News Flash

County News

Posted on: May 18, 2023

Character Counts! Volunteers Make a Positive Impact on QAC Youth

Character Counts! Volunteers Make a Positive Impact on QAC Youth

For twenty-three years in Queen Anne’s County, the Character Counts! Initiative has worked to increase character education by offering resources, training, and information about the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. The initiative has consistently shown increases in student attendance, academic achievement, positive behavior choices, and a more positive sense of self and future.

All school year, volunteer character coaches have been visiting local classrooms to share lessons on the Commissioner proclaimed, “Pillar of the Month”. This year, the program had 69 coaches that volunteered in 110 classrooms. In recent years the program focused on elementary students. However, this year a pilot program found great success at Stevensville Middle School.

Training to become a coach will happen this August and September. Volunteers only need to commit to less than an hour a month, which works out to two 15-minute lessons a month. If you would like to participate, visit https://www.growinguppositive.org/contact-us to learn more.

As the school year winds down, please join us in thanking our coaches for making a positive impact on the youth in Queen Anne’s County!

Kelsie Hart

Jarnell Foster

Kerry Harris

Patti Ruocco

Amanda Fasig

Terri Paddy

Jennifer Vann

John Daniel

Rick Caporin

Jody Simmons

Carla Pullen