Character, Leadership & Service  How is your school demonstrating Character, Leadership, and Service?   Share your examples by sending photos, videos, articles, websites, etc. to Justyn.Knox@dpi.nc.gov with a brief explanation of an activity or project that exemplifies good character. Selected exemplars will be placed on the Character Matters website.  To receive the Character Education Update please sign up here. Character Matters is now on Facebook.  To like and follow our page click here.

UPDATE INCLUDES: 

OPPORTUNITIES and AWARDS   

• Global Youth Service Day 
• Webinar Opportunities 

INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS & RESOURCES 

• FREE Resources during COVID-19

• Move This World Free Video Exercise to Do Outside of School  
• Ideas To Raise Active and Caring Citizens 
• 13 Children's Books for Teaching Kindness 
• Grant Opportunities 
• Stay Connected with Character Matters

1 Week Until Global Youth Service Day  #DoGoodFromHome Global Youth Service Day is the largest youth service and civic action event in the world and the only one that celebrates and builds the capacity of all youth ages 5-25 to help our communities and democracy thrive by working together for the common good. On Global Youth Service Day, we call on everyone to engage all young people to volunteer, vote, and join. GYSD is also a time to build capacity to engage youth year-round. With just one week to go, it's time to choose how you will participate in GYSD at home, if you haven't already. Here are a few places to start doing good at home: Choose one of the dozens of projects in YSA’s Idea Center that can be done at home. Use GYSD as a time to find a new group or organization to join or to plan a future project using YSA’s free resources and video trainings. Search All for Good, VolunteerMatch, or Idealist for virtual volunteer opportunities with nonprofits in your community. You can also connect with your local volunteer center. Join the #DoGoodFromHome Challenge. YSA has partnered with Design for Change and Hasbro to call on kids and teens to use their compassion and creativity to do acts of good from home. While we are social distancing, let’s connect through kindness! Take the #DoGoodFromHome Challenge and see how small acts can make a big difference! For every kind act shared through the #DoGoodFromHome Challenge, Hasbro will donate up to 25,000 toys and games to organizations providing care to the children of COVID-19 essential workers. You can be kind to someone in your community and also help the helpers across the country and the world! Here How To #DoGoodFromHome Think about who you want to help and what kind act you could do for them. Take a photo or video that shows you or your family making a difference from your home. Post the photo/video to your social media using the #DoGoodFromHome and inspire others to take action. Tag friends and ask them to join the Challenge! Share the #DoGoodFromHome hashtag to unlock donations from Hasbro to benefit children of COVID-19 essential workers.

Webinar Opportunities

CASEL CARES: Let’s Listen to Our Young People: What Support Do They Need? Fri, Apr 17, 2020 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT REGISTER  CASEL CARES is a new initiative that connects the SEL community with experts to address how SEL can be most helpful in today’s circumstances. Have you asked yourself, "Are adults providing students with what they need during this crisis?" If so, join CASEL for a discussion with PDK CEO Josh Starr and Educators Rising high school students. PDK’s recent survey shares more from high school students on what kind of social and emotional supports they need and from educators on what they’re providing.  During this webinar, we’ll look at the student voice data together and invite high school students to discuss strategies for bridging that gap.

Character Education and Social Emotional Learning Resources during COVID-19

• NC Remote Learning Support Site 

• Click here for Free resources from CASEL designed to support educators, parents, and anyone who works with children.  Be sure to check out the new CASEL Memo with links of suggestions for addressing social and emotional needs as part of a district response plan

• Everfi (K-12th provides free digital resources hat can be used in schools or remotely. Lessons and courses related to SEL, Health and Wellness, Financial Literacy, etc. Be sure to check out the  Digital Lessons from EVERFI K-12 Learning to support parents and families: 

• Committee for Children,COVID-19 RESPONSE Resources for Students and Families

Move This World Free Video Exercises to Do Outside of School   Move This World’s remote video-based stress-reduction and self-regulation activities and learning resources for supporting students (elementary, middle, and high), staff, and caregivers through uncertainty are available online for free with the password “togetherwecan”

Ideas to Raise Caring & Active Citizens   The best way to get kids to start (and stick with) acts of service is to channel their interests into meaningful work. Find your students' or children's passions and try our ideas for giving back in ways that feel and do good. Read more

13 Children's Books That Encourage Kindness Toward Others

Dates To Remember 

• April 17-19: Global Youth Service Day 

Stay Connected with Character Matters

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