Welcome To The New School Year 

Thank you for all you do to support students, staff, families, and the community.  As you spend your time pouring into others we encourage you to make time for self-care. 

This year you can share your examples of character, leadership, and service 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. 

Like so many choir teachers, Adam Mitchell saw the disappointment in his students’ eyes last spring when learning went virtual and the Cash Elementary spring chorus concert was canceled.

He knew there had to be a way to share his students’ talents with the community.

He decided to take the performance virtual. The result is the Kernersville Virtual Choir project, 190 voices strong. They range in age from nine to 90 years old. His original plan was to write the music for just his students.  And the result is a beautiful piece of music that has been viewed thousands of times online. The message is simple and moving.

“When we’ve been left behind and we’re far from home, we will walk together,” Mitchell said. “So we’re not alone. That’s something that my kids sang in their verse, and something, when we’re feeling like we’re all alone, this moment of isolation when you’re by yourself and you’re staying at home and it suddenly feels like you’re kind of closing a little bit of a box. And the message I want to send with this song is it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s that support, we’re all in this together. And we can make it through this together. And at risk of sounding cliche, to quote my own song, ‘We will rise together.'”

You can view the full song on youtube

If you have a story about how your school is demonstrating character, service, or leadership email Justyn.Knox@dpi.nc.gov to share your story. 

FREE Whole Child Virtual Summit

March 22-March 26, 2021 

Sign up for the FREE Whole Child Virtual Summit
Inspiring speakers who have incredible ideas for schools and educators so you can educate the Whole Child.

Last year over 50,000 educators tuned in for the Whole Child Summit. You'll walk away each day inspired to evaluate your individual and school practices when it comes to supporting the whole child.

The speakers at this summit can often only be heard at National Conferences, but we've brought them together, over the course of five days so you can learn from the best, for free and from the comforts of your home or school!

Register Here 

National Service-Learning Conference 

April 14-15, 2021 

Register 

The National Youth Leadership Council is honored to host the 2021 National Service-Learning Conference, now in its 32nd year. This conference is more than workshops and keynote addresses; it is an extension of the classroom, allowing for the youth and adult attendees to be part of a national movement. Throughout the conference, youth plan programming, emcee plenary sessions, inspire attendees through keynote addresses, and lead workshops for youth and adult peers from around the world.  Youth are given the opportunity to create something so spectacular that it changes how adults perceive all young people — as solutions to real problems.

The conference’s multiple-day, concurrent session format offers adults a self-directed, facilitated learning environment with education sessions, discussion groups, and interactive workshops designed specifically for all levels of attendees engaged in service-learning and focused on current and emerging issues, best practices, and the challenges facing us today. Both youth and adults come out of the experience with the tools and resources, ideas and inspiration to return home to improve their practice, their schools, and their communities. This year's Conference will be entirely virtual and feature both live and on-demand sessions. 

Topics range from social-emotional learning and civic education to youth leadership and international service-learning. Whether you are new to service-learning or an experienced practitioner, this conference has something for you.