than simply an opportunity for his American government students to gain valuable real life experience with county officials.

“I also think there’s a patriotic side to it, that they understand service,” he said. “I think they gain some respect for the Legion and those who have served in the military.”

Mitchell junior Hunter Lenley said he learned a lot at the County Government Day, particularly during a presentation by a local probation officer.

“He did a really good job of explaining everything,” Lenley said. “I really didn’t understand how probation and all that works, but he really explained how the states of probation goes.”

Teachers and principals working to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students can find information and strategies at the UK’s The Jubilee Centre.  In The Jubilee Centre’s own words, the following illustrates how the Centre views it work.  “The Jubilee Centre is a pioneering interdisciplinary research centre on character, virtues and values in the interest of human flourishing.  The Centre is a leading informant on policy and practice through its extensive range of projects contributes to a renewal of character virtues in both individuals and society.”

Benchmark charter school focuses students on gratitude, service, and patriotism

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Students at Benchmark School in Phoenix seem to stand out, in a good way.

“Everyone can tell a Benchmark student,” Carole Challoner, one of the public charter school’s founders, told the American Thinker. “Our students are kind, they are respectful, they are caring, and they love their country.”

Challoner started the school with fellow teacher Barbara Darroch, investing their own money to buy the land and buildings, to develop Benchmark with a clear vision of what they wanted to do differently than other schools. Both Challoner and Darroch grew up overseas, with Challoner’s father in the U.S. Air Force and Darroch’s in the oil business, and their childhood experiences shaped how they approach the classroom.

Researchers at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture found that the willingness to “be different” is an important feature of creating a “thick” moral culture in a school. In The Content of Their Character they wrote, “All of the charter schools in this sample saw themselves as different from the local public schools in culture and a focus on academic achievement…. To this end, they deliberately constructed their notions of the ‘good person’ as countercultural to their perception of a public school’s.” This willingness to embrace a countercultural stance served to enhance the moral ethos of the school.

The Institute for Advanced Studies’ latest book, The Content of Their Character, provides findings of the Institute’s research into ten sectors of K-12 high school across America regarding moral and citizenship formation of high school students.  The sectors studied were as follows:  urban public high schools, rural public high schools, charters, evangelical schools, Catholic schools, Jewish and Muslim schools, prestigious independent schools, alternative pedagogy schools and homeschooling.

“We know how lucky our students are to have been born in this wonderful country, and it is our responsibility to make sure they never forget that,” Challoner said.

Throughout the school year, various school events focus on inspiring students with opportunities for gratitude, service and patriotism – experiences that reinforce daily classroom lessons about the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance, protecting the Constitution, the country’s founding fathers, and how citizenship and character revolve around helping others.

Students take turns leading the school in the daily Pledge, collect supplies for deployed military troops, honor veterans with essays and patriotic performances, and visit the National Memorial Cemetery to lay wreaths on graves without them.

Classrooms adopt military families during Christmas to help with presents and food, students compete in essay contests for Veterans Day and Memorial Day, and participate in several special events throughout the year. One event honors those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by hoisting two flags in remembrance. The flags are given to two students at the end of the year that exemplify good character and citizenship.

In another special event, the school hosts a naturalization ceremony for new citizens, who take an Oath of Allegiance and speak with students about why they wanted to become Americans. The yearly tradition has featured folks from Venezuela, Bosnia, and African countries, according to the American Thinker.

The intense focus on character and citizenship has led to tremendous academic success, Challoner said, with scores twice the state average in some subjects.

Teachers and principals wanting to strengthen moral and citizenship formation in their students can find information and strategies at the UK’s Jubilee Centre.

©2017 Advanced Studies in Culture

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